Development Consultant (Contractor or Firm)

Background

The West Virginia Community Development Hub (The Hub) supports West Virginians with the tools and training they need to lead and spark positive change in their hometowns and across our state. The Hub’s mission is to help communities improve quality of life by investing in leaders, building partnerships, tackling barriers to place-based community development, and amplifying the stories of the communities where we live and work.

The Hub’s coaching programs build leadership capacity in rural and historically underinvested communities, empowering residents to envision a positive future and develop the skills and relationships needed to achieve it. Acting as a regional “hub of hubs”, the organization sustains strong networks that connect rural leaders, community groups, local governments, and cross-sector partners—reducing barriers to resources and knowledge that can block progress in Appalachian communities. Since 2009, The Hub has provided more than 70 communities across 7 states with hands-on training and guidance, supporting them to build leadership capacity, identify local assets, develop economic resilience plans, spearhead development projects, and connect to the partners and resources that sustain revitalization efforts.

The Hub is currently leading community development efforts for the Appalachian Community Transformation Now (ACT Now) Coalition, a collaboration of key West Virginia cities, economic revitalization organizations, leading academic institutions, and private sector innovators that aims to spur economic development and job growth in 21 economically distressed counties in Southern West Virginia. The ACT Now Coalition’s work is funded by the US Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge program.

Scope of Work

The Hub is ready to grow its relationships with philanthropic funders and develop long-term funding strategies to continue to support communities in West Virginia and the central Appalachian Region beyond the Build Back Better grant period. To that end, the organization needs to: (a) assess its current relationships and funding potential; (b) build its capacity to work with funders; and (c) develop materials tailored to funders’ needs.

To achieve these goals, the organization seeks to engage a consultant or firm to perform the following work:

Funding Strategy Development

• Work with The Hub to understand the organization’s current funding and priorities, including internal and external barriers to future fund development
• Develop a concrete funding strategy, including:
  • Assessment of current relationships and potential
  • Steps to translate The Hub’s relationships and connections into funding support

Funding Strategy Implementation Support and Capacity Building

• Work with The Hub to support implementation of funding strategies, including:
  • Coaching and support for outreach, relationship building, and cultivation
  • Development of supporting materials (e.g., talking points, concept papers, proposals as invited)
  • Identification of trackable fundraising metrics and implementation of dashboard systems

Desired Qualifications

• Senior level consultant or firm with significant relevant experience in fundraising and development
  • Clear understanding of regional and national fundraising landscapes related to
    rural community and economic development and civic engagement
  • Strong experience with major funders in these fields
  • Active awareness and tracking of emerging trends in related philanthropy
• Well-developed understanding of solutions and strategies related to rural community and economic development and civic engagement
• Experience coaching nonprofit leaders as they build capacity for fundraising and development
• Demonstrated success executing multiple, complex projects with competing deadlines and strong attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills
• Strong commitment to and passion for equitable rural development

Response Submission Process

Interested consultants or firms are invited to submit the following materials by PDF sent via email to Emma Byrne, e.byrne@wvhub.org by August 13, 2025.

• Letter describing qualifications and interest in the project
• Proposed timeline for project completion
• Examples of relevant philanthropic funders with whom you have helped clients build relationships (may be included in letter if desired)
• Short writing sample, preferably a letter of interest or concept paper, redacted as necessary
• Resume/CV
• Rates/fee structure