Free Resource for Nonprofits: Website RFP Template
Over the past couple of years, we have had the pleasure of working with a lot of inspiring organizations (check out our Creative Portfolio!). As a result, we’ve seen a ton of RFP’s for nonprofit website design and development projects. The requests for proposals come in all forms, from 30-page docs with brand guidelines to a few-sentence email. No matter how detailed, they rarely include enough information to give an accurate bid. Introductory meetings are a great way to get to know each other but it’s tough to walk away with all of the details needed to understand the entire scope of the project.
Media Cause has been working on an RFP questionnaire for website redesign projects. It’s relatively simple to fill out and provides all of the information we need to give our clients a proposal with an accurate cost estimate. We know the challenges created by bad RFP’s, and this template has saved us a lot of time. As firm believers in “open source,” rather than keep it to ourselves we thought we’d share it with others in the hopes it helps more great nonprofit websites get built faster. If you find this helpful please use it and pass it on! And if you’re interested in working together, drop us a line or an RFP.
Website Redesign RFP Template
BRANDING
- Will you need a new logo and/or slogan for the website?
- Will the project require a new visual identity or will colors, fonts, visuals remain consistent with the existing site?
- Do you need additional branded marketing materials created? If so list all deliverables needed.
STRATEGY
- Have you done persona development to better understand your different target audiences?
- Have you done Keyword Research to better understand the content that people are looking for related to your mission/programs and specific keywords they use to search for this information?
- Do you need our help with messaging throughout your site to position your organization and programs to each target audience?
- Do have a content strategy for the website in order to engage with your target audience?
- What are the specific goals for the site? (What actions do you want users to take when they land on the site)
TECHNICAL
- What’s your current CMS?
- What CMS will the new site be built on? (Note: If you are moving to a new CMS content migration to be billed hourly or done by client)
- What technical integrations will the new site require? (Example: Email Capture, Forms, Donation Processing, Content Gating, Social Media)
- List specific tools, platforms, vendors
- Do you want Google Analytics set up throughout the site?
- Are there specific goals that you want to tag to track conversion events? If so what types of events and on approximately how many pages?
- Any other technical or content requirements that we need to be aware of?
- List specific website functionality or content you’re looking to include on the site (include link if similar functionality exists of current/previous websites).
- Do you want Media Cause to set up website hosting?
DESIGN
- How many custom page templates do you need designed for the new site? List each page.
- Do you need custom designed iconography? If so, how many icons?
- Do any graphics or widgets need to be custom designed?
CONTENT
- Who will be in charge of migrating content from your existing site/s? If you want Media Cause to help with content migration, how many pages? And which ones?
- Do you need additional content written, created, or sourced for the new website? Describe content needs in detail and the role you would like Media Cause to play?
SEO
- Do you want Google Search Console (Webmaster Tools) setup?
- Do you want us to install a free plugin for easy SEO capabilities (Yoast)?
- Do you want us to write meta titles and descriptions for all pages on the site, specific pages, or no pages?
TIMELINE
- What’s your ideal project start date?
- What’s your ideal website launch date?
- Are there any other key dates or milestones that we need to be aware of?
BUDGET
- What’s your budget for the project?
About the Author
Eric Facas, Media Cause Founder & CEO
After 10+ years as a digital marketer for tech companies and startups Eric shifted course toward social impact in 2010, founding a purpose-led marketing agency Media Cause. As CEO Eric has led the agency’s growth into a market leader with hundreds of nonprofit and mission driven clients and offices in San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. Eric’s passion for developing scalable solutions to important global issues has continued with the creation of the advocacy platform, Rally Starter, and nonprofit incubator Social Good Labs.
Earlier in his career Eric spent five years at Google where he helped launch new programs, built teams, and ran Google’s SEM Agency Council. In 2008 Eric received an EMG/Founder’s award from Google’s Executive Management Group for his work on the creation and rollout of the multi-billion dollar AdWords API program. When not at work Eric can be found hiking, mountain biking, or at the beach in Marin Country, CA or Kauai, HI with his family.