Urban Affairs Coalition Seeks Firm For 50th Anniversary Brand Campaign
Purpose:
The Urban Affairs Coalition (“UAC”) is issuing this Request for Proposals to identify a marketing and design firm to lead two interconnected and complementary design projects; 1) a comprehensive organizational brand refresh, and 2) design support for a 50th Anniversary and 2020 major gifts campaign. UAC solicits responses from firms who demonstrate experience working with nonprofits, developing print and electronic materials to support fundraising campaigns, and sharpening and clarifying external messaging and branding for complex service organizations. Further, the ideal candidate will demonstrate cultural competency in all facets of working relationships, including experience collaborating with minority-led organizations and companies serving communities of color.
Background:
Our Mission:
UAC unites government, business, neighborhoods, and individual initiative to improve the quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities, and solve emerging issues.
Who We Are:
We are a Coalition of approximately 70 partner organizations, large and small, working on diverse issues that immediately affect communities. We strengthen nonprofit organizations through fiscal sponsorship, capacity building, and program evaluation; improve life chances for youth and young adults; and provide economic opportunity to low-income households, working families, and minority-owned businesses. Through our work, we reach more than 150,000 children, youth, and adults annually.
The Coalition’s fiscal year 2018 budget is $36 million. More than 87% of our revenue supports programs and services. The total number of UAC full-time employees fluctuates due to changes in programs. There are currently close to 350 full- and part-time employees.
What We Do:
The Coalition shapes public policy and delivers programs that respond to urgent community needs. The problems we face are far too complex for one entity to solve on its own. Our deep community roots and strong linkages to public and private groups allows us to bring together a diverse set of resources around specific issues. The Power of Coalition means that together, we can accomplish what no one organization can do alone.
Scope of Work:
Brand Refresh:
UAC will retain a marketing firm or qualified designer to refresh and reintroduce UAC’s brand identity to the public across all external platforms. The firm will lead a branding refresh process that will include refining UAC’s visual identity, sharpening and simplifying external messaging, and developing graphically engaging content that illustrates UAC’s broad impact and vision for the future. The project will include, at minimum, a full redesign of UAC’s website, an update of organizational templates and style-guides for external and internal communications, and a comprehensive plan to introduce the refreshed brand to the public with the goal of increasing visibility and furthering public understanding of UAC’s work across numerous audiences.
Key audiences include:
- Existing program partners and their diverse constituents
- Potential customers for UAC’s services, e.g., nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs considering affiliation and/or seeking to build organizational capacity through outsourced services
- Public sector and elected officials
- Corporate leaders and giving representatives
- Philanthropy (institutional funders and individual donors)
50th Anniversary Campaign:
The firm will also create and design high quality, graphically engaging materials to serve as “leave behind” collaterals for prospective supporters, along with other supplemental materials such as letterhead, templates or infographics, and a “splash” page for the campaign that can be activated on the website. The audience profile will be long term corporate, public, and philanthropic supporters of UAC, along with other high net worth, philanthropic individuals to raise their awareness of UAC’s services and plans for growth capital.
ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES AND COLLATERAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Design and print specifications are not fixed. UAC looks forward to working collaboratively with the chosen firm, as well as contracted fundraising and marketing consultants, to create engaging finished products.
Collaborative efforts include an invitation to join UAC’s board-level Marketing Committee, which provides leadership and guidance to UAC’s Marketing & Communications Team.
UAC will provide the firm with copy, vector logos, and other identity standards. The selected firm will work with UAC to produce a range of materials potentially including:
- Comprehensive website redesign
- Synchrony of native brands/initiatives
- Social media and new media cohesion
- Visual Design and Layout of a Campaign Brochure
- PowerPoint Presentation Template (for external presentations)
- Stationery and Envelope Design
- Pledge Cards and Response Envelope Design
- E-Communication Templates
Due Date:
April 30th
Address:
Urban Affairs Coalition
1207 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Zeno Group and Edelman PR have experience in urban PR campaigns.
