Community Outreach and Engagement Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide community outreach and engagement consulting services to meaningful engagement and partnerships with residents that shape the future of opportunity home housing and community development initiatives and empower residents and stakeholders.
- Strategic planning and community engagement framework
•    Collaborate with opportunity home to develop detailed, comprehensive community engagement plans for various development projects and initiatives, aligning with the organization’s goals, timelines and stakeholder needs. 
•    Create a stakeholder mapping and engagement matrix that identifies key resident groups, community leaders, advocacy groups and other relevant stakeholders.
•    Establish clear metrics and goals for success in outreach and engagement activities. 
•    Develop strategies incorporating both digital and traditional communication channels (e.g., social media, print, email, in-person events) to maximize community engagement.
- Resident and stakeholder outreach
•    Design and implement targeted outreach strategies to engage a broad, diverse range of community members, including underrepresented or hard-to-reach populations. 
•    Use culturally appropriate and inclusive communication methods to reach diverse resident groups, ensuring strategies account for varying languages, literacy levels and digital access. 
•    Provide door-to-door canvassing, phone outreach and mailing services to ensure residents receive timely information on development projects, upcoming meetings and engagement opportunities.
•    Facilitate the dissemination of newsletters, flyers and social media content to ensure regular updates on housing projects.
- Facilitation of public meetings and focus groups
•    Plan, coordinate and facilitate public meetings, workshops, focus groups and town halls to gather input from residents and property management staff on proposed development projects and initiatives. 
•    Ensure accessibility to all participants by providing translation services, disability accommodations and virtual options. 
•    Schedule meetings at convenient times for working individuals, including evenings and weekends, and choose venues close to the development site to encourage resident attendance. 
•    Prepare agendas, presentations and handouts in clear, concise language accessible to all attendees. 
•    Accurately document resident feedback and concerns, ensuring all input is captured and communicated to the project team(s).
- Digital engagement and online platforms
•    Develop and manage online engagement platforms, such as surveys, virtual town halls, and discussion boards, to maximize resident participation. 
•    Collaborate with the communications and public affairs department to utilize social media and website updates to inform and engage residents about project statuses and opportunities for feedback in a timely and frequent manner. 
•    Collaborate with the communications and public affairs department to create visually engaging and easy-to-navigate web pages or portals where residents can access project information, provide feedback and view project timelines.
- Data collection, analysis and reporting
•    Conduct surveys, interviews and other data collection methods to gather resident concerns and feedback.
•    Analyze feedback and data to identify trends, areas of concern and actionable insights for project development and decision-making. 
•    Prepare regular reports summarizing outreach efforts, engagement levels, feedback received and recommendations for ongoing communication with residents. 
•    Provide a final report summarizing all outreach activities, community input and outcomes at the conclusion of each project.
- Community liaison and relationship building
•    Serve as a liaison between opportunity home, residents and community organizations—including, but not limited to, neighborhood associations, advocacy groups and nonprofits—to maintain open and effective lines of communication throughout the development process. 
•    Build and maintain strong relationships with local stakeholders to promote long-term engagement and trust between the organization and its communities. 
•    Address resident concerns and questions promptly and respectfully, ensuring they feel heard and valued.
- Multimedia and creative outreach materials
•    Partner with the communications and public affairs and the development services and neighborhood revitalization (DSNR) departments to create multimedia content (videos, infographics, podcasts, etc.) that explains complex development processes, timelines and resident benefits in an engaging and accessible format. 
•    Adapt content to reach a broad audience, considering different languages and accessibility needs. 
•    Provide graphic design and production services for print and digital materials used in outreach campaigns as needed.
- Compliance with public housing agency regulations
•    Ensure all outreach and engagement activities comply with federal, state, and local housing regulations, including those related to public hearings, resident rights and fair housing laws. 
•    Collaborate with the organization’s legal team to ensure all messaging is accurate, legally sound and in line with opportunity home's policies. 
•    Maintain confidentiality of resident data in compliance with the organization’s policies.
- Crisis communication and issues management
•    Assist in the development of a comprehensive crisis communications plan in order to systematically and efficiently respond to crisis situations. 
•    Provide strategic communication support in response to conflicts, protests or negative feedback related to development projects. 
•    Assist in developing messaging and responses for sensitive or controversial issues, ensuring transparency and community trust. 
•    Manage and mitigate misinformation or misconceptions circulating within the community.
- Ongoing consultation and support
•    Offer ongoing support throughout each project, adjusting outreach strategies as needed based on resident feedback and project progress. 
•    Attend regular meetings with the communications and public affairs and departments to discuss updates, challenges and next steps. 
•    Ensure flexibility and responsiveness to changes in project scope or needs.
- Evaluation and continuous improvement
•    Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of outreach and engagement strategies. 
•    Offer recommendations for improving future engagement efforts, ensuring continuous learning and adaptation of best practices. 
•    Collect and share success stories, testimonials and positive outcomes from residents with the communications and public affairs department to support the creation of content that highlights the impact of the organization’s engagement efforts.

- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: October 3, 2025