Request for Proposals: AMANI Mental Health & Substance Use Services for Black Youth Strategic Plan

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AMANI: Mental Health & Substance Use Services for Black Youth Strategic Plan

Please forward required documents by April 3 2026 to:

Paul Bailey

Executive Director

Black Health Alliance

192 Spadina Avenue, Suite 112

Toronto, Ontario

M5T 2C2 Canada

Email: opportunities@blackhealthalliance.ca

Subject Line: “AMANI Strategic Plan”

ORGANIZATION & PROJECT SUMMARY

AMANI: Mental Health & Substance Use Services for Black Youth is the first-ever Canadian hospital and community partnership focused on advancing care for Black youth. We provide free, culturally responsive care for Black youth (aged 12-29 years) and their families/caregivers who are in need of mental health and/or substance use support.

AMANI offers various programs and services that are safe, accessible, culturally responsive and affirming for Black youth and families who are impacted by mental health and/or substance use concerns. Programs and services include our:

• Mental Health & Substance Use Program (formerly, the Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth or “SAPACCY”),
• French Language
• Hospital Based Consultation Liaison Service
• Collaboration with the Toronto Northwest Justice Centre,

AMANI works as a provincial network of organizations in Ontario with a shared vision of providing programs and services that support Black youth to achieve their wellness goals. The network is made up of community health centres, community services organizations, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

AMANI is supported by a provincial Black Youth Advisory Panel (BYAP), and aims to be grounded in the lived and living experiences of Black children, youth and caregivers, and centres Black representation in healthcare delivery by purposefully mobilizing Black clinicians, staff and healthcare leaders who are members of Ontario’s diverse Black communities.

SERVICE BACKGROUND

Mission

Improving mental wellness of Black youth and their support systems, including family and caregivers, by providing culturally responsive, accessible and effective hospital and community-based services and supports through an Africentric lens.

Vision

Equitable access to mental health and substance use services and supports when and where needed for Black youth.

We invite you to learn more about us at: amaniservices.ca

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

As part of the next phase of its development, Black Health Alliance is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to assist in the development of a comprehensive 3-year strategic plan that will guide the direction of AMANI until 2030.

The successful proponent(s) must have recent experience and understanding of the non-profit sector in general, as well as the health and social services broadly and the mental health and additions sector specifically.

The successful proponent(s) will also have extensive strategic planning experience including the ability to coordinate and facilitate the planning process, conduct internal and external stakeholder interviews in both official languages and create strategic planning assets that are measurable and suitable for public review and presentations.

The successful proponent(s) must also have a demonstrated understanding of the effects of anti-Black racism on Black populations, and demonstrated lived experience working with Black communities and organizations.

Schedule of Events

The following schedule is provided for planning purposes only. Black Health Alliance may alter this schedule at any time and accepts no responsibility for adherence to this schedule:

1. Issue Request for Proposal: March 16 2026
2. Deadline to Receive Proposals: April 3 2026
3. Interviews Selection Committee: April 2025
4. Awarding of Proposal: April 2026

SCOPE OF SERVICES

It is expected that the consultant will be responsible for providing expert advice and facilitation throughout the project via the following services:

1. Develop a critical path identifying key tasks and timeframes for completion of the plan by September 2026
2. Project coordination including regular meetings and status updates with a strategic planning committee who will provide continuous feedback into the process
3. Discovery process to affirm project scope
4. Engage in a process of strategic review, this strategic review should help clarify the direction of AMANI and its services, the review process should include:
   • Review foundational statements
   • A brief review and analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for AMANI and its programs
   • Seek and collect input from a range of stakeholders including the gathering of key informant insights (leadership stakeholders, front-line staff, backbone staff, clients, youth advisors, service partners, CAMH senior leadership).
   • Organizational//Initiative//Network review (including governance and partnership models)
   • An assessment of need and/or gap analysis within the network and broader community
   • An environmental scan including a limited review of the key capabilities of similar organizations or networks
   • Conduct a limited review of the key capabilities of similar organizations or initiatives to help create an evidence base for AMANI’s strategic direction
5. Facilitate meetings, discussion and decision making ensuring that conversations are productive and innovative and oriented towards creating a shared future and vision for AMANI
6. Facilitate a process to evaluate, revise and update the AMANI’s foundational statements (mission, vision, and values) in alignment with community needs, expectations, and aspirations
7. Facilitate a process to develop goals that are informed by analysis of stakeholder inputs and relevant research
8. Facilitate a process to identify and prioritize strategies and actions for each goal that are informed by analysis of stakeholder inputs and relevant research
9. Facilitate a process to validate the current theory of change through focused stakeholder engagement to ground the strategic plan, and effectively support implementation
10. Develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan
11. Develop an Operational Plan outlining roadmaps for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to carry out the strategic plan
12. Facilitate a process for stakeholder review, refinement, and approval of Strategic Plan and Operational Plan
13. Propose a process for ongoing periodic review and revision of both Plans

Deliverables

• Detailed work plan and timeline
• Discussion Paper summarizing stakeholder engagement, summary of workshops, surveys, interviews, and focus groups, and research
• Theory of Change products (narrative and visual)
• Revised Foundational Statements
• Comprehensive Strategic Plan to 2030 (draft and final versions)
• Comprehensive Operational Plan to 2030

BUDGET

Proposals should cite a total project cost and provide a detailed budget. Applicants must ensure that the proposal submitted is realistic in terms of project cost and takes into account unforeseen costs or overages that will not exceed the project limit.

Proposal Requirements

A covering letter should be provided with the proposal clearly stating an understanding of the service to be provided. The letter must include the names of all individuals who will be participating in the project on behalf of the consultant. The person signing the covering letter must be authorized to bind the consultancy.

Proposals must include the following components, each in appropriate detail:

• An overview of the vendor’s firm or consulting company
• An overview of the vendor’s experience in similar projects along with at least three
• (3) references that outline previous projects of a similar nature that have been completed by the vendor. This will include the client names and contact information including telephone numbers. Black Health Alliance may contact these references
• An overview of the vendor’s experience (lived or work) working with Black communities and organizations
• Resumes of the person(s) that will work on this project
• An indication of the vendor’s understanding of the project scope and requirements, including how each of the specific requirements will be performed
• A critical path with recommended tasks and associated timelines
• A quotation for the completion of the project with hourly rates and including disbursements, applicable taxes, and any other expenses to be charged to Black Health Alliance. In the event of an unexpected termination of the contract if decided by Black Health Alliance, no other costs will be billable to Black Health Alliance other than allowable costs incurred up to the date of the contract termination
• Ability of the vendor to engage stakeholders in English and French
• The anticipated level of participation required by Black Health Alliance and CAMH staff and in what timeframes
• An outline of what outputs are to be provided to Black Health Alliance

You may supplement your proposal with any additional information you feel will strengthen your submission.

SELECTION PROCESS

The shortlisted proposals will be reviewed by the selection and an interview held with the selected candidates in April 2026

Conflict of Interest

Each proponent (on its own behalf and on behalf of all members of its team, if any) shall declare in its response any real or perceived conflict of interest which either presently exists or can reasonably be foreseen as arising in the future. A conflict of interest will be evaluated on its merits and will not necessarily result in the exclusion of a response.

Conditions

Black Health Alliance will not be liable for any costs incurred by the proposers in the preparation of their response to this proposal or attending the presentation if required. Black Health Alliance reserves the right to ask for additional information and adjustments to any proposed response. Black Health Alliance will keep all information provided by the candidate confidential. Information provided to the respondents is to be used for the sole purpose of responding to this RFP.

Questions and Clarifications

All interested parties will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification by sending email to Paul Bailey at opportunities@blackhealthalliance.ca