Request for Proposal: Mapping disaster philanthropy stakeholders

Project overview and context

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) began in 2010 with the goal of pioneering the practice of strategic disaster philanthropy. Since then, it has grown in its ambition, envisioning a world where the impact of disasters is minimized through thoughtful, equitable and responsible recovery for all.

As a philanthropy-serving organization that provides funders with resources to strengthen their disaster philanthropy and the field broadly, CDP has developed institutional knowledge about the resources, information and people in the field. However, to date, we have not yet analyzed the landscape of disaster philanthropy to identify and visualize influential players, the nature of relationships between different stakeholders, and the relative positioning of CDP within this ecosystem. As the field has grown, we suspect that there are individuals and institutions that support and engage in disaster philanthropy outside CDP’s current sphere of awareness.

We are seeking a consultant(s) to conduct a landscape analysis that will:

Identify and visualize the influential players in disaster philanthropy both within and outside the U.S. to understand new possibilities and opportunities for growth and collaboration, including individuals and institutions outside of CDP’s current sphere of awareness.
Understand the strength of relationships between the various players and CDP and their relevance and importance to the disaster philanthropy field.
Inform CDP’s definition and taxonomy of stakeholders, including recommendations to refine current categories as needed.

The results from the analysis will guide the implementation of our current strategic plan and inform the development of education, engagement and partnership strategies that advance our work in influencing and mobilizing philanthropic support for disasters.

Proposals must be submitted by Friday, July 18, 2025, at 5 p.m. EDT.

Scope of work

The following are the overarching questions we would like to answer through this project:

Who are the individuals and institutions contributing influential information, expertise or resources to disaster recovery? Where are their activities and relationships focused (e.g., geographically or thematically)?
To what extent are the individuals and institutions connected to each other, and what is the strength of their connection?
What are CDP’s existing relationships with and connections to these individuals and institutions, and what is the strength of these connections?
What is the nature of these connections (e.g., collaborative fund, funder to grantee, knowledge producer to consumer)?
What opportunities exist for CDP to strengthen its positioning and influence in disaster philanthropy?

We anticipate that research activities will launch in August 2025 and be completed by the end of Q1 2026.

The CDP team will use the results of the project to inform partnership strategy and implementation, identify donor cultivation and coalition-building opportunities, design philanthropic educational services and products, and prioritize public engagement activities. Depending on the findings, we may turn the insights gained from the project into a public-facing resource for external stakeholders and the field to share learnings and explain CDP’s next steps.

Project phases, deliverables and expected engagement

Below is an outline of phases and deliverables. These phases and methodologies are illustrative, and consultants should feel free to adjust as needed in their proposal, with some description and justification of why.

Phase 1: Project design

Consult with the CDP project manager and research lead to finalize the questions, methods and deliverables. CDP will provide its definition and taxonomy of stakeholders, and archetypal individuals and institutions that represent the type of stakeholders to be identified. Definitions and concepts with significant impact on the research scope—such as players/stakeholders, influence, and relationships—will be discussed and agreed upon.
Finalize research design and project milestones.

Phase 2: Desk research

Consult with the CDP project manager and research lead to inform the desk review. CDP can provide information related to past and present organizational relationships and future partnership priorities as context.
Design and conduct a desk review that interrogates existing reports, online resources and/or databases that are primarily focused on data or knowledge related to individuals and organizations engaged in disaster philanthropy, networks and coalitions directing resources or expertise to disasters and/or humanitarian emergencies, and philanthropic mechanisms and modalities for collaboration on disasters and/or humanitarian emergencies.

Phase 3: Primary data collection and analysis

Engage philanthropic organizations, field experts, influencers and others to gain insights into the landscape of disaster philanthropy stakeholders. Whether done through interviews or a survey, this research should explore themes emerging from the desk review and support answering the overarching questions.

Analyze and synthesize findings to inform recommendations.

Phase 4: Preparation and submission of deliverables

Preparing and submitting key deliverables:
- A report for internal use containing, at a minimum, the key findings, a more in-depth discussion of findings, any identified solutions or recommendations, a list of resources reviewed during desk review, and methodology. This report should include at least three individual or institutional archetypes emerging from the research that demonstrate examples of innovative or influential institutions with strong connections and/or relationships.
- A slide deck that follows CDP’s brand guidelines summarizing findings that are useful for education within CDP.
- A map or other visualization that illustrates the landscape of disaster philanthropy stakeholders.
- A research brief for external stakeholders, containing an executive summary and description of the purpose, results and analysis of the disaster philanthropy stakeholder landscape.
- All primary data collected, including documentation of stakeholders interviewed or surveyed during the research. A maintenance plan for the data and visualization in case CDP decides to invest in updating the analysis in future years.
- An opportunity for CDP to review and provide feedback and/or clarifying questions on deliverables.
- Presentation to key internal stakeholders on the project.

CDP expects that updates will be provided to the CDP project manager and research lead throughout the project, including communication about progress and any issues that may arise. Please factor in meetings, as needed and mutually agreed upon, with CDP staff throughout the above-outlined phases.

Consultant background and characteristics

Familiarity with the global philanthropic ecosystem and preferably knowledge of disasters and/or humanitarian emergencies.
Background in conducting similar landscape scans and skills in applied research methodologies or techniques (including conducting key informant interviews) relevant to the scope of work.
Background in data analysis and visualization techniques pertinent to understanding influence, relationships, and networks (e.g., social network analysis).
Experience with and interest in presenting findings in creative ways that help the client understand the project and its outcomes while setting up the client to operationalize the findings for future work successfully.
Existing relationships or connections to individuals or institutions relevant to the scope of work and familiarity with existing resources and thinking within disaster philanthropy.
Understanding of equity and a commitment to applying an equitable approach to the project.
Demonstrated ability to work efficiently and independently to meet deadlines.

Budget

The budget for this project will start at $25,000.

Proposal guidance

To respond to this request for proposal, please submit a proposal of no more than five pages that contains:

Name and contact information of the project lead.
Experience and qualifications, including brief biographies of team members who would work on the project and description of the overall approach.
The organization’s racial and intersectional equity practices and experience.
Thumbnail scope and project approach with timelines per activity and deliverable.
Budget cost, including the anticipated number of work days for each phase.
Three references that have in-depth and proven knowledge of the applicant’s expertise and relevant work experience.

Additionally, we welcome the submission of any supporting materials that will help CDP better understand relevant work and the proposal.

Timeline

Last day to notify CDP of intent to ask questions: July 1, 2025
Last day to submit RFP questions to CDP: July 3, 2025
CDP will provide written responses to questions (sent to all entities that pre-indicated intent) by: July 9, 2025
Proposals due by: July 18, 2025 at 5 p.m. EDT.
Review of proposals by: July 25, 2025
Interviews with preferred proposals: July 29-31, 2025
Consultant selected and agreement signed by: Aug. 9, 2025
Deliverables and presentation completed by: Feb. 1, 2026

Contact

For questions or to submit a proposal, please email the CDP project manager and research lead:

Project manager:
Natalie Chang
Director, Innovation & Special Projects
Natalie.chang@disasterphilanthropy.org

Research lead:
Austin Snowbarger
Senior Manager of Strategy and Research
Austin.snowbarger@disasterphilanthropy.org

About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

The mission of CDP is to leverage the power of philanthropy to mobilize a full range of resources that strengthen the ability of communities to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur.

CDP is a trusted partner, expert and authoritative resource helping hundreds of individuals, foundations and corporations boost the impact of philanthropic giving in response to disasters and humanitarian crises by supporting equitable recovery and addressing root causes of vulnerabilities worldwide.

In 2024, CDP awarded approximately $16 million through 78 grants to grantee partners worldwide, demonstrated thought leadership through webinars, blog posts, featured speaking engagements, and other events, and served 20+ philanthropic partners through consulting efforts. In 2020, CDP was a featured nonprofit for the 14th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.

CDP is fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and has consistently earned Charity Navigator’s Four-Star Charity rating and Candid’s Platinum Transparency seal.

As an organization grounded in racial and intersectional equity, our team members are deeply committed to strengthening communities most vulnerable to disasters because of systemic inequities. We are guided by our values of integrity, boldness and innovation, humility, and empathy in all that we do in pursuit of our mission.

Definitions

The following are definitions CDP uses for key terminology used within this RFP and relevant to the project.

Complex Humanitarian Emergency – There is no universally agreed definition of a complex humanitarian emergency (CHE). CDP understands a CHE to include characteristics as described by Britannica: a type of disaster event that is caused by and results in a complicated set of social, medical and often political circumstances, usually leading to great human suffering and death and requiring external assistance and aid.

Disaster – A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts.

Funders – Philanthropic groups that provide financial support to charitable organizations. For CDP, funders include public, private, family, corporate and community foundations (or similar donor structures) and high-wealth donors (individually or through donor-advised fund management companies). Philanthropic-serving organizations are also part of CDP’s primary funder audience.

Philanthropy – Definitions of philanthropy vary but it has been described as the use of private resources – time, treasure, talent, ties – for public purposes. For this project, CDP understands philanthropy to mean the individuals and institutions that use private resources to advance charitable outcomes.