Technical Assistance Providers Needed

Multiple consultants may be considered based on areas of experience. If you have any expertise in the identified areas outlined in the 2023 Technical Assistance Request, please complete this application by noon on January 31, 2023. 

Interviews for selected candidates will take place on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 3:00-5:00 pm and Wednesday, February 8, 2023 12:30-3:00 pm. 

Technical Assistance Request- 2023 Grant Cycle

Overview/Purpose

Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) seeks experienced consultants to provide Pre-Application Technical Assistance to prospective applicants, youth-serving organizations in Baltimore, for the 2023 Grant Cycle. 

Technical assistance (TA) can be broadly defined as any specialized service or skill that a nonprofit/organization/program does not currently possess but may need to operate more effectively. BCYF is committed to providing TA to challenge the philanthropic sector’s traditional and historically harmful power dynamics. Creating a model for TA that incorporates the core values of BCYF will shift the dynamics of grantmaking by empowering communities, uplifting youth voices, and strengthening grantee organizational capacity to ensure the delivery of equitable and effective programming to our youth. The TA plan incorporates these core values:

• Eliminating barriers to funding confronting many local grassroots organizations;
• Creating more opportunities for capacity building and technical assistance to strengthen community organizations;
• Building community with local service providers; and
• Committing to achieving racial equity in the philanthropic sector.

BCYF supports grantee efforts and hosts public-facing activities to build the capacity of applicants. Activities are responsive to grantee needs and requests, as well as an analysis of prior learnings from Year One and FY22 grant cycles. 

Mission

BCYF is a nonprofit organization stewarding public funds to ensure our children and youth are healthy, ready to succeed in school, and live in stable, safe, and supportive families and communities. 

Vision

Our vision is that children and youth throughout the city enjoy access to high-caliber enrichment and learning opportunities, and children and youth programs have the resources they need to equitably serve all our young people. 

Values

• Racial Equity: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must be built on racial equity. The evaluation of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund’s work should include a basic understanding and appreciation of the cultural resources and assets within each community. We should identify and address how society’s power structures show up in the organization’s operations, including how assumptions about race may influence decision-making processes. Specifically, white people should not dominate or drive the conversation.
• Intergenerational Leadership: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must include youth leaders and adults in all aspects of its work. Having different generations work together will reflect how our entire community must work together to improve the quality of life for our young people. In the West, we often greet each other by saying, “How are you doing?” The Maasai people of East Africe greet each other by asking, “How are the children?” This greeting represents the idea that the well-being of the children defines the well-being of the community. The purpose of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund is to help the whole city of Baltimore to embrace and live out the worldview embodied in this Maasai greeting. Specifically, the well-being of our children is everyone’s responsibility.
• Community Ownership: The purpose of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund is to provide the communities typically seen as merely recipients of services with equal, authentic decision-making power to disperse the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund Inc.’s resources. This means that the organization should reflect the totality of our community. Specifically, the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must include a variety of people who are highly committed to the communities they serve. 
• Collection Decision-Making: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund will strive to have collective decision-making processes. “Gatekeeping,” when one person has too much power in a decision-making process, marginalizes the people and communities who are most hurt by structural racism. Gatekeepers can use their power to circumvent community accountability and limit access to power and resources. 

Scope of Work

The consultant(s) will work with the GMTA Team for approximately three (3) months to finalize and facilitate a process for application support that aligns with the mission, vision, and values of BCYF. Anticipated consultant activities and deliverables will include the following: 

• Attend orientation on February 14th from 3:00-5:00 pm with BCYF.
• Work with BCYF staff to finalize and execute the technical assistance plan and the timeline for pre-application support offerings between February 27, 2023 – April 14, 2023. 
• Participate in the application launch kickoff event.
• Deliver/facilitate virtual technical assistance sessions and 2-3 in-person events/activities.
• Develop tools and reference materials for prospective applicants.
• Coordinate and provide 1-1 application support.
• Attend weekly TA team meetings virtually.
• Present a final report with summaries, highlights, key learnings, and recommendations. 

Technical Assistance Offerings

In-Person Events/Activities

• Technology Support: Computer Lab Session Series supporting accessibility, and application development and support
• 1-1 Application Support: application structuring, review, and feedback 

Virtual Sessions

• 1-1 Application Support: application structuring, review, and feedback
• Large Group: specialized sessions from experienced consultants on the following topics:
  • Developing Program Mission, Vision, and Values
  • Program Design
  • Completing the 990
  • Partnering/Collaborating with other youth-serving organizations
  • Establishing Program Outcomes
• Small Group (drop-in sessions): group-based support targeted towards the specific sections of the application

Tools/Reference Materials (to be created and shared with applicants)

• Sample Documents and Checklists
• Videos
• Blog Posts/Articles 

To Apply

If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete this application by noon on January 31, 2023. Multiple consultants may be considered based on areas of experience. Please submit questions to Nikea Burgess at grantmaking@bcyfund.org.