Financial Empowerment Center Operations Provider

City of Nashua
Purchasing Department
(603) 589-3330
Administrative Services Division
Fax (603) 594-3233
229 Main Street - Nashua, NH 03060
Request for Proposals: RFP0359-043026 Financial Empowerment Center Operations Provider
I. Overview
The City of Nashua's Economic Development (the "City") is seeking a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization to serve as the financial counseling provider for the City's new Financial Empowerment
Center ("FEC"). This Request for Proposals ("RFP") is targeted toward organizations that can effectively
implement high-volume, quality, one-on-one financial counseling services to individuals and families.
The selected financial counseling provider will implement programming and services in partnership with
the City.
II. Background
In 2023, the City of Nashua applied for a planning grant to outline the City's strategy to help build wealth
and improve finances for Nashua residents, specifically focusing on racial wealth equity. The creation of
a Financial Empowerment Center primarily located in the Nashua Public Library and the Nashua Senior
Center actually works toward several of the goals in the City's Economic Mobility Strategic Plan. The
City of Nashua's Financial Empowerment Center will be the first FEC launched in the State of New
Hampshire.
Supported by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund ("CFE Fund"), the Financial Empowerment
Center model has operated for over thirteen years across more than thirty municipalities in the United
States. In total, current FECs have worked with over 150,000 clients, helping them reduce debt by more
than $226 million and increase savings by $46 million. Professionally trained FEC counselors help
residents manage their finances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit, and access
safe and affordable mainstream banking products. Core to the FEC model is integrating financial
counseling into other social services, including homeownership services, workforce development,
emergency assistance programs, benefits access, and more.
The success of FECs is backed by over ten years of continuous expansion of the model, as well as the CFE
Fund's three-year evaluation released in 2017, An Evaluation of Financial Empowerment Centers:
Building People's Financial Stability as a Public Service, which closely examined the initiative's initial
replication in 5 cities. Key elements of the FEC model and operations include:
Model:
* Provide professional, one-on-one financial counseling as a free public service.
* Systematically track data and outcomes for client management and evaluation.
* Connect to a range of local government and nonprofit service delivery systems.
* Prioritize sustainability efforts to become a permanent service in the locality.
The FEC model is a partnership between local government and the selected operational organization,
with critical and distinct roles for each partner. The City of Nashua is responsible of overseeing the
program and the partner organization is responsible for day to day operations. For a detailed overview
of the model, please see Exhibit B.

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III. RFP Overview and Scope of Services
The City is seeking a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to serve as the Financial Empowerment
Center's financial counseling provider, following the key elements of the model and the framework
provided by the City of Nashua and the Center for Financial Empowerment. The City and the selected
nonprofit will work in partnership to develop the FEC's programming, policies, and implementation plan.
While the FEC may initially be housed in drop-in or temporary locations, the permanent home of the FEC
will be the Nashua Public Library and the Nashua Senior Center.
The Financial Counseling Provider (proposer) will:
Manage day-to-day operations of the FEC
Recruit, hire and supervise the FEC Program Manager. This is a full-time position for one
person.
Recruit, hire and supervise the FEC counselors. The financial counseling provider must staff
the equivalent of two full-time counselors. Preference is given to applicants who propose two
full-time counselors
Collect data using the FEC database, which is provided to the nonprofit at no cost, and
regularly fulfill reporting requirements as determined by the City and the Cities for Financial
Empowerment
Support continuing education and training for the financial counselors
Ensure program managers and counselors are trained based on the CFE Fund's training
standards (program managers and counselors must pass a CFE Fund-administered final exam)
Lead public marketing efforts for the FEC, including participating in outreach events and
presentations
Adhere to reporting requirements determined by the City on FEC services and operations;
Coordinate with City personnel to develop and maintain partnerships among the FEC and
outside organizations to better serve clients and drive traffic to the FEC
Communicate routinely with the City's local government manager about FEC operations,
specifically, any challenges encountered that would impact the organization's ability to meet the
goals of the FEC
Support fundraising efforts to sustain the FEC program
The City will:

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* Coordinate with the CFE to manage overall operations of FEC, including program oversight,
design, and implementation (Note: The nonprofit provider is responsible for the day-to-day
operations and staffing of the FEC)
* Conduct evaluation and formal reviews of the nonprofit provider in relation to services
provided at FEC
* Fundraise to ensure FEC program sustainability
* Coordinate with nonprofit provider to develop and maintain partnerships with social service
organizations and businesses
* Coordinate with nonprofit provider for marketing and outreach for the FEC
* Host the Nashua FEC website
This RFP is targeted toward organizations that can effectively implement high-volume, quality, one-on-
one financial counseling services to individuals and families.
Required Qualifications for Nonprofit Financial Counseling Provider
Qualified as exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
Preference for organizations with a minimum of 3 years of delivering financial education,
financial counseling, financial coaching, or similar or related services.
Track record of achieving financial stability outcomes or impacts.
Experience working in one or more low-income communities.
Established relationships with organizations in the local community to receive and provide
referrals to related supportive services to clients. If the applicant has not performed work in
Nashua, the applicant demonstrates significant experience in establishing relationships in other
local communities served.
Demonstrated experience conducting effective client outreach. Preference will be given to
applicants with specific experience using multiple marketing and outreach tools to build a high-
volume client base and leveraging partnerships with community leaders and activities to drive
traffic.
Experience with data tracking and reporting to government agencies and/or private funders.
Ability to track, manage, and report on critical data points for each client based on systems
developed with the City of Nashua.
Preferred Qualifications for Nonprofit Financial Counseling Provider
An established track record of providing one-on-one financial counseling and/or coaching to
adults is strongly preferred. Please note applicants with limited experience delivering one-on-

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one financial counseling should demonstrate trusted, long-standing ties to the community they
propose to serve and a detailed plan for developing the necessary technical capacity.
Established community relationships and partnerships in the proposed community or target
population.
Capacity and flexibility to meet a continuum of financial needs of low-income, multilingual
individuals/families in a variety of stages of financial need and crisis.
Knowledge and/or assessment of the financial service and counseling needs of the proposed
community and/or target population and solutions or alternative services most appropriate to
specific client needs.
Ability to offer bilingual financial counseling services
IV. Program Timeline
The nonprofit provider will follow the timeline below for FEC operations:
Build Phase (4 - 6 months):
o All efforts to prepare for the opening of the FEC (Hiring and training staff, finalizing
partnership agreements, preparing marketing and operations, etc.). Time period is estimated
and may vary based on local procurement processes or other factors.
o Begin offering services at the FEC
Implementation Phase (18 months, with option of contract renewal):
o Continue offering services at the FEC
V. Program Oversight
The City will provide oversight for the financial counseling provider based on the services outlined in
this Request for Proposal and in the contract. The City will conduct weekly regular follow up during
the first 6 months of operations and monthly formal reviews thereafter. If the City determines in its sole
discretion that the financial counseling provider has performed unsatisfactorily, the City may terminate
the Agreement at any time with 30 days' notice.
VI. Program Funding
While the City is responsible for funding the Financial Empowerment Center, the expectation of the City
is that the chosen provider will partner with the City to fundraise the required amount for operations.
Based on the sample budget provided in Exhibit C, we anticipate that this we require roughly $500,000
for two years of operations. The City will receive a committed $150,000 ($100,000 immediately and
$50,000 saved for the second year) from the Cities for Financial Empowerment to start the program, but
the rest of the funding that has been committed is subject to Aldermanic approval.
At the end of this contract, if the City determines, in its sole discretion, that the financial counseling
provider has performed satisfactorily; they may continue providing services at the FEC. If the City

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determines, in its sole discretion, that the financial counseling provider has performed unsatisfactorily,
the City reserves the right to discontinue their services at the FEC.
VII. Request for Proposal Timeline and Submission Methods
The City is now accepting submittals electronically via Bonfire. A Digital ID is not required to
submit via Bonfire. Please review the electronic documents linked here, Bonfire Vendor
Guide and Vendor Set-up Guide for more information. Copies are also available on the
City's website in the Purchasing section within the Bids section.
If an organization chooses to submit their proposal outside of Bonfire, the following is an alternate
option:
Submit one (1) original and two (2) bound photocopies in a sealed envelope(s) or
package(s) clearly marked "RFP0359-043026Financial Empowerment Center Partnership". A pdf version
of all printed
material as well as any supplemental digital material shall be submitted in the form of a
thumb drive. The proposals and the names of the proposers who submit will be posted on
the city website, under Bid Results, within thirty-six (36) hours of bid closing.
Proposals must be submitted, as outlined in the preceding paragraph, no later than
3:00 PM on Thursday, April 30, 2026, c/o Purchasing Office, Room 11, City Hall, 229 Main
Street, Nashua NH, 03060. Proposals must be submitted in a format no less than 8.5x11 and
no more than 11x17 with digital copies of all printed material. Supporting digital media is
allowable but all submissions must address the items specified in the submission
requirements section of this proposal via printed material. Postmarks or other timestamps
will not be accepted in lieu of actual delivery. The firm can use whatever delivery
mechanism it chooses as long as it remains clear that the firm is responsible for
submissions prior to the date and time. The City has the right to waive any informalities in
the submittal procedure. The City of Nashua may reject any or all of the proposals on any
basis and without disclosure of a reason. The failure to make such a disclosure shall not result in accrual
of any right, claim or cause of action by any unsuccessful proposer against the City. The City reserves the
right to negotiate any change or amendment in any proposal without soliciting further requests for
proposals if the action is necessary for the best interest of the City.
Complete specifications and related documentation is available on our website, content related to the
RFP may be updated to provide new information as it becomes available or in response to questions
submitted in writing. www.nashuanh.gov, under Services, Bid Opportunities, document RFP0359-
043026.
Timeline for development is as follows:
Date Item
March 19, 2026 RFP Opens
March 26, 2026 at 1:00 pm Informational Zoom for RFP - Optional
April 3, 2026 at 10:00 am All applicant questions due to the City
April 8, 2026 at 3:00 pm City submits answers
April 30, 2026 RFP Submission Due by 3 PM EST

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May 2026 Selected Nonprofit Provider Notified of Selection
First week of July 2026 Contract Begins; Hiring & Training of FEC Staff
Last week of October 2026 FEC Services Begin; FEC Soft Launch
December 2026 FEC Full Launch at Nashua Public Library or Senior Center
An optional pre-proposal meeting to discuss the project is scheduled to begin promptly on Thursday,
March 26, 2026 at 1:00 pm at City Hall, Auditorium, 3rd Floor, 229 Main Street, Nashua, NH 03060. The
pre-proposal meeting can be attended by Zoom if preferred:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6035893330?pwd=YjZ5ZUtSMURySmdBRms1bXBLQ1NUdz09&omn=847561
41705
Meeting ID: 603 589 3330
Passcode: 5893333
One tap mobile
+13092053325,,6035893330#,,,,*5893333# US
Attendance to this meeting is recommended for all wishing to submit a proposal for this project,
however, those who do not attend may submit questions in writing per the dates specified in this RFP.
The meeting is an opportunity for the City of Nashua to provide an overview of the project objectives.
The proposers are encouraged to attend and participate in the meeting.
Proposers are encouraged to submit questions via email; however, the City assumes no liability for
assuring accurate and complete email transmission/receipt and is not responsible to acknowledge
receipt. Inquires must be submitted in writing, citing the RFP title/number, page, section, and must be
received no later than Friday, April 3, 2026 at 10:00 am to:
City of Nashua
229 Main Street, Room 11
Nashua, NH 03060
purchasing@nashuanh.gov
The City will consider all timely-received questions and requests for change and, if reasonable and
appropriate, will issue an addendum to clarify or modify this RFP. Answers to proposers submitted
questions and other addenda will be posted on the City of Nashua website www.nashuanh.gov, under
Services: Bid Opportunities; Current Bids; (Refer to Document RFP0359-043026) and on Bonfire no later
than Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 3:00 pm.
All proposals are binding for ninety (90) days following the deadline for proposals, or until the effective
date of any binding resulting contract, whichever is later.

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The City is exempt of all taxes. All proposals must be FOB Nashua, NH. All proposals must comply with all
applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws.
Pursuant to NRO 5-78(F), the Purchasing Manager shall not solicit a proposal from a contractor who is in
default on the payment of taxes, licenses or other monies due to the City. Therefore, this proposal is
void as to anyone who is in default on said payments.
VIII. Proposal Evaluation
The nonprofit organization making a proposal shall submit a completed proposal, with the requirement
per Exhibit A.
Proposals must meet the required expectations as provided in Section III of this RFP to be considered.
Exceptions to any requirements in this RFP must be clearly noted. Information submitted will be scored
on a 100-point matrix system as outlined in Table 2. The City may choose to conduct in-person
interviews with applicants to make a final selection. The City reserves the right to accept any proposal it
considers will best execute the responsibilities for the Financial Empowerment Center. The selected
organization(s) will be notified of accepted status and asked to proceed with formalizing the contract as
outlined by the City. Organizations not selected may request a debrief session with City staff to review
and provide feedback on their application.
Table 2: Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Criteria Weight
Proposed Approach 25 Points
Organizational Capability 20 Points
Experience in Financial Empowerment Work (Including 20 Points
Counseling and/or Coaching)
Experience in Community Involvement/Engagement 15 Points
Financial Capacity 15 Points
Unique Features of Applicant Organization 5 Points
Evaluation Criteria Descriptions
Proposed Approach: The Applicant presents a clear, practical, and detailed plan to operate the day-to-
day functions of the Financial Empowerment Center and implement effective financial counseling for
Nashua residents. The proposal must demonstrate alignment with the City's goals to improve the
financial well-being of Nashua residents.
Organizational Capability: The Applicant demonstrates how financial counseling integrates into its
mission and existing operations, demonstrating its capacity to manage administrative and programmatic
duties effectively and successfully oversee the daily operations of the Financial Empowerment Center.
Experience in Financial Empowerment Work (Counseling and/or Coaching): The Applicant
demonstrates extensive expertise in supporting low-income residents with personal finance
management, connecting to social services, or fostering financial well-being through related fields.
Experience in Community Engagement: The Applicant highlights significant experience collaborating
with low-income communities, cultivating relationships with individuals, groups, and organizations. If

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the organization lacks direct experience in Nashua, the proposal must clearly articulate how previous
successes in other communities will translate to meaningful engagement with Nashua residents.
Financial Capacity: The Applicant proves financial stability and exhibits the ability to efficiently manage
funds necessary for operating the Financial Empowerment Center's day-to-day operations.
Unique Organizational Attributes: The Applicant emphasizes distinct qualities and capabilities that can
add value to the Financial Empowerment Center's mission of boosting the financial well-being of low-
income residents, such as offering bilingual services or other innovative approaches.

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Exhibit A
Financial Empowerment Center Financial Counseling Provider
Application Length: Please keep the responses to the questions below (not including attachments) to 15
pages or less. The City will not read the application submission beyond page 15 (not including
attachments).
Required Proposal Information:
* Organizational Capability
o Provide a description of the Applicant organization, including its mission.
o Explain how the Applicant has the organizational capability (financial and operational) to
perform the administrative and programmatic responsibilities related to the delivery of
the proposed services and the increased level of supervision and management activity
required to ensure that benchmarks and core service outcomes set forth in this RFP are
achieved.
o Highlight any experience with data tracking and reporting to government agencies
and/or private funders.
o Submit a copy of the Applicant's most recent IRS letter indicating the Applicant's tax-
exempt status.
o Submit Applicant's most recent annual report, if available.
o Attach a chart showing where, or an explanation of how, the proposed services will fit
into the Applicant's organization.
* Proposed Approach including:
o Delivery of Service: Provide a detailed plan on how the organization will meet the City
of Nashua's Financial Empowerment Center framework and the scope of services. Be as
detailed as possible and specifically address the following:
Explain the Applicant's approach to financial counseling with a particular
emphasis on describing the client experience. This may include a detailed
description of a typical counseling session, relevant materials used during
sessions, and any additional information that will fully explain the Applicant's
plans for achieving client outcomes.
Affirm that the Applicant will collect, manage, and track data using the CFE
Fund's national FEC data system.
Indicate the key tasks and key milestones associated with start-up and
implementation.
Propose days and hours of operation for the Financial Empowerment Center.
Identify the possible approaches to forge programmatic partnerships with City
agencies and community organizations. In addition, please detail initial thoughts
on ways to monitor and assess the viability of these partnerships.
o Staffing: Describe the Applicant's staffing recruitment plan for an FEC Program Manager
and two financial counselors. If the Applicant has a staff member in mind for the FEC
Program Manager Position, please attach their resume. If not, please briefly describe an
ideal candidate for the FEC Program Manager position.
o Marketing and Outreach: Detail existing organizational communications opportunities
to promote the FEC and any other outreach opportunities. Preference will be given to
Applicants with specific experience using multiple marketing and outreach tools to build

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a high-volume client base and leveraging partnerships with community leaders and
activities to drive traffic.
* Community Involvement and Financial Empowerment Experience
o Describe relevant experience with delivering financial counseling or coaching to adults
with demonstrable outcomes (if the organization does not have experience in financial
counseling or coaching, it must provide a staff training plan and timeline to ensure
adequate capacity).
o Describe relevant experience working in one or more low-income communities.
Applicants that showcase established community relationships and partnerships are
highly desirable.
o Describe relevant experience conducting effective client outreach. Preference will be
given to applicants with specific experience using multiple marketing and outreach tools
to build a high-volume client base and leveraging partnerships with community leaders
and activities to drive traffic.
o If Applicant has not performed work in Nashua, please describe what communities
Applicant has worked in, the Applicant's understanding of how to expand into new
communities, and the Applicant's understanding of how to inclusively navigate the
unique needs of local communities.
* Financial Capacity
o List all local, state, and federal government contracts held by the Applicant at any time
during the past three years, including the Applicant's project name, contract name and
number, contract purpose, total contract amount (cumulative over five years),
government contracting agency, and agency contact person.
o Provide the most recent IRS Form 990.
o Provide Applicant organization budget for the current fiscal year.