Request for Information: Consultant Services for CRM Assessment

Resources for the Future (RFF) is a 70-year-old nonprofit research organization in Washington, DC, with an annual budget of $18M and a staff of 80. Our mission is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial economic research and policy engagement. We are seeking the expertise of a consultant to assess RFF’s current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT. The objective is to determine if a different CRM solution would better meet the organization’s needs.

The purpose of this RFI is to gather information from experienced consultants who can provide insights and recommendations regarding our current CRM system and possible replacements. This assessment will include an evaluation of our existing CRM capabilities, identification of gaps and areas for improvement, a detailed needs assessment for each RFF department, and an analysis of potential alternative CRM solutions.

Raiser’s Edge has served as RFF’s CRM for over 25 years. It is used by the Development and Government Affairs teams, but primarily for fundraising purposes. For several reasons, including cost, difficulty in use, and lack of systems integration, we are considering switching to a new CRM for fundraising. Additionally, we may expand use of the CRM to the other departments at RFF (a total of six departments) by choosing an organization-wide CRM that would be used for more than just fundraising purposes.

We are looking for a recommendation on whether to replace Raiser’s Edge NXT or keep it and identify ways to improve its use and better integrate it with other systems. If we replace Raiser’s Edge NXT, we are open to an enterprise solution that will be used by multiple departments or a fundraising-only solution with additional integrated systems used to meet other departments’ needs. We are willing to consider a range of scenarios.

If the recommendation is to move away from Raiser’s Edge NXT, we will be looking for a detailed analysis of the best system to meet our needs and the implications for staffing requirements and costs moving forward.

Our current contract with Blackbaud expires on 8/31/26 and the deadline to notify them of our intent to cancel is 5/31/26.

The consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:

Needs Analysis:

• Conduct stakeholder interviews with current and prospective users (25+ people), to gather requirements and expectations from the CRM.
• Identify key functionalities and features required to support the organization’s mission.

Current CRM Assessment:

• Evaluate the functionality and effectiveness of our current CRM.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of the current system.
• Review data management practices and integration with other systems.

Market Research:

• Analyze potential CRM alternatives that align with the identified needs.
• Compare features, costs, and benefits of alternative CRM solutions.

Recommendations:

• Provide a comprehensive report with a recommendation on whether to replace Raiser’s Edge NXT with a customized solution to be used organization-wide, replace RE NXT with a different CRM for the Development team’s use only, or keep Raiser’s Edge NXT and optimize its use. We are open to other scenarios as well.
• Provide a detailed recommendation of the top CRM products to best meet RFF’s needs.
• If it is recommended that RFF replace Raiser’s Edge NXT with a CRM for Development team use only, or keep Raiser’s Edge, provide recommendation of other improvements, integrations, or systems that should be considered to improve information management and flow across departments at RFF.

Implementation Considerations:

• Offer preliminary insights into the implementation process, including timeframes, resource requirements, and potential challenges.

We are seeking a consultant with the following qualifications:

• Proven experience in CRM assessment and implementation for nonprofit organizations.
• Strong familiarity with customizable, enterprise-wide solutions (such as Salesforce) and fundraising-specific CRM systems (such as Bloomerang and DonorPerfect). An understanding of other nonprofit systems (such as events and email marketing) and integrating products across departments is a plus.
• Unbiased toward any particular tool or system.
• Strong understanding of the nonprofit sector and its unique requirements.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to provide unbiased, objective recommendations.

We have allotted a maximum of $35,000 for consultant fees for this project.

Interested consultants should provide the following information. A phone call or online meeting may be requested in lieu of a written submission.

Company Profile:

• Overview of the consulting firm, including history, mission, and core services.
• Relevant experience with CRM assessments and implementations for nonprofits.
• Any relevant information about potential team members who could be involved in the project, or general qualifications of staff at the firm.

Project Approach:

• General methodology and proposed timeline for conducting the CRM assessment.

Case Studies/References:

• Examples of similar projects completed for other nonprofit organizations, if available.
• References from previous clients, including contact information.

Cost Estimate:

• Preliminary cost estimate for conducting the CRM assessment.
• Breakdown of costs by task, if possible.

• RFI Issue Date: August 30, 2024
• RFI Response Due Date: November 15, 2024
• Consultant Selection and Notification: January 31, 2025

For questions regarding this RFI or to submit your response, please contact:

Carlin Anderson
Director of Development Operations and Analytics
Resources for the Future
[email protected]
(202) 328-3078