CLOSED--Thank you for your interest
awalsh • May 22, 2025
Request for Proposal: Communications Consultant Services
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
reSET is dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship with a focus on making a social impact. We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs and startups, offering various programs, workshops, coaching, and resources to help them succeed. In addition to a part-time and full-time staff of six, we work with a network of partners, contractors, and volunteers to implement our mission.
We are highly collaborative and believe that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. If you want to be part of a growing team committed to making positive change through entrepreneurship, we’d love to hear from you. A note on equity: we work with a diverse community of entrepreneurs, and aim to cultivate a team and volunteer network that is reflective of the community we serve.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
reSET is seeking proposals from qualified communications professionals for a part-time contractor position to support our communications team. The selected consultant will create collateral, execute social media strategies in line with our marketing calendar, and collect content to help tell reSET's story.
SCOPE OF WORK
The Communications Consultant’s work consists of:
- Marketing Strategy Development
- Maintaining and updating the marketing & communications calendar
- Creating brand kits for new and existing programs as requested
- Keep updated content pillars and focus areas for communications messaging
- Content Creation & Design
- Design marketing and communications collateral in multiple formats (social media platforms, website, CRM forms, video, etc.) using Canva whenever possible
- Adhere to established brand guidelines for all design work
- Assemble media kits for programs, events, and initiatives
- Social Media Management
- Plan and execute themed social media posts across three social media channels using Canva
- Create content for program recruitment, events, holidays, weekly tips, and alumni features
- Write engaging copy in line with the provided calendar and guidelines
- Monitor direct messages for follow up
- Schedule posts and engage with audience interactions using HootSuite and Meta
- Email Marketing
- Contribute to the visual and text drafting of the bi-weekly reSET email newsletter
- Provide first draft layout and text for review
- Additional Responsibilities
- Assist in creating and updating an overall marketing calendar
- Occasionally assist with video and photography needs, as time permits
- Attend weekly check-ins and major reSET events
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Role requirements:
- Proficiency with Canva, Slack, Asana, Google Docs, and social media scheduling tools such as HootSuite
- Experience working in a remote team environment
- Strong design and copywriting abilities
- Understanding of social media best practices
- Availability to meet during regular business hours and occasionally during evening/weekend events
- Familiarity with social enterprise & sustainable business practices a plus
Budget:
- $1,600 per month maximum
- Position type: Independent contractor (1099)
RESOURCES PROVIDED BY reSET
- Brand guidelines for reSET and individual programs/events
- Quarterly updates to the marketing calendar
- Key message points and calls-to-action for each program and event
- Access to content library and past pre-approved templates
- Detailed program information
- Content approval workflow
- Guidelines for engagement
- Access to collaborators and stakeholders
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Interested consultants should submit a proposal that includes:
- Professional background and relevant experience
- Portfolio samples demonstrating social media content creation and design work
- Approach to managing social media accounts
- References from similar projects or clients
- Availability and confirmation of ability to meet the time commitment
- Any questions regarding the scope of work
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Relevant experience and portfolio quality
- Understanding of social impact communications
- Proposed approach and strategy
- Value for investment
TIMELINE
- Proposal Submission Deadline: Friday, June 13, 2025
- Interviews with Selected Candidates: June 16-20, 2025
- Consultant Selection: no later than June 27, 2025
- Project Start Date: no later than July 1, 2025
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Please submit your proposal and supporting materials to careers@resetco.org with the subject line "Communications Consultant RFP - [Your Name]"
For questions or clarifications regarding this RFP, please contact Amy Walsh at awalsh@resetco.org
We look forward to reviewing your proposal.
Dear reSET Community, The Board of Directors today announces the departure of Sarah Bodley as Executive Director of reSET in a planned transition later this year. The Board has immense gratitude for Sarah and all her contributions over the years. Over the last seven years, Sarah has built an amazing foundation for the organization and she leaves reSET in a strong position for continued growth and service. Sarah joined reSET in 2018 and over the past seven years has solidified and expanded reSET’s mission of supporting impact-driven entrepreneurs throughout Connecticut. Here are a few key highlights from Sarah’s time here: Facilitated the acquisition of Collab New Haven, expanding reSET’s footprint to a statewide geography and further enhancing our mission Developed and implemented new core programs including the award-winning Food Incubator, as well as the Food Accelerator, Retail Incubator, Measure What Matters, and Digital Marketing Mastermind Established reSET as a founding partner of the Hartford Culinary Collaborative, enabling greater connectivity and cooperation among food-centric support organizations in our region Doubled the organization’s budget to over 1 Million Dollars, securing multi-year State government grants Won the prestigious Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America, and the Leadership Greater Hartford Polaris Community Award in 2022 Established an endowment fund thanks to support from the Zachs Family Foundation to support the long term sustainability of reSET’s mission Over the coming months, we will be continuing our search to find reSET's next Executive Director. Sarah will stay onboard through June to ensure a smooth handoff to our next leader, and will be available as a resource throughout 2026. It is the Board of Directors’ priority, along with Sarah's, to make this transition as smooth as possible to continue the great work Sarah has helped us do over her tenure. The Executive Director’s Job Posting can be found at this link, and we invite you to keep in mind any potential candidates in your community or network that you think might be a great fit. The Board of Directors wishes Sarah the best of luck in her future endeavors. We are appreciative of the dedication and enthusiasm she has given to reSET over the last seven years, particularly navigating our organization seamlessly during the historic times of the pandemic, changes in administration, and an ever-evolving landscape of opportunity for entrepreneurs. We are confident that with Sarah’s support, this transition will be a smooth one for our Connecticut entrepreneurs, partners, and generous supporters. We look forward to continuing our growth and to serving our mission of supporting the social enterprise sector. If you have any questions or concerns during this transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out via contacting admin@resetco.org to get in touch with the board. Sincerely, Ali Lazowski + Dave Menard, co-chairs, reSET Board of Directors
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