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Building for the Arts

Request for Proposals (RFP)
Fundraising Consultant – Education Systems Change and Arts Education

Issued by: Building for the Arts (bfany.org)
Proposal Due Date: 8/18/25
Contact: Nicole Gardner, Director of Advancement: ngardner@bfany.org

Introduction:
Building for the Arts (BFA) is seeking a fundraising consultant with expertise in winning major foundation support for education systems change and K-12 arts education. Our goal is to expand the reach of our program, Music and the Brain (MATB), which builds musicianship as a learning tool during the school day, supporting music teachers, and impacting every student at our partner schools.

Founded in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC in 1976 to create a vibrant performing arts hub for the neighborhood, Building for the Arts has since grown toward a national approach to cultural access, offering multiple pipelines toward deepened artistic engagement. Through its three signature programs—Theatre Row, The American Playwriting Foundation, and the K-12 music education program Music and the Brain—the organization vitalizes artistic communities and their audiences. Bfany.org

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a small, dynamic team, leveraging our successes, and driving meaningful growth for a transformative and highly scalable program.

Scope of Work:

The selected consultant will be expected to:

1. Leverage Existing Success:
   • Highlight our successful program expansion in one of our geographic service areas, primarily funded by a major multi-year grant, as a model for how large-scale grants enable MATB to effect transformative change in entire school districts or regions.
   • Highlight the results of our external program evaluation and research findings prepared by a team from the Center for Arts Education Research at Columbia University Teacher’s College.
2. Develop a Targeted Outreach Strategy:
   • Building and expanding on our existing prospect research, help us develop and implement a strategy to identify, prioritize, and connect with local and national funders that can offer significant support for MATB, including multiple rounds of outreach and follow-up, with tailored approaches for:
     • Prospects (incl. foundations, individuals, and corporate supporters) focused on education system change.
     • Prospects aligned with venture philanthropy.
     • Large, influential foundations focused on K-12 education funding.
     • Community Foundations managing private foundations and donor-advised funds in regions where we work or intend to expand.
   • Share MATB’s research and expansion results with key stakeholders at large foundations (including community foundations managing donor-advised funds) to build relationships, even where immediate funding opportunities may not be available.
3. Create Updated, Tailored Versions of our Standard Program Proposal:
   • Building on our existing proposals and reports, draft a proposal for MATB expansion that positions the program as a highly scalable catalyst for systemic change, and advise on adjustments for different audiences, such as venture philanthropists.
4. Leave us with Next Steps and Recommendations for Moving Forward:
   • Provide, in writing, next steps and ideas for continuing the work that you helped us begin during your consultancy.

Proposal Requirements:

Interested consultants should submit a proposal that includes:

• A brief overview of your qualifications and relevant experience in fundraising for education systems change and arts education.
• Examples of previous work or success stories related to similar initiatives.
• A proposed approach and timeline for achieving the goals outlined in the scope of work.
• A cost estimate or fee structure.
• Contact information for at least two professional references.
• A client list.
• A writing sample.

Selection Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Demonstrated expertise and relevant experience.
• Knowledge of the education funding landscape.
• Creativity and feasibility of the proposed approach.
• Understanding MATB’s goals and BFA’s mission.
• Competitive and transparent fee structure.

Fee Structure:

Building for the Arts anticipates an approximately four-month engagement. The proposed fee structure should reflect this timeframe, as well as experience and the scope of deliverables, and fall within our budget of $25,000 for this contract. The fee structure should reflect all aspects of the project, including strategic guidance on approach and prospects, tailored positioning, outreach planning, creation of outreach materials, and recommendations for next steps to continue the work. We welcome pricing proposals in the form of flat project fees or milestone-based models tied to specific deliverables, and we encourage clarity around expectations and outcomes.

Submission Instructions:

Please email your proposal to Nicole Gardner at ngardner@bfany.org no later than 8/18/25. For any questions or clarifications, contact Nicole Gardner, Director of Advancement, at ngardner@bfany.org.