Request for Proposal

Project Title:     Alberta Social Innovation/Finance Hub

Deadline for submission:   August 16, 2019, 5 p.m., MST

Initial Project Budget:  $180,000 committed over two years, with anticipation that amount will be leveraged.

Contact: Lisa Pruden, Edmonton Community Foundation - LPruden at ecfoundation.org

Project Overview

A collaboration of leading social purpose organizations from across Alberta are looking to improve the social innovation and social finance ecosystem in Alberta.   In preparation for the anticipated launch of the Federal Government Social Innovation Social Finance Strategy, group discussions, individual interviews and surveys of 53 Alberta based organizations and thought leaders took place during the spring of 2019.  A preliminary Action Plan was produced that seeks to coordinate resource for financing, capacity building, and mentoring for the start-up or expansion of social ventures and social innovations.  (See Appendix 1: Alberta SI/SF Action Plan) 

Several organizations have made financial commitments to supporting the advancement of this Action Plan and have formed a Steering Committee to oversee its implementation.  (See Appendix 2: Steering Committee Terms of Reference). Note that these are draft TOR which will be revised in connunction with the Steering Committee once the Program Manager is engaged.

The Steering Committee is seeking proposals from an individual or organization to act as Program Manager begin work on the implementation of the Action plan.

Scope of Work

The Project Manager will implement the following.

1. Work in conjunction with the Steering Committee to refine and deepen the preliminary Action Plan, with a focus on the following three priority strategies:

More detailed suggestion on first-year priorities

• Facilitate  social  supply  chain  development,  focusing initially on  public  sector  procurement
• Foster  the  development of  a robust  and  responsive  social  finance  ecosystem
• Develop a social enterprise portal/hub that coordinates and links the various components of Alberta’s Social Innovation and Social Finance Ecosystem, including building a collaborative online presence over time.
• Additional strategic considerations may include, but are not limited to:
  • Scaling up of proving social innovation initiatives in communities  across the province
  • Enhancing supports for social innovation/social finance in rural and indigenous communities.

2. The Program Manager will work in conjunction with the Steering Committee to develop a 3-year work plan that will advance priority strategies and include

• Actions, objectives and impact measurement indicators to achieve each strategic priority and the financial/human resource requirements needed to achieve each priority. 
• Integration of the Action Plan with resources and supports arising from the Federal Social Innovation/Social Finance Strategy, and leverage the initial financial commitment of the Steering Committee members with other identified government, foundation and private sector resources. 
• Strategies to ensure the long term sustainability of the action plan with a particular focus on leveraging the capacity of existing social purpose organizations

Due to the nature of the work, cross-provincial travel will be a requirement

Length of Engagement

The Steering Committee will expect the Program Manager to lead the project for the duration of the three-year action plan. 

As additional financial resources are secured, additional human resources will be engaged.  Staffing may include contracted staff or via secondment of staff from existing social purpose organizations.   The program manager will be responsible for supervising staff engaged.

Applicant Qualifications

It is expected that the successful applicant will, at a minimum:

• have experience  leading and delivering innovative social innovation/social finance services and startup or business development support to social enterprise;
• proven financial management capacity and ability to leverage initial investment of financial resources
• be a dynamic motivator with excellent public speaking and strong writing  skills;
• have experience presenting and communicating complex ideas to a diverse audience;
• demonstrated experience working with, and taking strategic direction from steering, committee and collaborating with a wide range of organizations, and
• experience leading a diverse team in achieving complex goals.

Note: Organizations responding to the RFO are required to designate one individual in the organization who will have primary responsibility for achieving Action Plan objectives and supervising contracted staff.

Applicants need to present how back end administrative support and IT needs will be addressed.

Timeline