Wagbo Peace Center - Request for Proposals

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Wagbo board of directors, friends and associates believe that if we want to live in peace, we need to support each other to meet the basic needs for living; shelter, food, wellness and creative, meaningful work. Wagbo desires to do more than offer educational opportunities as it has done in the past. Wagbo will utilize its property and infrastructure as a living lab over the next 3-5 years, to experiment, demonstrate and study how to build sustainable and regenerative homes and create human resiliency.  Wagbo will offer a transformative model - bringing together affordable and durable housing, localized food systems, wellness practices, renewable energy, vocational training, traditional wisdom and cultural connection—not as separate programs, but as “one” integrated, living system. The overarching vision for Wagbo Peace Center is to create a thriving and resilient, peaceful and equitable community utilizing the farm and all of its assets as a foundation from which to build upon. Please visit www.wagbo.org for information relating to Wagbo’s mission statement and current activities and programs.

The purpose of this request for proposals is to identify a qualified, experienced facilitator who can guide the process and develop the documentation to create a Strategic Master Plan based upon stakeholder input.  The Strategic Master Plan will be a guidebook for Wagbo to develop the infrastructure, governance, and resources needed to turn its visions into reality.  Wagbo will require a structured process and skilled facilitator to synthesize the vision and dreams of its founders, members and stakeholders into a living guidance document. 

Over the next 12 to 18 months we envision the following actions:

1. Production of a community survey and analysis to be sure we are in alignment with what the community needs and desires are with respect to what Wagbo could potentially provide.

2. Production of a Strategic Master Plan Document that will be developed by a professional facilitator.  The plan parts will address:
    a. Peace and Justice Education and Exploration
    b. Living in Harmony with The Land
    c. Equitable and Sustainable Housing using Alternative Building Materials (building for those in need)
    d. Vocation and Training Programs  such as fiber arts, farming, building, cooking, healing – as a vocation and means to meet financial needs
    e. Health and Wellness (Mediation, Mindfulness, Foraging, Physical Activity (using Wagbo land as a means to keep vibrant and fit and to connect with oneself and nature)
    f. Defining and expanding upon our Micro-business incubator program offering support for small or start up business on the farm property
    g. Identifying “strategic partners” that will help Wagbo complete its vision and mission through collaboration and sharing of knowledge, resources and experiences
    h. Development of a business and communications plan which supports the elements above and conversely, the elements support the farm and all of its activities and offerings.

3. Strategic Communications/Marketing Plan (This could be a separate person or a subcontract).

4. Property & Site Survey and Assessment. (To be completed by engineer toward the end of the development of the strategic plan and included as an addendum.)

The proposal Wagbo is seeking should include facilitation of item #2 above, but may also (ideally) include item #1 and #3. 

Item #1 - The Strategic Master Plan will begin with a community & stakeholder survey developed and disseminated/distributed by a person experienced in the development of electronic surveys and/or a marketing and communications specialist.  It is important to Wagbo that we receive confirmation of what community members feel is needed and/or desired, or to learn what might be more important to the community than what our vision includes. It is expected that this portion of the project should encompass no more than 50 hours. Wagbo volunteers will be on hand to assist with the dissemination of the survey and with the coordination of face-to-face meetings with collaborators or key community leaders if required.  

Item #2 - Following that, the Strategic Master Plan development will begin by developing the framework for decision making. Key milestones and timeline will be developed with approval from the board of directors. The Strategic Master Plan will be developed through six to ten stakeholder workshops (including 3 to 4 being completed during an off-site overnight retreat (budget item #3)) being facilitated by a facilitation and business development professional. Simultaneously with the workshops, the facilitator will be conducting research into various questions brought up by the board, such as, "what types of alternative building materials or systems are available to Wagbo for building affordable homes?" And, "How do other intentional communities organize themselves?"  We are expecting that each workshop will result in a section of the plan being discussed, documented, synthesized and published as a draft chapter by the facilitator for inclusion in the Strategic Master Plan.  This portion of the project is expected to be completed in no more than 135 hours. Wagbo Board of Directors and Administrator will be available to assist in editing all drafts. 

Item #3 - A Communications & Marketing Plan will be developed and executed to share milestones with the community and to support the beginning of a fundraising campaign to support future goals developed through the plan. This could be done by the facilitator, or in-house, but would ideally be created by a communications specialist or somebody with communications and marketing experience. The level of effort for this portion of the project is expected to use no more than 40 labor hours. 

 Proposals may include all three of the items above or any combination of individual projects. 

All proposals should include a resume’ and three references with contact information that includes former or current co-workers or supervisors who have worked with the applicant in the same or similar capacity as in the items above.  

Interested parties should submit a proposal for services as described above no later than January 1, 2026. Please submit proposals by e-mail to wagbo.wendy@gmail.org  All questions shall be directed to the Administrator at the e-mail above.