Open Request for Proposals (RFP) 

North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO)

RFP Release Date: July 21, 2026

Proposal Due Date: August 31, 2026 @ 5pm Central Time

Submission instructions: Proposals should be emailed to Kayla Deitch (kayla@ndano.org) no later than the due date and time listed above.  Please include a summary of your company and description of who on your team will be working on this initiative and what their relevant experience is in governance and nonprofit and associations management.

Link to PDF RFP

Background

The North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO) is the statewide membership association dedicated to strengthening North Dakota's nonprofit sector through education, advocacy, collaboration, and capacity building.

Project Purpose

As NDANO continues to grow and evolve, the organization has released this request for proposals in an effort to strengthen its governance framework by modernizing board practices, improving governance practices, and creating sustainable governance resources that support long-term organizational success.

The selected consultant will collaborate with NDANO leadership and the Governance Committee to develop practical resources that clarify roles and responsibilities, strengthen board effectiveness, and support consistent governance.

Rather than simply revising governance documents, NDANO seeks a consultant or consulting team to use a high-performing governance framework that equips board members to lead effectively while providing practical tools that can evolve with the organization. All deliverables should be provided in editable formats and designed for long-term use, enabling NDANO to update, adapt, and reuse materials as the organization evolves.

Project Objectives

The selected consultant will assist NDANO Leadership to:

  • Modernize the organization's governance materials by assessing existing bylaws, governance policies, and governance framework; benchmarking against recognized nonprofit governance standards and comparable membership organizations; and confirming alignment with nonprofit best practices and applicable laws.
  • Develop comprehensive board recruitment, onboarding, evaluation, succession, and offboarding resources to support the full board member lifecycle.
  • Review and recommend updates to existing governance documents, leveraging existing organizational resources and nonprofit best-practice templates where appropriate. Governance resources should include both internal-use documents and member-facing templates when possible.
  • Create practical governance tools, templates, and implementation resources that promote effective, consistent governance and can be sustained over time.

Scope of Work

Phase 1: Governance Assessment

Conduct a review of NDANO's current governance framework and documentation, including:

  • Bylaws
  • Governance policies
  • Committee structure
  • Board meeting practices
  • Board orientation materials
  • Existing board resources
  • Board lifecycle processes

Provide written recommendations identifying strengths, opportunities for improvement, and governance best practices. Develop a prioritized governance implementation roadmap with clear recommendations, timelines, and next steps for adoption and long-term governance excellence.

Phase 2: Board Lifecycle Development

Develop a comprehensive Board Member Lifecycle that creates consistency from recruitment through completion of board service. Note: the following are suggestions for tools.  NDANO will lean on the experience of the contractor to shape the outcome of this phase. 

1) Board Onboarding - Create a repeatable onboarding program that may include:

  • New Board Member Checklist/Agenda, including first 90-Day Roadmap
    • Annual governance calendar
    • Committee assignment guidance
    • Recommended mentorship process

2) Board Offboarding - Develop a structured offboarding process that may include:

  • Exit interview template
  • Transition checklist, including succession planning
  • Knowledge transfer recommendations

Phase 3: Governance Document Review

Review existing governance documents and provide recommendations for modernization. Required and suggested documents include:

  • Bylaws - Required
  • Conflict of Interest & Whistleblower Policies - Required
  • Confidentiality Policy - Required
  • Document Retention & Destruction Policy - Required
  • Board policies (Code of Ethics, etc.)
  • Delegation of Authority Policy - Required
  • Financial Oversight Policies
    • Internal Controls Policy
    • Investment & Cash Reserve Policy
    • Capitalization Policy - Required
    • Expense Reimbursement Policy
    • Procurement Policy (if necessary)
    • Fraud & Embezzlement Prevention Policy
    • Risk Management Policy
    • Insurance Review Policy

NDANO anticipates a collaborative approach to this project. Existing organizational documents and nonprofit best-practice templates should be used where appropriate as a foundation.

NDANO staff will assist in gathering and organizing existing resources. The consultant's expertise should focus on assessing current practices, tailoring documents to NDANO's needs, facilitating board engagement through periodic workshop meetings, and developing practical, actionable governance tools that support implementation and long-term use.

Final legal review can be procured separately by NDANO's legal counsel; however, if the consultant is able to include their own legal counsel review in the bid, it would be preferred.

Phase 4: Board Workshop Series

Facilitate virtual working sessions with the NDANO Board of Directors to:

  • Review updated governance documents as they become available
  • Explain recommended changes
  • Answer board questions
  • Build understanding and board ownership
  • Support implementation planning

These sessions can be done in 1 hour increments and involve Board members as they have the available time, providing an open forum for feedback.

Budget Guideline

NDANO was awarded funding by the National Council of Nonprofits specifically for board governance modernization and will consider a range of pricing for well-qualified proposals. 

The organization expects the consultant's primary focus to be on strengthening board governance through facilitation, development of onboarding and offboarding resources, board education, and governance implementation. While governance documents are an important component of the project, NDANO encourages consultants to leverage existing resources and nonprofit best practices where appropriate, allowing project resources to be concentrated on creating long-term organizational value. 

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include:

  • Consultant qualifications and relevant experience
  • Project approach and methodology
  • Proposed work plan and timeline
  • Description of deliverables
  • Budget and fee structure
  • At least 1-3 relevant client references AND/OR examples of similar governance or board development projects

Preferred Deliverables

The selected consultant should anticipate delivering:

  • Governance Assessment Report, with recommendations for improvement and a roadmap for the future.
  • Board Onboarding & Offboarding Documentation & Tools
  • A Suite of Revised Priority Governance Documents

Desired Qualifications

Preference will be given to consultants with experience in:

  • Nonprofit governance
  • Association management
  • Board development
  • Board education and facilitation
  • Organizational development
  • Policy and governance modernization

Experience working with nonprofit membership associations is strongly preferred. Use of an existing governance framework is encouraged. 

Project Timeline

NDANO anticipates beginning the project in September/October 2026. The desired timeline is approximately 3-6 months, with flexibility based on the proposed work plan.

Any Questions? Contact Us.

Kayla Deitch, Executive Director | kayla@ndano.org | 701-347-1066