Strategic Membership Growth and Communications Support

The Association for Collaborative Leadership is requesting proposals for a Marketing & Communications partner to help strengthen membership, elevate our brand, and promote our programs.

About ACL and the purpose of this RFP:

The Association for Collaborative Leadership (ACL) is a professional community for leaders of higher education consortia and networks. ACL advances collaborative work across colleges and universities through shared learning, research, and member‑driven programs. ACL is governed by a board and employs a small number of hourly staff. This engagement introduces a new consulting position that will serve as ACL’s primary day‑to‑day contact during the term. The role will work closely with a designated board member for onboarding and ongoing support.

ACL is seeking a partner to strengthen institutional memberships among higher education consortia, elevate our brand and voice, and increase engagement with our signature offerings, including the ACL Annual Conference, the Summer Institute, Virtual Professional Development (VPD) sessions, webinars, and related initiatives.

Scope of work:

• Strategic membership development. Build and manage a recruitment pipeline focused on institutional members that are higher education consortia and networks. Strengthen retention, define success metrics, and document repeatable processes for board and staff use.
• Communications strategy and content. Create an annual plan and editorial calendar. Draft email campaigns in Constant Contact, website copy, social content, and simple graphic assets that align to ACL brand guidelines.
• Program and event marketing. Develop promotional kits and registration messaging for ACL programs and events (Annual Conference, Summer Institute, VPD sessions, webinars), and produce post‑event summaries that capture outcomes.
• Resource development support (communications‑aligned). Prepare brief case statements and concise concept notes upon request.

• Initial term. Six months
• Level of effort. Approximately 20 hours per week, remote work
• Reporting. Consultant will be ACL’s primary day‑to‑day contact for membership and communications activities. The consultant will report to a board‑designated lead and will coordinate with ACL’s hourly staff as needed.
• Meeting cadence. Weekly 30‑minute stand‑up with the board designee. Monthly check‑in with board designees to review progress and plan next steps.

• Month 1: Baseline assessment, membership pipeline plan, brand and messaging brief, and a 90‑day content calendar.
• Monthly: Membership pipeline and retention strategies, updated content calendar, two to four campaign assets (email drafts, landing copy, social copy or graphics), and a brief analytics memo with insights and next steps.
• Per event: Promotional kit (save‑the‑date, invitation, landing copy, social set), run‑of‑show communications support, and a post‑event summary with key metrics and stories. Events include the ACL Annual Conference, Summer Institute, and VPD sessions.
• Quarterly: Two member case studies or testimonials suitable for web, social, and funding communications, plus an updated collateral set.

1. Cover letter.
2. Understanding and approach. A work plan and timeline that responds to the tasks in this RFP and Appendix A. Explain how you would partner with ACL’s board and staff.
3. Relevant experience. Two or three brief examples that demonstrate membership growth and communications outcomes for higher education audiences, consortia, or associations.
4. Sample work. One writing sample and one single‑page design example.
5. Budget and pricing. A fixed price for the six month term, plus hourly rate(s) for any out‑of‑scope work if requested. Include any reimbursable expenses.
6. References. Two references with contact information.

• Develop and document comprehensive membership growth strategies and recruitment plans (by audience segment) for Board and staff implementation.
• Create targeted marketing materials and value propositions highlighting ACL member benefits for prospective institutional members.
• Analyze membership trends; provide recommendations to increase retention; establish success metrics and evaluation frameworks.
• Design specialized outreach campaigns for distinct member groups and craft member testimonials/case studies that showcase collaboration benefits.
• Serve as the primary contact for existing member institutions; research and recruit prospective members; maintain engagement records.

• Develop ACL’s annual communications and marketing strategy and branded templates/design guidelines.
• Produce high‑quality written content for key channels (e‑mail/Constant Contact, web, social) and design visually engaging promotional materials.
• Create messaging frameworks and key talking points tailored to priority audiences; highlight member success stories and collaborative outcomes.
• Maintain and update ACL website content and social channels in line with brand guidelines and content calendar.

• Develop and implement marketing strategies and collateral for ACL programs/events (e.g., Summer Institute; conferences), including registration and post‑event engagement.
• Create branded themes/visual identities for signature programs and impact‑measurement frameworks.
• Produce post‑event communications and summaries that sustain engagement and document outcomes.

• Identify and qualify funding prospects aligned to communications/membership initiatives; develop case statements and light‑lift proposals as requested.
• Cultivate partnerships with complementary organizations and frameworks for collaborative resource development among members.

• Month 1: Baseline assessment; membership pipeline plan; brand/messaging brief; 90‑day content calendar.
• Monthly: Membership pipeline & retention dashboard; content calendar updates; 2–4 campaign assets (e‑mail drafts, landing copy, social copy/graphics); brief analytics memo with insights and next steps.
• Per event: Promo kit (save‑the‑date, invite, landing copy, social set), run‑of‑show comms support, and post‑event summary with key metrics and stories.
• Quarterly: Two member case studies/testimonials suitable for web, social, and funding communications; updated collateral set.

• Meetings: Weekly 30‑minute stand‑up with ACL lead; monthly check‑in with ACL Board designees.
• Tools: Consultant will use their own software/equipment; access to ACL’s Constant Contact, website CMS, and social accounts will be provided.
• Travel: Primarily remote; occasional travel may be requested and must be pre‑approved by ACL/ACL in writing to be reimbursable.

QUESTIONS? Email admin@national-acl.org