CEF seeking proposals for brand alignment work

Issued: September 15, 2026

Proposals Due: October 15, 2026

 

About the Chatham Education Foundation

The Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) is the philanthropy and advocacy arm of Chatham County Schools (CCS), a public school district serving approximately 8,500 students across 20 schools in Chatham County, North Carolina. CEF raises funds and resources to support innovation and educational excellence in CCS, with a focus on literacy, college and career readiness, and closing opportunity gaps for low-income, immigrant, and rural students.

 Chatham County is changing rapidly. Once largely rural, the county is experiencing significant population growth driven by proximity to the Research Triangle and major universities, as well as the arrival of major employers and mixed-use developments like Chatham Park. With that growth comes new wealth, new residents, and new philanthropic potential. At the same time, public schools across North Carolina are facing declining state and federal support, leaving districts like CCS increasingly dependent on community investment to fill the gap. CEF is uniquely positioned to activate this growing base of local support.

 

Project Overview

CEF has received a grant from the Oak Foundation to engage a brand consultant to strengthen and align our organizational identity in partnership with Chatham County Schools. This engagement has two primary objectives.

  1.  CEF-CCS Brand Alignment

    CEF and CCS share a mission and a strong working relationship, but our public-facing presence does not fully reflect this partnership. We maintain separate brand identities and separate messaging, which makes it difficult for donors and community members to understand how we work together and the best ways to support our local schools. We are looking for a consultant who can help us close the gap and build a unified presence that reflects the partnership we’ve worked hard to build.

  2. Chatham Reads Sub-Brand Review

    CEF and CCS currently collaborate on a literacy initiative called Chatham Reads under a separate brand identity. Chatham Reads has developed genuine community recognition, but it also fragments CEF's identity and creates confusion about who we are. The consultant will evaluate the sub-brand and deliver a clear recommendation: full integration into the CEF brand, repositioning as a subordinate program brand, or discontinuation. We are open to all three outcomes and are looking for a consultant who will advise us on the best course based on evidence and strategic judgment.

 

Scope of Work

  1. Discovery and Audit: Conduct stakeholder interviews with CEF and CCS staff, board members, and community partners. Audit current CEF and CCS communications, brand materials, and digital presence. Review peer organizations to understand the landscape.

  2. Brand Strategy and Recommendations: Develop a brand strategy for CEF that clearly positions us as the philanthropic partner of Chatham County Schools. Provide naming recommendations, including guidance on whether CEF should pursue a name change. Deliver a written recommendations report that both organizations will use as a shared roadmap.

  3. Visual Identity: Review the current CEF logo and recommend continuation or redesign. If redesign is recommended, design the updated logo, color palette, typography, and brand standards for CEF that reflect the organization's identity as the philanthropic partner of Chatham County Schools. Turn over all rights to the use of this logo to CEF. The visual identity should have a clear and intentional relationship to CCS's existing brand. If the Chatham Reads sub-brand is retained, provide visual guidance for how it sits within the CEF-CCS brand system.

  4. Chatham Reads Sub-Brand Review: Evaluate the Chatham Reads sub-brand and deliver a recommendation to integrate, reposition, or discontinue it based on donor clarity and organizational focus.

  5. Shared Messaging Framework: Develop donor-facing messaging and talking points that both CEF and CCS can use when communicating about philanthropy and community investment. This is a shared resource for both organizations, not just CEF.

  6. Website Integration: Assess how CEF and CCS websites currently reference each other and recommend improvements that make it easier for donors and families to understand the relationship between the two organizations.

  7. Joint Engagement Framework: Identify opportunities for shared events and co-branded campaigns that work better as a collaboration than either organization could execute independently.

 

Timeline

This is a 9-month project. We expect to select a consultant by November 1, 2026, and begin work by December 1, 2026, with all deliverables complete by August 31, 2027. The new CCS strategic plan will be developed during the 2026-27 school year, and we intend for this brand work to inform that process.

 

Budget

The total budget for this engagement is up to $20,000, funded by the Oak Foundation grant. This is a fixed budget. All consultant fees and directly related project expenses, including logo or website redesign, must fall within this amount. CEF and CCS staff time is contributed in-kind.

 

What We're Looking For

The ideal consultant has experience with nonprofit brand strategy, is comfortable working across two organizations with different cultures and decision-making structures, has a deep understanding of brand alignment, and can deliver a practical roadmap that both organizations can follow. Experience working with K-12 education organizations or education foundations is a significant plus.

 

Proposal Requirements

 Please submit a proposal that includes:

  • A brief description of your approach to this engagement

  • Relevant experience and work samples

  • A proposed timeline and process

  • A budget breakdown showing how you would allocate the $20,000

  • References from at least two prior clients

  • Any questions or concerns about the scope as written

 

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on fit with the scope, relevant experience, approach and process, budget and value, and references. CEF and CCS representatives will review proposals together and make a joint selection decision.

 

Submission

Submit proposals to Brittany Sandefur, Executive Director, at brittany@cefmail.org by October 15, 2026. Questions about the scope or process are welcome at the same address.