RFP - Strategic Planning Consultant

Background

Abiona Centre For Infant and Early Mental Health (the “Abiona Centre") invites proposals from qualified consultants or consulting firms to facilitate the development of a three-year Strategic Plan covering 2027-2030.

The selected consultant will work in close partnership with Abiona Centre's Board of Directors, the Board's Strategic Planning Task Force (the "Task Force"), and the Abiona Centre leadership team to design and deliver an inclusive, participatory, and practical planning process.

The Task Force will oversee the engagement on behalf of the Board and bring key decision points and recommendations forward to Board approval.

Abiona Centre is seeking a consultant who brings strong project management, effective facilitation, rigorous analysis, and a demonstrated equity-informed approach. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and accessibility are expected to be embedded throughout the process, from engagement design through to deliverables.

2. Organizational Overview

Abiona Centre is a client-centered organization specializing in infant and early childhood mental health. We support pregnant and parenting young mothers (ages 13-29) and their babies, both those who reside at the Abiona Centre and those living in the community. As an accredited Children's Mental Health Centre, Abiona Centre is the largest Young Parent Infant Centre in Ontario.

Our commitment is to create a better future for vulnerable young mothers and their children (ages 0-6). Our programs help clients build secure parent-child relationships, cope with adversity, access help when needed, and succeed in education, parenting, and independent living.

Our vision is a world where families led by young women have the emotional and physical supports to realize their full potential.

2.1. Operations

Abiona Centre delivers a comprehensive range of programs and services, including:

• Live-in Treatment: safe housing with 24/7 support and intensive treatment to address mental health needs, reduce stigma, build life skills, and strengthen maternal-infant attachment.
• Postnatal Transitional Housing: one-year on-site housing for new mothers, including life skills training, mental health support, and preparation for independent living.
• New Lives Start Here: housing and rehabilitative/therapeutic support for up to 10 young mothers (with one or two children) for up to four years while completing postsecondary education or training.
• Maternal Infant Mental Health: infant-centered, evidence-based programs that support young mothers to build secure attachments and responsive caregiving.
• Secondary School Treatment Program: delivered in partnership with the Toronto District School Board to enable participants to complete high school.
• Early Learning Centres: two childcare centres serving 87 children (ages 0-4), promoting healthy development and school readiness.
• EarlyON Child and Family Centre: structured programs and support for children under 6 and their caregivers, promoting early development and readiness for school.
• Primary Health Care: prenatal/postnatal and general health services, well-baby care, breastfeeding support, reproductive and sexual health services, and counselling for postpartum emotions and substance use; psychotherapeutic assessment and psychotherapy.
• Community Referral Services: supports to access safe, affordable long-term housing, childcare, employment, and other resources.
• Baby & Me: Our Home Program: housing stability support for single mothers up to age 24, including case management and rent subsidies.

2.2 Governance

Abiona Centre is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board has established a Strategic Planning Task Force to guide and steward this engagement on behalf of the Board.

2.3 Strategic Planning Context

This planning process is being initiated to:

• Clarify organizational direction and priorities for 2027-2030.
• Strengthen alignment among mission, programs, partnerships, and resources.
• Establish measurable goals and an implementation approach to drive impact.

Abiona Centre was formed through the amalgamation of the Massey Centre for Women and Humewood House Association on July 1, 2021. Since amalgamation, Abiona has experienced significant growth in maternal-infant mental health, childcare, and housing programs, alongside organizational restructuring.

Abiona Centre operates in a unionized environment and has over 30 years of experience working collaboratively with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The population we serve is evolving. Teen pregnancy rates (ages 15-19) have declined, and most participants are now over 19; however, needs remain urgent. Affordable housing constraints in Toronto continue to displace young families outside the city, and Abiona is exploring ways to respond to these housing pressures.

Sustainable funding remains a key challenge. When core public funding does not keep pace with program costs, fundraising becomes essential to maintain service levels. The City of Toronto has supported cost-of-living adjustments since the pandemic, but longer-term funding adequacy continues to be a concern.

This planning process must consider funding sustainability in context of all the complex factors, system pressures, and policy dynamics affecting Abiona Centre services.

3. Project Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this engagement is to develop a three-year Strategic Plan that:

• Articulates Abiona Centre's strategic priorities and intended impact for 2027-2030.
• Is grounded in stakeholder input and evidence, including internal data and an external/environmental scan.
• Includes clear goals, outcomes, and measures of success.
• Is practical and implementable, with recommended governance, accountability, and monitoring mechanisms.
• Reflects DEIB principles and accessible engagement practices.

4. Scope of Services

The consultant will provide strategic planning facilitation, analysis, and project management services, which may include (but are not limited to) the following.

4.1 Project Management and Workplan

• Develop a detailed workplan with activities, timeline, milestones, decision points, and roles (consultant, Task Force, Board, leadership, staff).
• Confirm engagement methods, data collection tools, and reporting cadence.
• Provide regular progress updates to the Task Force and/or designated Abiona lead.

4.2 Discovery and Inputs

• Review existing documentation (e.g., prior plans, annual reports, program and evaluation materials, operational and financial context, stakeholder feedback).
• Conduct an environmental scan that examines external factors shaping Abiona Centre’s operating context. This will include analysis of sector-specific trends and relevant comparators with particular attention to: policy and regulatory environment, funding landscape and sustainability considerations, labor market dynamics, housing and socio-economic conditions, demographic trends impacting service demand. The scan should incorporate benchmarking against comparable organizations facing similar mandates and challenges (e.g., Rosalie Hall, Jessie’s the June Callwood Centre and other peer agencies), to identify leading practices and strategic positioning.
• Analyze and synthesize findings to identify strategic opportunities, risks, constraints, and enabling conditions that will inform the development of the strategic plan.

4.3 Stakeholder Engagement

Design and facilitate an engagement approach that is accessible, culturally responsive, and aligned with DEIB principles. Engagement may include:

• Task Force working sessions (design, sense-making, decision support).
• Board engagement (workshops, check-ins, decision meetings).
• Leadership and staff engagement (workshops, focus groups, surveys).
• External stakeholder engagement (community partners, clients/participants, funders, collaborators), as appropriate and feasible.

4.4 Strategy Development

• Support review and refinement of mission, vision, and values (as appropriate).
• Define strategic pillars/priorities and cross-cutting commitments.
• Develop goals, outcomes, strategies, and key initiatives.
• Define success measures/indicators and a practical monitoring approach.

4.5 Implementation and Communication Support

• Recommend an implementation governance and accountability framework, with defined ownership, reporting, planning alignment, and Board oversight.
• Develop a high-level implementation roadmap (phasing, quick wins, dependencies).
• Provide recommendations for communicating the plan internally and externally (optional: draft communications content or launch materials if within scope).

5. Deliverables

Proposals should assume the following deliverables. Consultants may recommend refinements based on their methodology and Abiona's needs:

• Project workplan and timeline (including engagement plan and decision points).
• Document review summary with key themes and implications.
• Environmental scan report with sector trends and strategic implications for Abiona.
• Stakeholder engagement summary (methods, participation overview, key themes; anonymized).
• Draft strategic framework (mission/vision/values as applicable; strategic pillars; goals and outcomes; strategies/key initiatives; embedded equity and accessibility commitments).
• Draft Strategic Plan for review and validation with the Task Force and Board.
• Facilitated validation session(s) with the Task Force and/or Board.
• Final three-year Strategic Plan incorporating feedback.
• Provide implementation and measurement recommendations, including a roadmap, with clear indicators, KPIs, monitoring approaches and governance.
• Optional: communications/launch plan and/or a summary slide deck.

6. Proposal Requirements

Interested consultants must submit a proposal that addresses the following.

6.1 Consultant/Firm Overview

• Organization profile, relevant experience, and areas of specialization.
• Experience delivering strategic planning for not-for-profit/community organizations.
• Experience working with Boards and Board committees/task forces.

6.2 Proposed Approach and Workplan

• Proposed methodology and phases, including deliverable checkpoints.
• Engagement approach (who will be engaged, how, and accessibility considerations).
• Draft timeline and expected effort by phase.
• How you will support the Task Force and Board in decision-making.

6.3 DEIB and Accessibility Approach

• Demonstrated experience embedding DEIB and accessibility in planning processes.
• Specific practices to ensure inclusive engagement and equitable analysis.
• Accessibility practices for meetings, materials, and participation (e.g., plain language, multiple formats, accommodations).

6.4 Team and Roles

• Team members assigned, roles, qualifications, and relevant experience.
• Who will facilitate sessions and who will lead analysis and writing.
• Availability during the proposed project period.

6.5 Pricing

• Total fixed fee (preferred) or fee range, with fees broken down by phase and/or deliverable.
• Hourly rates by team member (if applicable).
• Estimated hours by phase and/or deliverable.
• Assumptions about number/format of sessions and engagement activities.
• Expenses and disbursements (e.g., travel, printing, translation, accessibility supports).

6.6 References

• At least three references for similar engagements, including contact name, organization, email/phone, and a brief project description.

6.7 Sample Work Products

• One to two examples (or excerpts) of past strategic plans, engagement summaries, or strategic frameworks (with confidential information removed).

7. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using the criteria below:

• Relevant experience and demonstrated capability (including not-for-profit/community-sector experience).
• Governance-informed approach (experience working with Boards and task forces/committees).
• Facilitation and stakeholder engagement capability, including accessibility and cultural responsiveness.
• Quality and practicality of the proposed methodology, deliverables, and project management approach.
• DEIB and accessibility competence, including credible methods for embedding these throughout the engagement.
• Clarity and completeness of the proposal and responsiveness to this RFP.
• Value for money (fees and expenses relative to scope and outcomes).
• Quality of references.

8. Submission Instructions

Submit proposals electronically in PDF format to eblair@abionacentre.ca.

Use the subject line: RFP - Strategic Planning Consultant - Abiona Centre.

Proposal length: 10-20 pages maximum, excluding appendices (e.g., resumes, sample work).

Deadline: May 6, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET). Late submissions may not be considered.

9. Terms and Conditions

9.1 Proposal Validity

Proposals must remain valid for 365 days from the submission deadline.

9.2 Inquiries

Submit all questions in writing to Mansi Bhatija, Executive Assistant at mbhatija@abionacentre.ca. To ensure fairness, no phone inquiries will be accepted.

9.3 Selection Process

Abiona Centre reserves the right to:

• Accept or reject any or all proposals.
• Request clarification, additional information, or revised submissions.
• Interview shortlisted proponents and/or request presentations.
• Award the contract based on best overall value, not necessarily the lowest price.

9.4 Confidentiality

Information provided by Abiona Centre must be treated as confidential and used only for proposal preparation and project delivery.

9.5 Conflict of Interest

Proponents must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

9.6 Ownership of Work

All deliverables produced under this engagement will become the property of Abiona Centre, subject to any pre-existing intellectual property of the consultant.

9.7 Withdrawal/Cancellation

Abiona Centre may withdraw this RFP or terminate negotiations at any time without liability.

10. Key Dates and Contact Information

Key dates are subject to change at Abiona Centre's discretion. Any updates will be communicated to all proponents.

RFP issue date

April 6, 2026

Deadline for questions

April 20, 2026

Responses to questions issued by

April 27, 2026

Proposal submission deadline

May 6, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET)

Shortlist/interviews (if applicable)

May 7-22, 2026

Consultant selection

May 27, 2026

Anticipated project start

June 1, 2026

Anticipated completion

April 26, 2027

Contact

Ekua Asabea Blair
President & CEO
Abiona Centre for Infant and Early Mental Health
Email: eblair@abionacentre.ca
Phone: 416-476-3939