RFP Release Date: Monday, August 10, 2026

Proposal Deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM PT

Anticipated Selection: September 2026

Anticipated Contract Start: Following selection and contract execution

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Eaton Fire Collaborative – Long-Term Recovery Group

A Project of Community Partners

540 W. Woodbury Road

Altadena, CA 91001

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Overview

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The Eaton Fire Collaborative – Long-Term Recovery Group (EFC-LTRG), a project of Community Partners, invites proposals from qualified organizations to support the development, launch, facilitation, and ongoing operation of the Eaton Fire Collaborative Youth Recovery Council (YRC).

 

The EFC Board has approved the establishment of the YRC as a permanent youth governance and advisory body embedded within EFC's long-term recovery structure. The Council has not yet been constituted. EFC is seeking a partner with demonstrated experience in youth engagement, leadership development, facilitation, and community-based work to help bring the approved framework into operation.

 

The selected organization will work in partnership with EFC staff and young people from Eaton Fire-impacted communities to recruit and launch the inaugural Council, establish its operating practices, support youth leadership, facilitate its ongoing work, and build the systems necessary for its continued operation.

 

The YRC is intended to create a meaningful pathway for young people to shape recovery priorities, advise EFC leadership, influence institutional decisions, and contribute to the long-term future of Eaton Fire-impacted communities.

 

Board-Approved Framework

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The EFC Board has approved a framework establishing the purpose, structure, and institutional role of the Youth Recovery Council. The selected organization will support implementation of this framework; this engagement is not intended to redesign the Council's core purpose or relationship to EFC.

 

The approved framework establishes the following:

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• Founding Cohort: The inaugural YRC will consist of approximately 7–9 young people, ages 16–24. Recruitment will prioritize young people directly impacted by the Eaton Fire, including displaced youth, youth from renter households, first-generation college students, and young people demonstrating leadership in their schools, neighborhoods, or communities.

• Youth Co-Creation: The Founding Cohort will have a meaningful role in establishing the Council's internal norms, leadership structure, decision-making practices, focus areas, public identity, engagement model, and annual strategic priorities.

• Governance Integration: The YRC will be embedded within EFC's leadership and governance structure. The Council will elect a Chair from among its members to serve as its principal representative to the EFC Board, establishing a direct pathway between youth leadership and organizational decision-making.

• Advisory Role: The YRC will advise the Executive Director and EFC Board on emerging recovery needs, community conditions, organizational priorities, policy considerations, and other issues affecting the long-term recovery of Eaton Fire-impacted communities. The Council may develop recommendations and introduce strategic questions and priorities for consideration by EFC leadership and committees.

• Youth Recovery Agenda: The Council will develop an annual EFC Youth Recovery Agenda identifying youth-informed recovery priorities, concerns, opportunities, and recommendations. The Agenda is intended to inform EFC strategy and planning, public policy advocacy, philanthropic investment, partner coordination, and broader resource alignment.

• Broad Recovery Mandate: The Council's work will not be limited to matters traditionally considered "youth issues." The YRC is intended to bring a generational perspective to the full breadth of long-term recovery and create opportunities for youth perspectives to influence EFC strategy, public policy, philanthropy, organizational programming, partnerships, and institutional accountability.

• Compensated Participation: Council members will be compensated for their participation, recognizing youth leadership, time, and lived experience as meaningful contributions to recovery governance.

• Long-Term Structure: The YRC is intended to become an enduring component of EFC's governance and recovery infrastructure, supported by systems for future recruitment, leadership succession, and continuity between cohorts.

 

Within this framework, the Founding Cohort will have meaningful authority to shape how the Council operates, what it prioritizes, and how it engages the broader community. The selected organization and EFC staff will support that process rather than prescribe its outcomes.

 

Scope of Work

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The selected organization will work in close partnership with EFC staff to establish, launch, facilitate, and support the ongoing operation of the Youth Recovery Council.

 

The selected organization will be expected to:

 

• Develop an implementation plan and timeline for establishment and launch of the YRC.

• Design and administer an equitable recruitment and selection process for the inaugural cohort.

• Conduct outreach and engagement with young people across Eaton Fire-impacted communities, including young people who may not already participate in established leadership or institutional networks.

• Recruit, onboard, and orient approximately 7–9 Founding Cohort members.

• Facilitate a youth-led process to establish Council norms, leadership structure, decision-making practices, priorities, and identity.

• Coordinate and facilitate regular Council meetings and support increasing youth leadership of Council activities.

• Support leadership development for Council members, including the election and development of the YRC Chair.

• Work with EFC staff to coordinate training, technical assistance, speakers, subject-matter expertise, and other resources requested or identified by Council members.

• Support development and publication of the annual EFC Youth Recovery Agenda and other recommendations, presentations, or strategic outputs developed by the Council.

• Work in partnership with EFC staff to support integration of the YRC into EFC's leadership and governance structure, including establishing effective pathways for engagement with the Executive Director, Board, and committees, and coordinating connections with public agencies, philanthropic partners, community organizations, and other recovery institutions.

• Provide ongoing administrative and facilitation support, including member communications, participation logistics, recordkeeping, recruitment and onboarding of future cohorts, leadership transitions, and continuity between cohorts.

• Develop appropriate evaluation measures and recommendations for the continued development and sustainability of the YRC.

 

All work will be undertaken in partnership with EFC staff. EFC will remain institutionally responsible for the YRC and its connection to EFC governance. EFC staff will work with the selected organization to identify and coordinate training, technical assistance, speakers, subject-matter expertise, institutional relationships, and other resources responsive to the needs and interests of Council members.

 

Costs associated with external training, technical assistance, speakers, subject-matter experts, and other resources secured or approved by EFC will be supported separately by EFC and should not be included in the applicant's proposed cost. The selected organization's responsibility will include working with EFC staff and Council members to identify needs, coordinate opportunities, and integrate these resources into the Council's work.

 

The selected organization will provide sustained capacity in youth engagement, recruitment, facilitation, leadership development, administration, and continuity. It will not independently operate or control the Council.

 

Youth Participation

 

EFC intends for Youth Recovery Council members to be compensated for their time, expertise, and lived experience. The approved framework anticipates support including monthly stipends, transportation support, meals, and project-based leadership stipends.

 

The selected organization will work with EFC staff to create an accessible participation model that reduces financial, transportation, scheduling, and other barriers to sustained youth participation.

 

Youth compensation and participant support will be administered and funded separately by EFC and should not be included in the applicant's proposed cost.

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Anticipated Deliverables

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At minimum, EFC anticipates the following deliverables:

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• Implementation plan and timeline

• Youth outreach and recruitment strategy

• Recruitment and onboarding of the inaugural 7–9 member Founding Cohort

• Youth engagement and/or listening activities

• Council orientation and leadership development

• Youth-developed Council norms, leadership structure, decision-making practices, and annual priorities

• Regularly facilitated YRC meetings

• Election and development of the inaugural YRC Chair

• Support, in partnership with EFC staff, for integration of the YRC into EFC's leadership and governance structure and connection to the broader recovery ecosystem

• Inaugural EFC Youth Recovery Agenda

• Systems and processes for future recruitment, onboarding, leadership transitions, and continuity

• Evaluation framework and recommendations for ongoing development

• Applicants may recommend additional deliverables or approaches based on their experience and proposed methodology.

 

Desired Qualifications

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EFC welcomes proposals from nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, consulting organizations, or other qualified entities.

 

Competitive applicants should demonstrate:

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• Experience engaging youth and young adults, particularly ages 16–24.

• Experience with youth leadership, civic engagement, advisory bodies, governance, community organizing, or participatory decision-making.

• Strong facilitation and leadership-development capabilities.

• Demonstrated ability to center youth voice and support youth-led decision-making.

• Experience recruiting and sustaining participation among young people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.

• Experience working with communities affected by displacement, inequity, trauma, disaster, or significant community disruption.

• Ability to work collaboratively within an existing organizational and governance structure.

• Strong project management, communication, and administrative capacity.

• Capacity to provide ongoing facilitation and support beyond initial launch.

• Knowledge of and relationships within Altadena, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and Eaton Fire-impacted communities are strongly preferred.

 

Proposal Requirements

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Proposals should include the following:

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• Organizational Background: Brief overview of the organization, its mission, relevant experience, and organizational capacity.

• Approach: Description of the proposed approach to establishing, launching, facilitating, and supporting the YRC, including how the applicant will promote meaningful youth ownership while working within the Board-approved framework.

• Youth Engagement & Recruitment: Proposed strategy for reaching, recruiting, selecting, and retaining young people from Eaton Fire-impacted communities.

• Facilitation & Leadership Development: Approach to Council facilitation, youth leadership development, and support of the YRC Chair and other youth leaders.

• Ongoing Support: Approach to supporting ongoing Council operations in partnership with EFC staff, including future recruitment, meeting facilitation, communications, leadership transitions, and continuity between cohorts.

• Work Plan & Timeline: Proposed activities, milestones, deliverables, and anticipated timeline.

• Project Team: Identification of key personnel, proposed roles, relevant experience, and anticipated level of effort.

• Relevant Experience: Examples of comparable projects or engagements and, where possible, their outcomes.

• Proposed Cost: Proposed budget and budget narrative reflecting the cost necessary to perform the scope. Applicants should propose an initial implementation period and associated cost, as well as an annual cost for ongoing facilitation and support following launch. Applicants should identify key assumptions affecting the proposed cost. External training, technical assistance, speakers, subject-matter expertise, and other resources separately secured or approved by EFC, as well as youth compensation and participant support, should not be included in the proposed cost.

• References: Contact information for three references familiar with comparable work performed by the applicant.

 

EFC encourages concise proposals focused on the applicant's approach, qualifications, and ability to successfully perform the scope.

 

Evaluation Criteria

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Proposals will be evaluated based on:

 

• Understanding of the YRC framework and approach to the scope

• Experience in youth engagement, facilitation, and leadership development

• Relevant organizational experience and qualifications

• Approach to partnership with EFC staff and integration with EFC leadership and governance

• Capacity to provide ongoing support and continuity

• Qualifications of the proposed project team

• Proposed cost and overall value

 

EFC may invite applicants to participate in an interview or follow-up discussion as part of the selection process. Selection will not be based solely on cost.

 

Submission Instructions

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Proposals must be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM PT on Monday, August 31, 2026 to:

 

Michael Ocon

Executive Director

Eaton Fire Collaborative – Long-Term Recovery Group

michael@efclc.org

Subject: Youth Recovery Council RFP – [Organization Name]

 

Questions regarding the RFP should also be submitted to the email address above.

 

Terms and Conditions

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Issuance of this RFP does not obligate EFC or Community Partners to enter into an agreement or reimburse applicants for costs incurred in preparing a proposal. EFC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals; request clarification or additional information; conduct interviews; negotiate scope, deliverables, timeline, staffing, and cost with a selected applicant; modify the procurement schedule; or cancel the solicitation.

 

Any resulting agreement will be executed through Community Partners, EFC's fiscal sponsor, and will be subject to applicable contracting, insurance, safeguarding, confidentiality, and other requirements.

 

EFC intends to select the organization whose proposal provides the strongest combination of relevant experience, approach, organizational capacity, partnership orientation, and overall value

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