Goal: Asset-specific education supports savers in making informed financial decisions with considerations specific to their goal or purchase. It is a requirement for all IDA savers prior to asset goal completion. The IDA Initiative seeks to make high-quality asset-specific education (ASE) accessible for all IDA savers. To this end, Neighborhood Partnerships is requesting proposals for organizations to provide pre-existing ASE self-guided materials or to develop self-guided ASE materials that will be made available for all IDA partners.
Which asset goals does this include?
NP is seeking proposals for curriculum covering any of the following assets:
- Education
- Retirement
- Rental
- Vehicle
- Home repair
- Debt repayment
- Assistive Technology
Note: This RFP does not seek asset-specific education for microenterprise or homeownership. Those assets require a different level of specialized support and are typically provided by staff who have certifications or experience in that field.
Why self-guided?
NP seeks to increase accessibility for high quality ASE to support greater availability across the range of asset goals, and greater uptake on assets that most organizations do not have specialized staff to support, like retirement.
We also hope to increase geographic accessibility through a referral model that allows small organizations in remote locations to serve their communities, and individuals may not be able to come to IDA provider offices for in person classes.
Coursework could be workbook-style, in paper or digital format, or could be a recorded webinar format, or both. NP will consider different payment models for materials (for example, annual, or one time), but encourages a one-time model in recognition that funding availability varies.
Where are these funds coming from?
Neighborhood Partnerships is granting out funds awarded by the Oregon Legislature to the Oregon IDA Initiative, through Oregon Housing and Community Services.
Who can respond to this RFP?
Anyone can submit a proposal to this RFP, but priority will be given to IDA Providers. Independent contractors are welcome to submit a proposal to this RFP, assuming they are familiar with the IDA Initiative.
Who will be deciding?
NP will engage stakeholders in the review process. If your program supports any of these assets and you would like to be involved or would like to recommend someone, please email lbonham@neighborhoodpartnerships.org. Final grant award recommendations will go to OHCS and NP’s board of directors for final approval.
What’s the end product?
All ASE materials will display the “IDA Initiative” Logo, and will be made publicly available for download on the IDA Financial Education Standards resource library. NP does not anticipate having the ability to limit the sharing or distribution of ASE materials. The materials will be credited to your organization.
Priorities:
- Inclusive of savers from diverse populations, including BIPOC, rural and urban.
- If focused on a specific population (aka youth, adults, people with no credit score, etc), it is clear and accessible to that population.
- Designed to be easy to understand and complete.
- Available in multiple languages, minimally English and Spanish.
- Prepares savers to make their own informed decisions, supporting the long-term retention or success related to their asset goal.
- Aligns and builds off the Oregon IDA’s Financial Education Standards.
- Includes a basic coaching guide for IDA Providers to use as follow-up
Do they have to be translated into other languages to be considered?
Materials that have been professionally translated into another language by a native speaker will be prioritized, but it is not required that your curriculum already be translated into other languages. At a minimum, we will be seeking materials that will be available in English and Spanish. If your materials have not been translated, you can either budget out the cost of translation into Spanish or we will translate selected materials into Spanish after it is selected.
To apply: please fill out the prompted questions linked here. A Word document template of the form can be provided upon request. Proposals are due by 5:00pm on Friday, November 12th, 2021.
Questions? Please email Luke Bonham: lbonham@neighborhoodpartnerships.org.