EMERGENCY RESPONSE: SUPERSTORM SANDY AND NYC DANCE

Request for Proposals

Dance/NYC is inviting proposals for independent contractors to produce research on lessons learned by New York City dance in the wake of Sandy and recommendations for preparedness and response to future disasters—acting on an opportunity afforded by the storm to catalyze change.

The research leverages Dance/NYC’s experience as an arts responder post-Sandy, in collecting early testimony and administering the NYC Dance Response Fund established by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, which ultimately delivered $200,000 to 51 nonprofit and fiscally-sponsored dance artists hard hit by the storm (See The New York Times and watch this recent Town Hall video for more). It also builds on Dance/NYC’s ongoing leadership in research (See, for instance, State of NYC Dance 2013).

The attached Scope of Work for which Dance/NYC is requesting proposals includes: first, detailed requirements for core analyses (Section I: Core Analyses), based on (already conducted) NYC Dance Response Fund survey results and 30-40 CDP profiles; and second, opportunities for additional activity (Section II: Additional Opportunities). Dance/NYC is committed to contracting for the Core Analyses only, but would consider Additional Opportunities. The project will offer the contracted researcher a powerful platform for field leadership and media attention.

The contractor’s objectives are three-fold:

I. To help Dance/NYC’s core constituency of 1,200+ dance makers and companies better understand the impact of the storm on their financial and other activities and to better prepare for and respond to future disasters. The study will prioritize an examination of financial portfolios but may additionally consider related operational, community partnership, and program activities;

II. To evaluate the effectiveness of post-Sandy philanthropy and develop recommendations for responsive and strategic fund development to catalyze the field’s resilience to future shocks; and

III. To create recommendations for additional policy and service provision.

Applicants should be familiar with the Cultural Data Project and have a demonstrated track record of successful research. The ideal contractor would have expertise in nonprofit finance and/or a background in disaster work. Dance/NYC would privilege a researcher able to make use of (and assess their value) established CDP benchmarks for financial health. Dance/NYC will separately engage a designer.

The researcher will report directly to Executive Director Lane Harwell. Applicants should submit proposals to Mr. Harwell (lharwell@dancenyc.org) no later than Monday, March 3.

These should include: relevant background, a schedule of deliverables, planning methodologies and tools based on the draft scope of work prepared below, and inclusive of all areas of inquiry suggested in Section I: Core Analyses. Should the researcher propose Additional Opportunities (not required), h/she should propose a fee and payment schedule with separate costs for the additional opportunities. The cost for the Core Analyses should not exceed $15,000 and Dance/NYC welcomes pro bono contributions by the researcher.

Dance/NYC plans to contract with a consultant no later April 1 and to complete the project by July 2013.

Please direct any questions you may have to Lane Harwell at (212) 966-4452.

Click here for more scope and more information

ADDENDUM: HELPFUL LINKS

NYC Dance Response Fund Reporting Form: http://surveymonkey.com/s/DRFReport

Dance/NYC Research: https://www.dancenyc.org/research/

After Sandy Town Hall: https://www.dancenyc.org/dancenyc-events/view.php?id=66

The New York Times, “Dance Groups to Get Hurricane Sandy Aide”