Request for Proposals (RFP): Evaluation for Green Infrastructure Grantmaking Program

March 13, 2025

DUE DATE: April 13, 2025

The New Orleans Community Support Foundation, a supporting organization of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is seeking an evaluator or evaluation team to support evaluation planning and execution for a new grantmaking program, “Green Infrastructure for Justice in Southeast Louisiana.”

OVERVIEW OF DESIRED EVALUATION

Leveraging its track record of environmental grantmaking, nonprofit capacity-building, and extensive relationships, the Foundation will distribute $1.75 million in grants to implement community-led green infrastructure projects in underserved communities at highest risk for the adverse environmental impacts. Through the grantmaking, as well as outreach, evaluation, and high-quality technical assistance, the Foundation will build community capacity to advance transformational and equitable adaptation and flood mitigation projects. These efforts seek to raise environmental awareness, strengthen community resiliency, and improve water management in communities most impacted by disaster and extreme weather.  This RFP seeks an evaluator to develop and execute a monitoring and evaluation plan for the duration of the program, including qualitative and quantitative indicators.

Proposals for the evaluation must be submitted by email to RFP@gnof.org.

EVALUATION DELIVERABLES

The evaluator/evaluation team will:

  1. Develop an evaluation plan prior to program launch, execute on-going evaluation during the program to support continuous process improvements, and conclude with a summative evaluation after the program lifecycle.
  2. Include Foundation staff in the design of the evaluation plan, evaluation questions, logic model, data collection plan, and timeline/milestones for implementation.
  3. Create an evaluation process that will seek input from the Foundation and the program’s Community Advisory Board in evaluation design and implementation.
  4. Design and execute an evaluation plan that aligns with federal standards and is used to inform iterative improvements throughout the life of the program.
  5. Develop and provide technical assistance as needed to ensure high quality data reporting from subgrantees.
  6. Collect, organize, and report qualitative and quantitative data on the impact of the program work at regular intervals throughout the life of the program, including quarterly reporting of data.
  7. Develop a summative evaluation report with a strong narrative that incorporates data on results, as well as grantee, funder, and citizen voices to tell the story of the program’s impact.

ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE

March 2025 Foundation launches Community Advisory Board
April – May 2025 Contractor establishes preliminary evaluation system and ensures alignment with federal guidance
April – May 2025 Foundation finalizes eligibility and selection criteria and grant application
April 2025 – Dec 2028 Contractor conducts on-going evaluation and monitoring and shares results with Foundation
May – July 2025; May – July 2026 Foundation conducts outreach and pre-award technical assistance (2 cycles)
Sept. – Dec. 2025; Sept. – Dec. 2026 Foundation completes review of subaward applications and makes subawards (2 cycles)
Jan – Dec 2026; Jan – Dec 2027 Grantee partners implement funded projects (2 cycles)
Feb. 2026 – Jan 2028 Foundation hosts Community of Practice and ongoing post-award technical assistance
Mar – Dec 2028 Contractor develops summative evaluation report and support storytelling and communications to share program results

GRANTMAKING PROGRAM GOALS

The Green Infrastructure for Justice in Southeast Louisiana initiative will facilitate the following goals:

  1. Increase the resiliency of Southeast Louisiana communities as a result of the implementation of at least 12 stormwater and flood mitigation improvement projects
  2. Ensure that at least 12 subawardees have improved their abilities to identify, successfully apply for, and effectively manage grants related to water quality improvement, and prevention, reduction, and/or elimination of pollution in vulnerable and underserved communities that are adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental and human health harms or risks
  3. Increase the number of individuals with improved understanding of environmental issues in their community

Potential indicators measuring the success of this program could include:

  1. Total number of stormwater management projects implemented in most vulnerable communities.
  2. The number of individuals who report, in post-workshop surveys, an increased ability to manage environmental grants.
  3. Total gallons of stormwater runoff mitigated by green infrastructure projects.

PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION QUESTIONS

Formative

  • How can the Foundation iterate and continuously improve its outreach and technical assistance throughout the program to improve outputs/outcomes/impact?
  • What grantmaking criteria best support successful implementation and impact?

Summative

  • How have the green infrastructure projects supported by this project contributed to increased resiliency in the target communities?
  • What are the best ways of engaging community members, particularly from vulnerable and underserved communities, in the design, planning, funding, and implementation of the green infrastructure projects?
  • How well has the program reached communities in the 13 targeted parishes of Southeast Louisiana, particularly in the most underserved and environmentally vulnerable areas?

The final set of questions will be determined collaboratively with the evaluator.

EVALUATION GUIDELINES

The major areas of this evaluation are:

  1. Quantitative and qualitative reporting related to program goals listed above including all phases of outreach, pre- and post-award technical assistance, and grant-funded project execution based on a logic model and theory of change developed in collaboration with the Foundation.
  2. Process improvement and technical assistance informed by formative evaluation resulting in continuous improvement for grantees and a participatory design process for data collection tools.
  3. Summative outcomes in neighborhoods with new green infrastructure and stormwater management, with an equity lens.

QUALIFICATIONS

Your proposal should describe the relevant capabilities of the firm—including short descriptions and work product samples from similar projects—and describe who will be working on the evaluation and their prior experience, team roles, and responsibilities.  The successful proposal will demonstrate:

  1. Extensive expertise and experience in evaluation, research, and knowledge-building particularly related to work undertaken by nonprofit, philanthropic, and community-based programs or organizations.
  2. Knowledge of the fields of SE Louisiana environment, philanthropy, and is preferred.
  3. Strong analytical skills and an ability to articulate a range of findings (performance measures, progress reports, community impact, practical and constructive feedback, etc.) in a useful manner to all key stakeholder groups.
  4. Experience in developing participatory, story-centered evaluations.

Preference will be given to qualified applicants located in Greater New Orleans, Gulf Coast Region, or qualified applicants who can partner with a qualified local entity.

PROPOSED BUDGET

The Foundation’s target budget for this effort is maximum $60,000, with value being a criterion in selecting an evaluator. With your proposal, please describe the resources necessary to implement the evaluation that you describe.  Your budget should provide as much detail as possible on salaries and fringe, full- and part-time effort projected for the evaluator and/or team, direct costs such as travel and supplies, and indirect costs.

PROPOSALS MUST

  • Contain a cover sheet
  • Be signed by a person authorized to contract for the selected evaluator and proof of authorization for the signature should be included
  • Describe your approach to producing desired evaluation deliverables.
  • Outline a high-level timeline of proposed activities, beginning June 2025 and finishing December 2028 (final timeline will be developed in coordination with Foundation staff once evaluator is selected)
  • Include three references of clients for whom the firm has conducted related projects with contact information and short descriptions of the relevant projects.
  • Provide a budget for proposed activities
  • Be limited to 10 pages.
  • Append one to three samples of past work product from similar projects – samples can be from projects done for listed references and appendixes do not count toward page limit.

SELECTION PROCESS

A Selection Committee comprised of Foundation staff and members of the board will rate proposals based on the criteria listed below. Interviews may be conducted with those submitting the highest scoring proposals to help determine selection.

Selection criteria include:

  • Understanding of Program Goals and Objectives (10%)
  • Evaluation Design & Methodology (20%)
  • Stakeholder Engagement & Participation (10%)
  • Data Collection & Reporting Plan (15%)
  • Experience & Qualification of the Evaluator/Team (15%)
  • Timeline & Milestones (5%)
  • DBE Participation (10%)
  • Value for Money (15%)

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Proposals for the evaluation must be submitted by email to RFP@gnof.org. You may also contact RFP@gnof.org with questions regarding this request for proposals.