Request For Proposals
Process Facilitator: “Spotlight on Women Entrepreneurs with Disabilities in Canada” Project
About Eviance
Eviance’s mission is to be a facilitator of knowledge-to-action in the global cross-disability field and to bring people and knowledge together on local, national, and global level to incite behavioral and system level change. We enhance intersectional and reflexivity action-based solutions that advance human rights and equity-focused decision making in Canada and abroad. Our vision is to realize an inclusive, equitable and accessible society that is sustainable for ALL. Our mission is realized through the following main activities: (a) Community-based research, education and development using methods that embrace human rights, intersectionality, reflexivity, innovation, and excellence; (b) Seeking strategic partnerships and collaborations with institutions, governments, organizations, businesses, and civil society; (c) Dedication to the use of high-quality evidence in disability, and inclusive broader sector, policies, programs and practices; and, (d) Including persons with various disabilities, inclusive of mental health, in constructive and meaningful ways in all of our activities.
Canadian Centre on Disability Studies Incorporated operates as Eviance.
Project Goal
Transform the entrepreneurship ecosystem’s capacity to act on the challenges faced by underfunded and underserved women entrepreneurs with disabilities by developing actionable strategies and partnerships for shared data collection and use, enabling better decision-making and support to improve the economic security and prosperity of women with disabilities.
The successful proponent will be a key partner to Eviance in bridging to the entrepreneurial subject matter experts and networks in meeting the objectives of this project.
Project Description
Through this approximately 30-month* systemic change project, Eviance will help advance equality of women with disabilities. Specifically, the project will address a systemic gap related to information about women with disabilities within the entrepreneurship ecosystem that is a barrier to supporting women entrepreneurs with disabilities to achieve economic security and prosperity. This will be achieved by: convening a working group of women entrepreneurs with disabilities, and strategic community members to provide continuous feedback to project activities; scanning the entrepreneurship ecosystem for key actors and existing tools; conducting focus groups and interviews to identify and better understand the issues; developing a strategy to address the information needs and gaps; piloting a tool for information gathering and reporting; sharing the strategy within the entrepreneurship ecosystem; and securing commitments from key actors to implement the strategy and plan for sustainability. An external evaluation will be conducted to measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project.
The Project Process Facilitator will work with Eviance in key activities and strategy development processes for a total of 212.5 days over the three years of the Project. This will include approximately 85 days in Year 1; 85 days in Year 2; and, 42.5 days in Year 3.
The Process Facilitator will have expertise in the entrepreneurship sector and provide insight into intersectional gaps and barriers in the sector during the design of the project. In addition, it will be essential for the successful applicant to have existing relationships with the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem actors including but not limited to investors, funders, asset managers, entrepreneurs and community leaders to improve access to capital for underfunded founders, leaders and communities across Canada. The applicant’s strength, and knowledge in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, will complement and enhance Eviance’s subject matter expertise in cross-disability and women’s issues.
Proposals must include examples of how the Applicant’s work has been informed by:
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GBA Plus/Intersectional approach;
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Trauma-informed approach;
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Culturally safe and sensitive approach; and,
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Ethics approach to protect participants privacy and confidentiality.
Project Activities
Engage a diversity of entrepreneurship ecosystem actors that are reflective of the range of entrepreneurship experiences of women with disabilities, as well as those who serve and/or represent diverse communities.
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Co-create with Eviance a Project logic model.
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Recruit and secure entrepreneurial ecosystem actors to be Project Working Group Members throughout the Project (Year 1 to Year 3).
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Serve as co-convenor with Eviance of the Working Group.
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Co-conducting an Environmental Ecosystem Scan in Year One, including:
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An environmental scan to identify ecosystem actors.
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Identify existing tools used to gather information in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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Prepare a Summative Ecosystem Report, and associated knowledge mobilization products on website and social media.
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Co-design and deliver activities to understand a range of entrepreneurship experiences by engaging diverse women entrepreneurs with disabilities (Year One and Year Two). This will include, but is not limited to:
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Complete individual interviews with service providers, funders, academics and community experts.
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Complete four focus groups with women entrepreneurs with disabilities in both official languages.
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Prepare a Summative Consultation Report, and associated knowledge mobilization products on website and social media.
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Co-development of a Strategy addressing the information needs and gaps from the Ecosystem and Consultation Reports (Year Two and Year Three).
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Work with Eviance to pilot an information gathering and reporting tool within the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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Work with Eviance to secure partners to implement and sustain the Strategy.
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Co-develop a Final Strategy Report, and associated knowledge mobilization products on website and social media.
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Co-create and co-present with Eviance two webinars and two vestural workshops on the Strategy (Year Two and Year Three).
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Active participation in the external evaluation through the course of the project (Year One to Year Three).
Key Dates and Proposal Requirements
Request For Proposal Issuance: June 30, 2025
Proposal Deadline: Monday July 14, 2025, 4pm EDT
Proposal Length: May not exceed five (5) pages in total, including biographies and fee schedule.
Please submit completed proposal via email.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
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60%: Experience and access to networks in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Canada
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20%: Experience and access to networks within equity deserving communities in Canada
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10%: Fees**
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10%: Experience in the not for profit or cross-disability sector will be considered
**Fee Schedule must include applicable taxes in all totals and any additional expenses must be clearly itemized, including applicable taxes.
Proponent Eligibility Restrictions
This Request For Proposal is open only to registered Canadian businesses operating full time in Canada. All work completed in this project must occur in Canada.
Project Duration
Anticipated to start August 2025-required to end November 2027.