REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

NYAAF is seeking a consultant/firm to facilitate a one-day long racial justice training which will be supplemented with technical guidance to incorporate racial justice principles into our work. It is anticipated that the consultant/firm will provide NYAAF with political education training, an organizational assessment, and a road map for operationalizing racial justice within the Fund’s work.

Organizational Background:

NYAAF Statement of Values:

NYAAF believes that every person should be able to determine their own reproductive destiny and have access to the resources, rights, and respect to be able to do so. We believe that access to affordable abortion care is a critical component of full-spectrum healthcare services. We are working towards a world where abortion funds are not necessary because affordable, safe abortion care is part of mainstream medical practice and covered fully by all types of insurance.

NYAAF believes that the people who call our hotline are experts on their own lives. We believe that they do not owe us anything, including their stories or repayment, in order to qualify for abortion funding. At our core, we believe that anyone seeking an abortion has the right to access one.

We recognize that systems of oppression, including racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and others contribute to systemic injustices in the healthcare system. NYAAF is committed to recognizing and addressing these barriers to the best of our ability.

NYAAF’s belief in physical autonomy is a core link between our belief in the right to an abortion, and our belief in the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people to access holistic health care and services. We recognize that people who identify as men can become pregnant and seek abortions; we strive to meet the needs of all people who seek our funding. We work to provide additional resources to callers beyond the scope of abortion funding, such as referrals for Medicaid enrollment, to demonstrate that we value the wellbeing of our callers beyond their need for an abortion.

NYAAF also recognizes that many of our callers would choose to continue their pregnancies if they were in different financial circumstances. As such, NYAAF does not try to speak for the motivations of our clients by framing abortion as an issue of choice.

The New York Abortion Access Fund supports anyone who is unable to pay fully for an abortion and is living in or traveling to New York State by providing financial assistance and connections to other resources.

Reproductive freedom is a matter of social justice, not just an individual choice. We trust and support the decision of the caller and take their lead in adopting the language they use in talking about their pregnancy and circumstances.

NYAAF does not scrutinize how many abortions someone has had, whether contraception was used, whether a sexual assault was reported, or any other information that is volunteered by our client, nor do we attempt to encourage anyone to behave in a certain way. If someone identifies a desire to learn about how to report an assault, how to avoid pregnancy, or other concerns, NYAAF provides information and makes appropriate referrals.

We consider these values to be at the core of our decision making as a board. They serve as an indispensable guide to all of our fundraising, programmatic, administrative, and communications decisions and actions. Our board, comprised of a diverse group of individuals who are all committed volunteers, all strongly believe in the values and mission of this organization. These shared values reflect an understanding of our work as part of a larger social justice and reproductive justice movement to ensure the full rights of all people. By building and supporting this movement, we strive for a world where everyone has the right and ability to determine their own future.

Project Description:

The consultant/firm will be a dynamic facilitator with knowledge of the women’s, gender justice, and reproductive rights movements. They will have particularly deep knowledge of racial justice and organizational development, and will work within NYAAF’s Statement of Values. The consultant/firm should have at least five years of related experience; previous work with abortion funds preferred but not necessary. Experience with supporting radical organizational shifts would be especially welcomed.

We intend to fill the position by mid June 2015, with the training and other deliverables due in late June/July. The total available budget for this project is between $5000- $10,000 approximately, plus travel costs. A competitive application will clearly demonstrate value relative to the proposed budget.

Broadly, responsibilities will include:

• Working with NYAAF’s all-volunteer Board of Directors, coordinate all aspects of the planning and delivery of the project.
• Provide NYAAF with a one-day long political education training on key racial justice principles.
• Conduct an organizational assessment that will identify key challenges within our current approach and provide a summary of recommendations for areas of work.
• Based on the organizational assessment, develop a roadmap that will allow NYAAF to operationalize recommendations.

  This is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities and is subject to change as per NYAAF’s needs. Please note that the consultant/firm will be provided with the Board’s support throughout the project. The scope of work will be mutually agreed upon by NYAAF and the consultant/firm.

Proposal Submission:

To be considered, please submit the following materials to Linda Saleh at saleh.lindam@gmail.com, copying in Rye Young at ryethenewguy@gmail.com by June 12, 2015 at the latest.

• Name and contact information of consultant or firm
• Cover letter
• Resumes of all members of the consulting team, including a statement of relevant

  achievements

• A description of the proposed approach
• Timeline for the project
• Fee schedule and budget, including any anticipated project-related costs
• Two references that can speak to the consultant or firm’s relevant experience

  * NYAAF strongly encourages women of color and consulting firms that exercise racial justice in their hiring policies to apply.