Libraries Connected is seeking an organisation to develop a new strategic plan for the period from 2023 to 2027 which will form the basis of our bid to Arts Council England (ACE) for funding as part of their National Portfolio.

Libraries Connected’s current strategic plan covers the period from 2018 to 2022. It drove our transition from the member-led Society of Chief Librarians to a professional charity. It was also the core of our successful bid to join the ACE National Portfolio as the sector support organisation for public libraries in England.

The plan has been extended for a further year, 2022 to 2023, in line with the extension of the ACE NPO funding round. We need a new four-year plan for the period 2023 to 2027 because:

• Our organisational capacities have developed markedly since 2018
• The context for our work has continued to evolve, accelerated by the pandemic and the additional development needs of library services
• We need to bid to ACE for renewal of our status as an NPO for the next four year cycle (2023 to 2027).

The work of our partners has also evolved and we need to refresh our relationships. This project will develop a costed strategic plan for 2023-27 based on the needs and opportunities of the sector in line with our vision of an inclusive, modern, sustainable, and high-quality public library service at the heart of every community in the UK. 

In addition to the strategic plan, the successful contractor will also support the Libraries Connected Board to develop a funding bid to ACE to be part of their National Portfolio from 2023 to 2027. Plan and funding bid will need to be submitted by 26 April 2022.

The new strategic plan should:

• Build on the strengths of our work since 2018, and address gaps in our activities
• Provide a framework for our activity across the four years, identifying where we can make most effective use of our resources to make a measurable difference
• Help clarify our relationships with key partners and how we can best work together in the interests if the library sector
• Form the basis of our funding bid to ACE, to be a Sector Support Organisation for English public libraries
• Address the needs of the library sector across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies.

A maximum of £25,000 is available for this project inclusive of VAT and all Contractors’ expenses. 

The closing date for proposals is 9am on 29 November 2021.  More detailed information on what your proposal should include is found in the full tender specification and in the Word document below.