Purpose

Social Planning Toronto (SPT) is seeking a strategic communications consultant with experience working with nonprofit, community-based organizations to develop a strategic communications strategy and implementation plan that will modernize the organization’s communication practices.

Background 

Social Planning Toronto is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to challenge inequity in the city to spark social and policy change. Our core mandate and mission include research, policy analysis, knowledge translation, advocacy, social planning, community engagement, and convening key stakeholders to enable a more economically and socially just City. SPT’s policy, advocacy, research, and community engagement work centres the needs and realities of those with local expertise and lived experience of marginalization such as racism, economic exclusion, sexism, ableism, heterosexism, and other forms of discrimination. We engage communities and advocate for policy and systems change, mostly at the municipal level, calling for more equitable, safe, well, just communities and improved democratic approaches in our institutions. Our organizational and programmatic priorities focus on the areas of greatest inequality across Toronto.

Social Planning Toronto is developing a new strategic communications strategy. The pandemic has changed how Social Planning Toronto operates, engages, and communicates with a broad range of groups including community partners, residents, members, donors, and the public. Pre-pandemic, we engaged primarily through in-person events and meetings. The use of social media, stakeholder engagement, and online tools have since evolved and SPT is looking to further adapt our methods and practices. Our key partner groups include low-income, racialized communities and the organizations and staff that work with them. The pandemic has changed the ways our partners engage with us as well as their capacity to participate in systems change, research, and advocacy. 

An updated communications strategy will help us to further adapt by:

• Targeting effective communications to different audiences/partners, including marginalized and under-served residents facing communication (and other) barriers;
• Strengthening relationships through improved communication with all partners including potential donors and members;
• Strengthening our brand, social media presence, and earned media opportunities to reach more people in meaningful ways;
• Expanding knowledge mobilization activities and improving engagement with more people so they can take action on critical issues of inequality; and
• Improving evaluation, data collection, analytics, reporting, community accountability, and learning, leading to improved achievement of mandate.

Scope of Work & Deliverables

• Conduct an analysis of SPT’s existing communications practices, activities, strategies, and resources
• Produce an environmental scan of communication strategies and promising practices amongst comparable organizations 
• In collaboration with SPT, conduct stakeholder analysis and consultation to identify good practices and areas for improvement, with community sector stakeholders and local residents 
• Produce an initial draft of a communications strategy (including website & technology updates) and solicit feedback from staff and key stakeholders 
• In collaboration with SPT’s senior leadership team, develop an implementation plan and a tracking system to measure outcomes, report to the Board of Directors, and evaluate effectiveness 
• Produce a finalized communications strategy and implementation plan that reflects current resident/stakeholder engagement models and practices and maximizes outreach and communication activities, including social media
• Develop and deliver a training document and workshop for staff explaining the role of communications in their day-to-day work and their responsibilities in the communications strategy 

Project Timelines:  September 2023 to March 2024

Compensation: The cost of the consultant’s work shall not exceed $17,000, not inclusive of HST.

Proposal Submission Deadline & Process

• Proposals are due by September 8, 2023 at 4:00 PM.  
• The proposal should include relevant information about the consultant’s experience in doing similar work in the non-profit sector, an outline of how you would approach the work, proposed timelines, and estimated costs. 
• At least two references should be included with full contact information.
• Please submit to: [email protected]
• Questions about the RFP can also be directed to [email protected]