Request for Proposal: Community Spaces

Community Spaces and Stages Selected

Tuesday, February 11th, 2025

After carefully reviewing each proposal, and with recommendations of the Entertainment Committee of the Board of Directors and review by the Executive Committee, we are pleased to announce Executive Director Suzanne Ford’s selections:

  • Hip Hop Stage
  • Soul of Pride, the African Diaspora Stage and Village
  • Trans Liberation Bloc Party
  • Club Papi & Valentino Presents The Latin Stage @ Steamworks Pavilion
  • Women’s Stage presented by the Dykes Only Space and the Playground
  • Asian & Pacific Islander LGBT Pride Stage and Pavilion
  • CHEER San Francisco
  • The Sundance Country-Western Dance Corral
  • Indie Oasis
  • Root of Pride
  • Leather Alley
  • Young People’s Stage

San Francisco Pride’s stages and other activities serve as vibrant expressions of the city’s diverse and intersectional art and culture scenes, reinvesting in local talent and fostering a sense of belonging for minority communities. These initiatives provide a platform for emerging and established performers from diverse backgrounds to share their talents, amplify underrepresented voices, and contribute to the preservation and celebration of diverse cultural traditions. By creating inclusive spaces for artistic expression, San Francisco Pride empowers minority communities, fostering a sense of belonging and validating their unique contributions to the city’s cultural landscape.

The purpose of this RFP is to select qualified and experienced community space producers for the upcoming San Francisco Pride celebration. We’d like to hear first hand from producers how their community space aligns with the core values of San Francisco Pride, and how their creative vision can help accomplish the mission. The selected producers and activations will be responsible for creating a vibrant and engaging experience for all attendees.

Changes for 2025

For 2025 we’re asking community stage producers to expand their management to include the entire block their stage activates on. We have identified 5 blocks that can host a stage and have identified them on this map in red. We are hoping partner producers can participate at every level of event planning for their area, and that by collaborating on marketing and fundraising initiatives we can achieve shared goals through mutually beneficial initiatives.

Producers expanded responsibilities / opportunities could include:

  • Sharing the revenue from the sale of exhibitor booths
  • Producing or coordinating ancillary activities and activations
  • Shared strategy building for crowd management
  • Expanded volunteer recruitment

We also intend to make available to producers a 2025 social media toolkit with brand assets and a style guide.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to participate in this RFP process, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be aged 18 years or older and legally able to agree to the terms of San Francisco Pride’s Producer Agreement.
  2. Have a proven track record of producing high-quality events.
  3. Provide a detailed proposal that outlines the vision and values of the space
  4. Meet for an in-person interview
  5. Ability to attend one or two monthly general planning meetings with SF Pride Staff

In addition to the eligibility criteria listed above, applicants must also submit the following:

  • Cover Letter: a letter addressed to the Entertainment Committee of our Board of Directors, explaining your vision for your community space; a value statement about what the space represents or is trying to accomplish.

  • Budget Outline: breakdown of expenses for talent, marketing, and production costs

  • Fundraising Plan: producers should present a simple fundraising plan that outlines their strategies for securing the necessary funds to pay for the entertainment and producer costs of their stage. This plan should include details on potential funding sources, such as corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and grant applications.

San Francisco Pride is not seeking to recover any infrastructure costs for the space: the stage itself, the audio package and sound engineer, security personnel, fencing and tenting, etc.

Producers are expected to raise 100% of the cost of entertainment (talent, djs, musicians, performers) and labor (producers, stage assistants, stage hands) for their space. SF Pride does not provide any staffing/labor for the production of your stage.

Timeline

  • Release of RFP: Jan 11, 2025
  • Deadline for questions: Jan 18th, 2025
  • Deadline for proposals: Jan 30th, 2025
  • Selection of finalists: Feb 3, 2025
  • Finalist interviews: Feb 3 - Feb 7, 2025
  • Selection of producers and activations: Feb 10, 2025

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Experience and qualifications: The applicant’s experience producing events and working with the LGBTQ+ community
  • Creativity and innovation: The applicant’s ability to create a unique and engaging experience for attendees
  • Commitment to accessibility, diversity, and inclusion: The applicant’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all attendees.
  • Alignment with Theme: The applicant’s design of their stage’s look and feel to exemplify the theme.
  • Feasibility: The applicant’s ability to execute their proposal within the given budget and timeline
  • Compliance with all San Francisco Pride policies and procedures including policies related to safety, security, and inclusivity

The Entertainment Committee of the SF Pride Board of Directors will review all proposals and select a group of finalists. Finalists will be invited to interview with the selection committee. The selection committee will then make final recommendations to San Francisco Pride’s Executive Director.

The selection committee may also consider the following factors when evaluating proposals:

  • The applicant’s experience working with other LGBTQ+ organizations
  • The applicant’s commitment to sustainability
  • The applicant’s ability to promote San Francisco Pride through their social media channels

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the RFP process. Selected producers and activations will be required to sign a contract with San Francisco Pride.

For more information about this RFP process, please contact chris@sfpride.org

This RFP process is designed to ensure that all applicants are given a fair and equal opportunity to participate.

We encourage all interested parties to submit a proposal.

Submitting a Proposal

Send an email to rfp@sfpride.org with the following information:

  1. Primary Applicant Name
  2. Primary Applicant Phone Number
  3. Primary Applicant Email Address
  4. Activation Name
  5. Brief description
  6. In one sentence, how have you participated in SF Pride previously?

Please include your cover letter and budget, and any other supporting materials. These can be attachments or included in the body of the email.

Sample Budget

budget

Sample Interview Questions

These are provided as an example only.

  1. What is your plan for addressing any potential safety or security concerns at your stage or activation?
  2. Please describe your experience producing events for the LGBTQ+ community.
  3. What is your vision for your community stage or activation at San Francisco Pride?
  4. How will you address the concerns of those who feel that San Francisco Pride has become too commercialized and has lost touch with its roots?
  5. How will you ensure that your stage or activation is respectful of the diverse cultures and identities within the LGBTQ+ community?
  6. How will you ensure that your stage or activation is welcoming and inclusive to all attendees?
  7. How will you use your social media channels to promote San Francisco Pride?
  8. What steps will you take to promote diversity and inclusion in your programming?
  9. How will you ensure that your stage or activation complies with all San Francisco Pride policies and procedures?
  10. How will you respond to criticism or negative feedback about your stage or activation?
  11. How will you incorporate sustainability practices into your stage or activation?
  12. What experience do you have working with other LGBTQ+ organizations?
  13. What steps will you take to ensure that your stage or activation is accessible to people with disabilities?
  14. What is your plan for marketing and promoting your stage or activation?
  15. How will you manage a team of 10-20 volunteers per day?