RFP: Strategic Communications Consultant
The Guardians of Flushing Bay (GoFB) seeks to retain a Strategic Communications Consultant (the Consultant) to collaborate with the organization on refining our core messaging and visual identity, including creating priority visual assets and building a brand messaging guide. These deliverables should respond to two key goals: 1. Turning local residents into stewards, and 2. Turning visitors into donors. The Consultant will work in close coordination with the Executive Director and Community Engagement Manager.
Deadlines and Timing
- Date Issued: April 23, 2026
- Deadline: May 22, 2026
- Possible Start Date: June 22, 2026
Background on Guardians of Flushing Bay
Guardians of Flushing Bay (GoFB) was founded in 2015 by a multiracial and intergenerational coalition of dragon boaters advocating for the health and access of Flushing Bay. The coalition removed a toxic, abandoned barge, introduced oyster gardens, and influenced citywide decision-making processes that would forever impact Flushing Bay and Flushing Creek. Since incorporating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2018, GoFB has evolved into an organization with a shared vision of a healthy and equitably accessible Flushing Waterways where our watershed communities feel part of a thriving collective that stewards the water and each other. We accomplish our goals through grassroots organizing, community science and stewardship, habitat restoration, community planning, and free, family-friendly programming.
Project Requirements
For this project, GoFB seeks to build a brand messaging guide and refine our brand visualization to achieve our audience impact goals. Our audience impact goals are: 1. Turn local residents into stewards, and 2. Turn visitors into donors.
The project requires:
- Updating our brand visualization, including developing a design for GoFB’s staff uniform, a brand tagline, and social media templates.
- Building a brand messaging guide to support GoFB in refining our core messaging.
The engagement will last for roughly 8 months, with the first half focusing on assessment and strategy building, and the second half focusing on testing and implementation.
Please note: This is a contractor position, in which the Consultant is not eligible for GoFB's full-time benefits, i.e., insurance and workspace.
How to Submit a Proposal
Proposals must be sent through this Airtable form by May 22, 2026, at 11:59 pm EDT. By submitting a proposal, you authorize GoFB to contact references to evaluate the firm’s qualifications for this project. GoFB will be available to answer questions during the proposal-writing process via email at [email protected].
Proposals should be no more than ten (10) pages or a deck of up to 20-30 slides, not including references, and cover the following:
- Consultant Description: Brief history and summary of your expertise.
- Approach to strategic communications: Please tell us about the process and methodology you would go through to support GoFB with this project. Detail how you will accomplish the above scope of work, including a clear delineation of what we should expect you to be responsible for and what you expect from GoFB.
- Draft Work Plan with a Proposed Timeline: Deliverables are to be completed by xyz. Please submit a draft work plan with clear milestones and a timeline outlining the steps to achieve this goal.
- Budget: Please provide a proposed cost along with a narrative description of what is included in this cost. All costs from conception to completion should be included. Ideally, there would be a scaled approach to the budget, with various options.
- Experience and Unique Qualifications: Describe your experience for similar requirements and the value that you brought to those assignments. This should include an overview of prior similar engagements, your work with nonprofits, average length of engagement, and what would make you a unique partner.
- Work Samples: Please submit three relevant work samples, including at least one writing sample from a previous deliverable.
- References: Provide at least two references.
Evaluation Criteria
All proposals will be evaluated based on the following key criteria:
- Performance capability—the extent to which the proposal demonstrates the consultant’s ability to provide the depth and breadth of experience, skills, knowledge, and creativity generally required by this project.
- Understanding of GoFB’s work to date.
- Demonstrated experience with nonprofit organizations working in the environmental or climate justice space.
- Completeness and quality of response, including clear deliverables and a reasonable approach.
- Proposed cost and timeline.
- References.
- Connection to Queens is a plus.
Budget
GoFB has $25,000 available for this work and has additional budget available for the branded products (staff uniforms). Please include a tiered budget proposal that includes a “menu” of services.
Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, Guardians of Flushing Bay encourages you to apply.
We are accepting applications from individuals, firms, and organizations. Guardians of Flushing Bay is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. Guardians of Flushing Bay will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Please do not use AI to help draft your cover letter or responses to our application questions. We want to know how you think and write.