Grant Writing and Funding Strategy Services Adirondack Performing Arts Center (APAC) – NYSCA Capital Projects Funding

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Grant Writing and Funding Strategy Services Adirondack Performing Arts Center (APAC) – NYSCA Capital Projects Funding Issued By:North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC) RFP Release Date: Monday, August 17, 2026Proposal Due Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by 3:00 PMContract Type: Lump Sum / Fixed Fee Only 1. INTRODUCTION North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC) is seeking proposals from highly qualified grant-writing firms or consultants with demonstrated success securing New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) funding, particularly NYSCA Capital Projects awards, to provide grant strategy, application development, and submission services for the Adirondack Performing Arts Center (APAC). NRDC is specifically seeking a consultant with significant experience preparing competitive, successful capital grant applications for arts and cultural facilities and who can work closely and efficiently with NRDC staff, project architects, construction professionals, community partners, and other stakeholders. This is a time-sensitive engagement. The selected consultant must be prepared to begin work immediately following contract award and remain actively engaged through completion and submission of the applicable NYSCA application. NRDC is not seeking hourly consulting services. Proposals must provide a complete lump-sum fixed fee for the scope described in this RFP. 2. ORGANIZATION AND PROJECT BACKGROUND North Country Rural Development Coalition is a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to strengthen rural communities throughout its Tri-County service area through affordable housing, arts and cultural development, downtown revitalization, and historic preservation. NRDC is advancing the Adirondack Performing Arts Center (APAC) in downtown Ticonderoga, New York. APAC is envisioned as a transformative regional arts and cultural facility that will provide space for performing arts, cultural programming, community events, education, and related activities while contributing to the continued revitalization of downtown Ticonderoga. The project involves the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of an existing downtown building and represents a major public, nonprofit, and community investment in the cultural and economic future of the North Country. The project is already well advanced in planning, design, predevelopment, estimating, and value engineering. NRDC has secured significant project funding and investment; however, a substantial capital funding gap remains. NRDC intends to pursue FY2027 NYSCA Capital Projects funding as a major component of the project's remaining capital financing strategy. 3. PURPOSE OF THIS RFP The purpose of this procurement is to retain an experienced grant professional or firm capable of providing full-service NYSCA grant strategy and application development, rather than simply editing an application prepared by NRDC. The selected consultant will be expected to help NRDC: Determine the strongest strategy for positioning NRDC and APAC for NYSCA Capital Projects funding; Review organizational and project eligibility as soon as FY2027 Capital Projects guidelines are released; Identify and address potential weaknesses before submission; Determine the most competitive request amount and project scope; Develop a compelling case for state investment; Coordinate project financial information and funding sources; Draft and refine all required narratives; Assist with required attachments and supporting documentation; Coordinate with NRDC staff and the professional project team; Manage the application process through final submission; and Help ensure that the final application is complete, consistent, competitive, and responsive to NYSCA's evaluation criteria. 4. SCOPE OF SERVICES The selected consultant shall provide, at minimum, the following services. (see attached document) Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: none Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE) MBE Goal: 20.00% WBE Goal: 20.00%