BALANCE is pleased to have had a place on the organizing committee for the 2018 Provincial election debate on accessibility and disability issues! We are also very proud of the participation of our Board Vice-Chair, Michelle McQuigge as co-moderator, and several staff members assisted with the evening. Watch the recorded webcast.
Author: Deborah Gold
Welcome to Naomi Hazlett, Occupational Therapist
We are pleased to welcome the newest addition to our staff team, Naomi Hazlett, MSc.OT. Naomi brings a wealth of relevant experience and creative energy to the position. She is a recent graduate of the occupational therapy program at the University of Toronto, and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and cognitive science, also from U. of T. She has a wide variety of interests and passions including health & wellness, accessibility, education, research, writing, and promoting mental health in all areas of life. Naomi’s strong recreation/leisure background and her deep knowledge of Toronto community and neighbourhoods, will provide BALANCE with added expertise to support, encourage and teach our clients.
BALANCE Request for Proposals
FUND DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Project Purpose
BALANCE for Blind Adults wishes to retain a Fund Development Consultant who will develop a comprehensive and sustainable fund development plan and a donor engagement strategy.
Who we are
BALANCE for Blind Adults is a lively not-for-profit agency with strong roots in the community. We have more than 30 years’ experience training adults who are blind or partially sighted. We offer free instruction one-on-one or in a group setting.
The BALANCE mission is to generate opportunities for those living with vision loss through innovative, inclusive, community-oriented programming and partnerships. Our strong community focus keeps us grounded and our spirit open to change.
Our vision is for people to live a quality, enriched life that is engaged with communities and free of social barriers.
Background
The services provided by BALANCE are free of charge to our clients, because the cost is covered by the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TC-LHIN)
In addition, our generous donors assist BALANCE to improve and expand our service and program offerings and with our daily operations. Grant revenues are also a part of our financial picture as a not-for-profit organization. We also offer training and consultation to those working with persons who are blind or partially sighted, and to our clients’ workplaces, for a fee.
One of our strategic priorities is to grow the organization’s capacity in fund development. Our Board of Directors and executive leadership are ready to take fund development to its next level. To accomplish this, we need a fund development plan that will establish the necessary building blocks to sustainand grow fund development. We also recognize that with the number of individuals who are connected to our brand, we have a wonderful opportunity to invest in a donor engagement strategy that will allow us to acquire and retain donors.
Scope of Work
Establishing the building blocks of a sustainable Fund Development Program:
- Develop a Strategic Fund Development Plan.
- Provide guidance and recommendations to set up and sustain a Board Development Committee.
- Develop a compelling case for support.
- Implement a database to manage, support, grow and sustain a long-term fund development plan.
Develop a donor engagement strategy
- Increase the pool of people who make the first gift.
- Increase the commitment of current donors.
Proposal
The proposal should include a completed questionnaire (Appendix A of this Request for Proposals) covering various aspects of the criteria.
Questions and Submission:
Deborah Gold, Executive Director, d.gold@balancefba.org
| Schedule | Date |
| Request for Proposals Posted | February 9, 2018 |
| Questions Submitted Deadline | April 6, 2018 |
| Responses provided to all RFP respondents | April 18, 2018 |
| Proposals due | May 10, 2018 |
| Review and Selection Process | May 11-18, 2018 |
| Contract signed and project commencement | May 25, 2018 |
| Project completion | July 27, 2018 |
Appendix A
| Item | Rated Criterion | Response |
| Capabilities of the Firm and Team (40%) | ||
| 1. | Describe your firm, including its size, information on the number of each level of professional staff in the firm and any additional information you think relevant to providing the services to BALANCE. | |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Describe your firm’s experience in creating fund development plans for not-for-profit organizations, especially those funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. | |
| 3. | Please provide 3 client references we may contact. | |
| 4. | Describe the size, composition and organization of the professional team proposed for this assignment. Please provide the CVs of the proposed partner, manager, and auditors | |
| Value Add (20%) | ||
| 1. | Describe what other value add services your firm can provide to BALANCE for Blind Adults. | |
| Cost (40%) | ||
| 1. | Provide the proposed fee to provide a sustainable fund development plan for BALANCE for Blind Adults. Please provide fee as a fixed cost assessment for the proposed scope of work, exclusive of HST. | |
A Year in Review
Our Executive Director Writes About her First Year on the Job
While I am a bit delayed in posting this, I did indeed write it in April, one year after starting my new adventure in this excellent work place and learning space. Thanks for reading!
One year review:
When I started at BALANCE on April 13, 2016, it was a small organization with a strong commitment to clients, and quite frankly, my initial impression was that BALANCE was an organization that placed clients first, and the staff gave me strong messages that they were looking forward to having my leadership, and hopeful for a great deal of positive growth. I had a lot to work with: the offices had just moved to a new location right across from a subway station; the funding oversight had shifted from the Mississauga-Halton LHIN to the Toronto Central; and we had a shiny new strategic plan (finalized in May/June 2016) from which to develop our plans moving forward.
To say the least, it has been a year of growth and learning, both for the organization and for me. We have generated a positive relationship with our new LHIN, a new source of revenue through a first partnership agreement with Accessible Media Inc., and strong relationships with Reconnect Mental Health/Reconnect Shared Services, LAMP IT services, the Toronto Reference Library and the University of Toronto Occupational Therapy Department, as well as St. Joseph’s Hospital departments, OCAD University’s Inclusive Design Research Centre, and others. We have also received two federal grants, one to install automatic door openers on our front doors, and one to hire our summer student through Canada Summer Jobs. In addition, we have developed the strength of the staff as a team, adding three creative new staff members to our small but mighty group. Finally, our client numbers have grown by 50%, with a total number seen in 2016-17 of 151 (we had 101 clients in 2015-16). Our group participation also has increased, and BALANCE is now a going concern, with clients coming and going 5-6 days and evenings most weeks, for a variety of group opportunities. To illustrate, in the spring of 2016 we had 21 group sessions and 11 individual participations and in the winter of 2017 we had 61 group sessions and 235 individual participations in groups!
I remain grateful for the opportunity to lead in such a warm, welcoming and exciting organization. We continue to serve our clients, and I believe our efforts play out in the number of new and returning clients we have seen this year. Each month, the number of clients returning for service after some years away, has remained high, averaging around 7 per month. One cannot ask for more than an enthusiastic participant who has heard about our new programming or our new instructors, and wants to return. We have certainly been busy and we have been able to provide some unique new programming. The challenge for year 2 of the Strategic Plan is to sustain and grow this activity while achieving a great deal more towards the strengthening of our infrastructure, the realizing of efficiencies and the generation of new revenue streams for BALANCE.
I look forward to the challenge!
New Assistive Tech Instructor at BALANCE!
BALANCE Welcomes Rosie Arcuri to Our Staff Team
With a degree in Psychology and five + years working in the community sector with people with disabilities, Rosie is passionate about helping the visually impaired achieve their goals. After working as a Program Coordinator for Independent Living – Montreal (IL-M), she is excited to bring her Vast teaching experience to Balance. Rosie has experience with adaptive technology in both her personal and professional life. As someone with a visual impairment, she has firsthand knowledge of both the helps and hindrances of assistive technology. Furthermore, she has been able to pass on her insights to clients through her work with the Adaptech Research Network at Dawson College and IL-M. Rosie has also been involved with the Blindness community for years as a member of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), Montreal chapter’s executive board, and she has been a support group animator for the CNIB. She has also worked with people who have other disabilities, such as students, seniors, immigrants, and job seekers. Rosie is bilingual in French and English, and can speak Italian.