Request for Proposals: Website Redesign and Branding

Reports To

Communications

Job Type

Contract

Hours

Per Contract

Location

Remote

Summary

Request for Proposals: Website Redesign and Branding

The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy in Easton, Maryland, is seeking a qualified and creative web designer or digital marketing agency to redesign, develop, and implement a WordPress-based website and help rethink the organization’s branding. This may include a logo redesign, if the contractor has both skill sets.

RFP Timeline*:

• Request for Proposals Released – September 1, 2023
• Proposals Due – October 1, 2023
• Evaluation of Proposals – October 2023
• Contract to be Awarded – November 2023
• Redesign Process – December 2023 through June 2024

*All dates are subject to change with or without notice.

About Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

We are a nonprofit charitable organization with a mission to conserve, steward, and advocate for the unique rural landscape of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Since its founding in 1990, when there was widespread concern that the region’s important wildlife habitat and prime farmland were being consumed by sprawling development, ESLC has established a record of land preservation that far exceeds any other conservancy in the state and is one of the most successful in the country. We have permanently protected approximately 65,000 acres of farms and forest and provided new public access to parks, farmland, hiking trails, urban gardens, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The threats to the region have never been greater, as climate change and development of all kinds continue to pressure the fundamental rural and agricultural quality of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Under new leadership since 2021, ESLC continues to pursue land preservation while influencing policies that can help local landowners and leaders more effectively implement conservation, benefit natural resources, and sustain the region’s character. This includes pioneering innovative land protection programs in an effort to help farms stay viable, assisting younger generations of farmers in becoming landowners, and helping landowners and communities to discover, evaluate, and implement the land preservation options available to them.

We have a team of 11 full-time staff members and a 19-person Board of Directors. Your partners in the redesign process will primarily be ESLC’s Communications Manager Caitlin Fisher, CEO Steve Kline, and Communications Consultant Kristyn Brady, who is also managing the RFP process.

Project Description

ESLC is accepting proposals for the design and development of a new website from concept to completion. The current website is mobile responsive and relatively modern, but ESLC has experienced much change and growth over the past few years and the current website does not fully convey the current work of the organization, particularly given the priorities laid out in the most recent strategic plan.

We’re looking for an engaging, user-friendly design that is optimized to convert visitors to email subscribers, maximizes time spent on the site, and makes our value proposition crystal clear. An effective redesign will showcase our programs, events, and news content and better integrate giving opportunities. We are also interested in showcasing our land preservation impacts through an interactive map of the Eastern Shore.

Specific pain points, audience needs, and goals will be discussed during a discovery phase of the project. At this time, we’ll assess the viability of redesigning the organization’s logo and whether that work can be done by this contractor or if a subcontractor is needed.

In the design phase, the contractor will provide a set of mockups to approve. Copywriting and photo research/acquisition will be assigned to and done by ESLC. Approved copy and photos/videos will be provided to the contractor ahead of the development phase. We would prefer two rounds of QA on the fully coded site on a staging server before going live.

The finished product should be easily updated by non-technical staff. This project should therefore include the creation of templates that empower ESLC to make new pages and posts as needs arise. There should also be a training phase just ahead of site launch, when the contractor can give ESLC staff the tools they need to maintain the website and create new content.

ESLC’s current website was designed/developed in 2019 and can be found here. It is built on the WordPress platform (version 6.1.3) and hosted by the original third-party developer via InMotion Hosting. Contact and donation forms are supported by Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge.

Key Objectives and Considerations

To be effective, our new website must:

• Be informative, engaging, modern, responsive, and easily navigable.
• Improve user experience, particularly on forms.
• Load quickly, be secure, and eliminate barriers to accessibility.
• Showcase the work and programs outlined in our strategic plan.
• Provide a scalable, maintainable digital solution.
• Meet Google Ad Grant eligibility requirements.
• Boost our search engine rankings.

The successful candidate will be an excellent project manager with a demonstrated track record of communicating openly and regularly throughout a project. They will be skilled in WordPress development, have knowledge of current digital marketing trends, and be mindful of website accessibility. Preference will be given to contractors with knowledge of the unique challenges of nonprofits, particularly in the conservation space.

Proposal Requirements

All proposals for this contract should include:

• An executive summary that describes your understanding of the project, ESLC’s needs, and your proposed solutions.
• A comprehensive list of deliverables with a projected deadline and line-item cost for each.
• Total project cost to implement your recommendations.
• A description of your company, the key staff who would work on our project, and your approach to the work. Please describe project management tools or processes you use to keep the work on track.
• Three examples of similar projects completed in the last five years, with the project cost and timeline for each.
• Contact information for three past clients who can serve as references.
• Any requirements or preferences regarding invoicing and payment. Please include all terms and conditions.

Proposals may only be submitted by email. Send a single PDF by link or attachment to Kristyn Brady at kristynbradycomms@gmail.com by no later than 11:59pm ET on October 1, 2023.

ESLC reserves the right to reject any or all bids, accept or reject any or all items in the proposals, and/or award the contract in whole or in part as deemed to be in the best interest of the organization. ESLC reserves the right to cancel, delay, amend, or reissue this RFP at any time. Each respondent submitting a proposal will be notified via email of ESLC’s decision concerning their proposal.

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a region rich in diversity of all kinds, from our people to our natural resources. The future of this iconic place depends on the engagement of everyone, from all backgrounds and experiences. ESLC values diversity in all its forms and encourages all qualified individuals to submit a proposal for this project.

Thank you for your interest.

Additional Information and To Apply

Proposals may only be submitted by email. Send a single PDF by link or attachment to Kristyn Brady at kristynbradycomms@gmail.com by no later than 11:59pm ET on October 1, 2023