Request for Proposals (RFP)

Title: Ending Poverty with Dignity: Roadmap for Launching Community-Centered Financial Products
Issued By: Bob Weishaar, Founder of the AlmostBasic Initiative (on behalf of AlmostBasic.org)
We are actively seeking a co-sponsor to join this initiative and shape the pilot alongside us.
Location: Gahanna, Ohio (~35,000 residents, facing rising costs and limited financial safety nets; initial planning for future pilot)

Background

AlmostBasic.org is a pre-launch initiative committed to abolishing poverty by restoring community capacity through dignified, transformative financial interventions.

Community-building efforts—especially those led by churches, nonprofits, and local leaders—are often derailed by unmet basic needs. And it’s not just those in poverty who suffer. Time and energy are stolen from both ends:

  • Individuals in crisis are stretched thin, juggling survival

  • Community leaders are pulled into emergencies that money could solve—leaving no time for the deeper, long-term work that truly matters

Meanwhile, generosity is waiting in the wings.
But it’s blocked—by three quiet forces:

  • Fear of being taken advantage of (generosity can be gamed)

  • Concern about doing more harm than good (charity can feel toxic)

  • And respect for dignity (the people who most need help often won’t ask)

AlmostBasic is being built to address these barriers directly. By anchoring financial support in trust-based communities, we can deliver help in a way that preserves dignity, minimizes risk, and restores purpose.

Inspired by global cash transfer programs, we aim to adapt these learnings into localized, community-anchored solutions—beginning with a pilot in Gahanna, OH.

Organizational Status

AlmostBasic is in its early pre-launch phase, with a clear mission but no formal legal structure, funding model, or operational systems. This RFP seeks a consultant to develop a strategic roadmap for launching our core products, securing seed funding, and formalizing initial organizational steps.

Invitation to Co-Sponsor

AlmostBasic seeks a mission-aligned co-sponsor—an organization, funder, or community initiative—to join us in issuing and implementing this RFP. Co-sponsors will co-brand the pilot, guide strategy, and gain recognition in all public-facing materials.

Collaboration may include:

  • Endorsing or co-signing the RFP

  • Providing strategic guidance or legal/fiscal support (e.g., fiscal sponsorship)

  • Helping lead the pilot in Gahanna or a comparable site

  • Serving as a funding or amplification partner

To explore co-sponsorship, contact us at contact@AlmostBasic.org

Purpose of the RFP

AlmostBasic seeks a consultant (individual or small firm) to develop a strategic roadmap for launching four dignity-centered financial products at meaningful scale. The work will focus on:

  • Designing a strategy to implement four core products with robust, dignity-preserving frameworks

  • Developing a seed fundraising plan to support a future pilot and attract larger investment

  • Recommending early organizational steps to formalize AlmostBasic’s structure and messaging

This engagement lays the foundation for a Gahanna pilot designed to move from promising ideas to transformative, community-anchored impact.

Core Philosophy

Poverty is a systemic trap—not a personal failing. We believe substantial, unconditional cash support, delivered through trusted community anchors, can restore dignity, stabilize lives, and rebuild social fabric.

But the problem isn’t just poverty—it’s blocked generosity.

AlmostBasic exists to unlock generosity through thoughtful systems—designed with dignity, delivered through trusted communities, and built to restore human agency.

Our approach is guided by:

  • Progress on Purpose – Intentional, community-driven impact

  • Dignity by Design – Support that empowers without shame or bureaucracy

Project Goals

We aim to:

  • Create a strategic roadmap for launching four core products at transformative scale, including design frameworks and operational plans

  • Develop a fundraising strategy to raise $50,000–$100,000 to seed a future pilot, leveraging local partners like two.fifty.four Teen Center, churches, and grants

  • Recommend a lean legal structure (e.g., fiscal sponsorship, nonprofit registration, or public benefit LLC) and refine messaging for fundraising and community engagement

  • Lay the groundwork for a pilot in Gahanna, OH, a community of ~35,000 facing rising costs and limited financial safety nets

Core Products to Be Strategized

Proposals should develop a roadmap to launch the following products at transformative scale:

1. Community Enrichment Stipends ("Artists in Residence" for Everyday People)

Sustained financial support (e.g., $500–$1,000/month for 1+ years) for individuals—mentors, creatives, elders, organizers—who enrich community life. These stipends honor dignity, require no productivity metrics, and provide breathing room to strengthen the social fabric.

2. Transitional Income Support

Temporary stipends (e.g., $500–$1,000/month for 6-12 months) to help individuals stabilize or skill up, enabling transitions to self-sufficiency without red tape.

3. One-Time Empowerment Grants

Significant grants (e.g., $1,000–$5,000) to pay off debt, purchase tools, or cover training that unlocks income and agency.

4. Community-Backed No-Interest Loans

Substantial no-interest loans (e.g., $500–$10,000) pooled from community resources, replacing predatory payday lending with dignity-preserving repayment or pay-it-forward options.

All products should include dignity-preserving features (e.g., simple applications, minimal oversight) and operational strategies (e.g., identity verification, fraud prevention, payment infrastructure) to ensure scalability and trust.

Deliverables Requested

A. Product Strategy Roadmap

  • Design frameworks for all four products (eligibility, disbursement, safeguards)

  • Operational plan for a future pilot, using off-the-shelf tools (e.g., PayPal, Venmo, Airtable)

  • Recommendations for pilot testing and community feedback mechanisms

B. Seed Fundraising Strategy

  • Plan to raise $50,000–$100,000 for the pilot phase, leveraging local partners and grantmakers

  • Sample pitch deck, fundraising language, or campaign outline

C. Initial Organizational Steps

  • Recommendation for a lean legal structure (e.g., fiscal sponsorship or nonprofit formation)

  • Messaging framework for outreach and branding (e.g., homepage copy, tagline, FAQs)

Proposal Requirements

Please include:

  • Your background and expertise in poverty alleviation, nonprofit startups, community innovation, or fintech for good

  • A project plan with a 3–6 month timeline, including milestones and dependencies

  • Confirmation of ability to complete the work within the $20,000 budget (with a breakdown of hours and rates)

  • Examples of past work relevant to program design, organizational development, or fundraising

  • Contact information and one reference

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

  • Alignment with AlmostBasic’s mission and dignity-centered values

  • Strength and clarity of the roadmap for launching all four products

  • Feasibility of proposed scope within the $20,000 budget

  • Experience supporting early-stage or community-rooted initiatives

  • Ability to collaborate with Gahanna-based partners (e.g., two.fifty.four Teen Center, churches)

To Apply

Send proposals or inquiries to:
contact@AlmostBasic.org
Submission Deadline: July 15, 2025

Budget and Timeline

  • Budget: $x for a 3–6 month engagement

  • Timeline: Project begins August 2025

  • Deliverables Due: November 2025

  • Pilot Launch Goal: 2026

Join Us

We’re building a movement to end poverty—not with red tape or pity, but with dignity by design yielding progress on purpose. Help us create a roadmap that turns bold ideas into transformative action.

Submit your proposal, or reach out to explore co-sponsorship and help shape the future of AlmostBasic.