CULTURAL STRATEGISTS-IN-GOVERNMENT

A Request for Qualifications for professional services contracts valued up to $48,000 each 

Please note: This is an extended call for applications through Mon., Feb. 28, 5PM. If you previously submitted an application to one of the City entities listed below at the last deadline, you may revise your existing application up to the new deadline.

The Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, in partnership with the City of Oakland's Cultural Affairs Division and the New Venture Fund, seeks Oakland-based Cultural Strategists-in-Government to advance transformational change in City government through a cultural equity lens to build a fair and just city for all Oaklanders.

BACKGROUND

The City of Oakland’s cultural plan Belonging in Oakland, developed by the Cultural Affairs Division, provides a foundation for supporting and lifting up the role of culture in building a just city and puts the provision of equitable resources and services for Oaklanders at the heart of the work of City government. The plan’s tagline “Equity is the Driving Force, Culture is the Frame, and Belonging is the Goal” captures how the plan centers the importance of culture to the life and well-being of the city.

In 2019-20, the Cultural Strategists-in-Government (CSIGs) program pilot embedded artists and cultural practitioners in five departments in City government to foster equity by bringing diverse cultural lenses to policymaking and civic practices. The current program was developed from that pilot. 

What is a Cultural Strategist?
Cultural strategists will play roles different from typical artists-in-residence. There is no expectation that CSIGs will create an artistic product (though they could) nor are they necessarily artists at all. CSIGs can be artists, but they could also be people who consider themselves cultural workers, creative entrepreneurs, traditional culture bearers, community historians, or others who are knowledgeable of culturally-specific practices, history, or heritage relevant to communities in Oakland. CSIGs should be civic-minded, that is, interested in serving the community and believe that City government can and should work effectively for all Oaklanders.

Cultural strategists with deep knoweldge of the history, art-making, and/or cultural practices of any number of Oakland’s diverse communities can bring fresh perspectives and skill sets to bear on the city’s challenges. They can be nimble improvisors and creative "ideators" in problem solving, bring an artist's critical eye to long-held assumptions, or offer alternative forms of wisdom when well-worn approaches aren’t reaching those most in need. The CISG program seeks to discover new ways of fulfilling the City’s aspirations by engaging strategists from communities most impacted by inequities to work as thought partners and policy co-designers with City staff. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The CSIG program will embed Oakland-based cultural strategists in City departments and offices to work collaboratively with staff, project partners, and/or community stakeholders to address civic issues in creative ways and with perspectives generally under-represented in City policymaking. There are six City entities that are seeking to work with a Cultural Strategist-in-Government, each with its own particular project, most for the period of about a year. They are:
  • AssistHub Project, Office of the Mayor
  • Community Homeless Services, Human Services Department
  • Department of Violence Preventation
  • Environmental Services Division, Oakland Public Works Department
  • Office of the President of City Council
  • Public Art Program-Cultural Affairs Division, Economic & Workforce Development Department
[Note: if you previously submitted an application to one of the above City entities at the last deadline, you may revise your existing application up to the new deadline of Mon., Feb. 28, 5 PM]
To apply to be a CSIG, read the project case statement of the City entity you wish to work with (see the Case Statements PDF at the end of these guidelines), which includes: a mission statement, a brief description of the project for which a CSIG is sought, a description of an issue or opportunity at the core of the project, a list of desired skills & qualifications of the CSIG, and an estimated timeframe for the project. Some of the case statements contain hyperlinks to more background information on the project or department/office. Applicants are encouraged to review all case statements to assess which might be the best fit for their skills and knowledge.
Some projects may be internally focused, for example, on program planning, staff development, or interdepartmental working groups. Others may be externally focused, for example, on engaging community more meaningfully in civic processes, designing tools to reach under-served communities more effectively, or providing program enhancements. All projects have the potential of making a real difference for Oakland by reframing issues, reimagining solutions, and strengthening the City's ability to be more responsive to its residents.
Applicants may choose only one project to which to submit their qualifications.

SEE DEPARTMENT/OFFICE CASE STATEMENTS IN DOCUMENT ATTACHED BELOW

Program Requirements
In addition to fulfilling a mutually-agreed-upon scope of work with their City partner, CSIGs will be required to attend periodic program-related meetings that will include peer learning with other participating CSIGs and sometimes City partners; check-ins with the program consultant on program needs, questions, and project progress; and an exit interview. The program may also invite CSIGs to make a brief public presentation on their project to share progress and learning with the community and City stakeholders.

Budget
If awarded, CSIGs will have a professional services contract of up to $40,000 for fees to work with their chosen partner. CSIGs will generally be expected to dedicate up to approximately 400 hours on their project (depending on the project's timeframe and scope) and will have a budget of up to $8,000 for materials, supplies, equipment, administrative expenses, etc.

Some potential added benefits to CSIGs participating in the program are:
  • Gaining new knowledge and skills related to civic processes
  • Building relationships in the City and with other CSIGs
  • Amplifying the impact of their creative work, and
  • Effecting policy changes for under-served/under-resourced communities.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants to the Cultural Strategists-in-Government program must be residents of Oakland. People from communities generally under-represented in the City's policymaking staff are encouraged to apply.

A Cultural Strategists-in-Government award will be a professional services contract. If an applicant is contracted, they will:
  • be an independent contractor of the New Venture Fund (a 501(c)(3) organization), not the City of Oakland nor the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation;
  • be required to provide proof of commercial liability insurance at a level commensurate with their scope of work;
  • be required to be compensated through electronic bank transfer; and
  • be required to conform with the same public health mandates as City of Oakland employees. Click here for more information.

QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to qualifications noted in the relevant case statement, generally, ideal candidates will:
  • Value advancing racial and cultural equity in Oakland
  • Be grounded in Oakland communities and histories
  • Have experience in working collaboratively and engaging diverse stakeholders in expressive practices
  • Have skill sets, knowledge of, or experience in the issue area outlined in the case statement of their choosing and/or have relevant public sector work experience
  • Be flexible, adaptive, and sensitive to emergent learning and possibilities.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Cultural Strategists will be selected based on:
  • The degree to which they fulfill the desired skills and qualifications outlined in the case statement of the City entity to which they have applied 
  • The creativity and depth demonstrated in their project ideas and prior experiences
  • Their level of civic-mindedness and commitment to strengthening belonging and equity in Oakland

SELECTION PROCESS

Once submitted, the applications will be reviewed for eligibility and fit by program staff; applications will be scored and ranked by relevant City and program representatives. Finalists will be invited to interview with a combination of relevant City and program staff. References will be consulted as needed.

Professional service contracts will be awarded based on the review of materials, interviews, and reference checks - barring unforeseen changes in department/office circumstances.

TIMELINE

RFQ extension announced: Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Deadline to submit applications:  Monday, February 28, 2022, 5pm
*Late applications will not be accepted.*
Finalist interviews: Latter half of March
Award notification: Early April 2022

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENT

All applicants must submit their qualifications through our online portal and identify only one department/office with which to collaborate.

You will be asked to provide the following information in the online application:

Narrative Questions 
  1. Why do you want to be a Cultural Strategist in Oakland City government? What do you wish to contribute? What do you wish to learn? (up to 300 words)
  2. Describe the relevant cultural, artistic, and/or other forms of knowledge and skills you bring to the project you have chosen. Please address the desired qualifications named in the case statement you chose. (up to 500 words)
  3. Which Oakland communities are you a part of and have you worked most deeply in? Describe your relevant experience in engaging with diverse kinds of people and communities. (up to 500 words)
  4. Provide some ideas you would want to pursue related to the project described in the case statement you chose. (up to 500 words)
  5. Describe any additional characteristics that make you a good fit for the project that you have not already addressed in your application. (up to 200 words)
Required Attachments
  • Work Samples: Samples of work that best demonstrate your qualifications for addressing the proposed project. One sample is sufficient, but if you work in multiple formats, submit enough to help us best assess your qualifications. You may submit a total of FOUR work samples in a variety of formats. No more than three videos may be submitted. No more than three audio samples may be submitted. Up to ten digital images maybe submitted in total, and will count as one work sample if other formats are submitted. Up to ten pages of a written sample (for example, poetry, prose, or an excerpt of a report, manual, curriculum sample. etc.) will count as ONE work sample, and no more than three written samples may be submitted. (See detailed instructions on uploading samples in the online platform.)
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae: Not to exceed three pages
  • References: Provide a list of up to three references for whom you have performed similar or relevant work - include: client name, position, organization, email, phone number, and a brief description of work done and your working relationship (e.g., as a consultant, employee, collaborator, etc.). 


Starting Your Application

After reviewing the guidelines, you may begin your application by clicking the START button at the top right. The application is formatted in web-based forms. As you input your work it will be auto-saved by Screendoor. 
We suggest you become acquainted with the Screendoor platform at least a week before submitting your application in order to become familiar with the technical requirements for formatting and uploading information.

You will be asked to:
  • Provide a Registry Profile, which includes contact and demographic information 
  • Answer the narrative questions  (We suggest that applicants craft their responses in a Word document, then cut & paste their final responses into the online application platform when they are ready.)
  • Upload your work samples (see detailed instructions online), resume/curriculum vitae (up to three pages); and up to three references.
If you have general questions about the program, please contact Raquel Iglesias at riglesias@oaklandca.gov or call (510) 238-2212. For specific questions about eligibility or City project case statements, contact Vanessa Whang at csigprogram@gmail.com. For any technical questions about the online application form, click on the Contact Support button at right, or email support@dobt.co.
Files
PDFCSIG_Program_Case_Statements_-_2022_ext.pdf198 KB
Submissions closed
Submissions were due on .
Contact email
riglesias@oaklandca.gov
Deadline
In your local timezone
Share this
Admin Login
Status
Privacy
Powered by CityBase Screendoor