09 Feb Press Release: Friends of Southwest Virginia Issues Request for Proposals for Organizational Business Planning and Strategic Development Initiative

ABINGDON, Va. (Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026) – Friends of Southwest Virginia has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified professional firms or consultants to support a federally funded business planning and strategic development initiative designed to strengthen the organization’s regional leadership role in destination marketing, creative economy development, and organizational capacity building across Southwest Virginia.

The selected consultant will work closely with Friends staff, board, regional partners, and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive, implementation-ready Business Plan and Strategic Framework. The work will support Friends’ role as the recognized regional destination organization for Southwest Virginia and will help guide future investment, operations, and regional coordination.

“For more than 15 years, Friends of Southwest Virginia has built a strong foundation as a trusted regional partner, convener, and destination organization,” said Kim Davis, Executive Director of Friends of Southwest Virginia. “This initiative represents the next strategic step in our work. It will help us formalize systems, strengthen organizational capacity, and position Friends for long-term sustainability. Through this effort, we aim to clearly define our role as a regional destination organization, strengthen partner services, advance creative economy and tourism development, and establish clear performance measures that demonstrate impact for our communities, partners, and funders.”

The scope of work includes organizational and staffing strategy; destination marketing organization growth planning; operations and business planning for the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace; retail and artisan gallery strategy; creative economy and regional development alignment; partner support models; marketing and communications strategy; and long-term financial sustainability planning. The consultant will also support the development of performance measurement frameworks and documentation required for federal compliance and reporting.

This competitive procurement is funded in part with federal funds and will be conducted in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards). Firms with experience in federally funded projects, regional planning, destination marketing, and organizational strategy are encouraged to apply.

Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format no later than Monday, March 2, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Questions related to the RFP must be submitted in writing by Friday, February 13, 2026. Responses to all questions will be issued via written addendum.

The full Request for Proposals is available at www.friendsofswva.org/opportunities