Strategic Planning Consultant (Request for Proposals)

The Lawyering Project is excited to launch our search for an experienced strategic planning partner to facilitate the development of our 2028-2033 strategic plan. We are seeking an independent contractor who will report to the Lawyering Project’s Executive Team. The timeline for this project is February to June 2027.  

Organizational Background

Founded in 2017, the Lawyering Project is a legal advocacy organization that blends traditional impact litigation with movement lawyering to promote reproductive health, rights, and justice throughout the United States. We have an all-remote staff that includes 24 full-time employees spread across the United States. 

Laws that undermine reproductive health, rights, and justice deprive people of moral agency, rob us of control over our bodies, and compound other forms of oppression like racism, sexism, and poverty. Our mission is to eliminate these laws and the harmful impacts they have on people’s lives. We are especially focused on laws that limit the availability or affordability of abortion care; contribute to disparities in reproductive health outcomes; embody gender-based stereotypes; or discriminate against people based on their reproductive decisions. 

We envision a society with laws that enable each of us to make decisions about intensely personal matters like sex, pregnancy, family, and healthcare based on our own beliefs and values, and ensure that we all have access to safe pregnancy care, safe abortion care, and safe communities for our families. 

More information about the Lawyering Project is available on our website. 

Project Background

Since its inception nearly a decade ago, the Lawyering Project has undergone significant growth in its staff size, programming, and overall organizational capacity, all while operating in a volatile political and legal landscape. We understand that, to realize our long-term vision for reproductive health, rights, and justice, we must continually assess our organizational strategy and impact. Energized by the organization’s growth, the exciting work being done by our clients and partners, and the growing need for legal services by those seeking, providing, and supporting abortion care, we are embarking on a strategic planning process to coincide with our tenth anniversary. Our goal for this process is to bring our creative, partner-driven approach to lawyering to bear on the challenges facing the repro movement nearly five years after the fall of Roe.

Project Scope of Work

1. Design a process for the development of a five-year strategic plan that includes the following:
• Robustly engaging with the Lawyering Project’s Board of Directors and staff;
• Gathering input from key external stakeholders including clients, partners, and funders; 
• Evaluating the impact of the Lawyering Project’s current programs; 
• Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Lawyering Project's current operations; and 
• Providing the Lawyering Project’s Executive Team with periodic opportunities to review progress and offer feedback.
2. Guide the Lawyering Project through the strategic planning process, taking the lead on meeting facilitation and data collection. 
3. Use the information and insights gathered to create a five-year strategic plan.
4. Assist the Executive Team in creating metrics to assess progress under the strategic plan.

Requirements

Desired Consultant Expertise and Qualifications 

• Proven expertise in strategic planning for nonprofit organizations. Experience working with legal advocacy organizations is a plus. 
• Proven knowledge of the U.S. reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. 
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate group discussions and build alignment among stakeholders with differing perspectives. 
• Strong project management skills, especially the ability to complete deliverables on time and according to specifications.
• Demonstrated commitment to JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) and social justice.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and readiness to work with a group of committed, talented, and enthusiastic individuals.

Budget 

We are seeking bids of up to $40,000 for the entire project.

Submission Requirements

To apply, please submit the following materials by December 18, 2026:

• A concise proposal detailing your approach to the project
• An updated CV or resume
• At least two client references from strategic planning projects
• Any additional supporting materials that you would like us to consider

Our goal is to engage a consultant by January 31, 2027, and begin work on the project in early February.