Overview
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), on behalf of the Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing (MASH), seeks proposals from experienced Maryland-based lobbying and government affairs firms to support the Alliance’s state legislative priorities during the 2027 Maryland General Assembly session and related advocacy efforts throughout the year.
MASH is seeking a partner with strong relationships in Maryland state government and demonstrated success advancing housing, homelessness, behavioral health, human services, and related public policy priorities. Firms that are also able to support coalition management, stakeholder engagement, and grassroots advocacy efforts are encouraged to respond.
Background
CSH is the national leader in supportive housing. For more than 30 years, we have advanced affordable housing paired with essential services, including substance use, mental health, and eviction mitigation, to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness achieve housing stability. Active in over 300 communities, CSH has supported the creation of more than 385,000 homes and generated billions in economic activity.
As a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), CSH has invested over $1.2 billion in affordable and supportive housing and critical community infrastructure over the past decade. We work closely with policymakers, advocates, providers, and community leaders to advance evidence-based, cost-effective, and non-partisan policy solutions that improve housing outcomes.
CSH recently launched the Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing (MASH), a statewide coalition dedicated to advancing policies and investments that expand and strengthen supportive housing opportunities across Maryland. The selected firm will support MASH’s
legislative and advocacy efforts and help advance the Alliance’s policy priorities before the Maryland General Assembly and relevant state agencies.
Scope of Work
The selected firm will work in close partnership with CSH staff and MASH members to advance the Alliance’s policy and legislative agenda.
Legislative Lobbying and Advocacy
- Conduct direct lobbying and advocacy with members of the Maryland General Assembly, legislative leadership, committee chairs, relevant legislative committees, and executive branch agencies.
- Develop and implement legislative strategies to advance MASH priorities during and outside of session.
- Identify legislative champions and opportunities to advance supportive housing priorities.
- Facilitate meetings between MASH representatives and key policymakers, legislative staff, and agency officials.
- Track relevant legislation, budget proposals, amendments, and regulatory developments affecting supportive housing, homelessness, affordable housing, behavioral health, and related issues.
Legislative Intelligence and Monitoring
- Provide timely and actionable intelligence regarding legislative developments, stakeholder positions, committee activity, and political dynamics.
- Monitor hearings, workgroups, budget discussions, and regulatory processes relevant to MASH priorities.
- Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and coalition considerations throughout the legislative process.
- Advise CSH and MASH leadership regarding legislative strategy and engagement opportunities.
Coalition Building and Stakeholder Engagement
- Support coordination among MASH member organizations and partners.
- Facilitate coalition meetings, strategy discussions, and legislative planning efforts.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen and expand coalition membership and strategic partnerships.
- Support stakeholder outreach to providers, advocates, housing developers, service providers, healthcare systems, business leaders, local governments, and other interested constituencies.
- Assist in developing unified advocacy strategies and messaging among coalition members.
- Provide strategic advice regarding coalition engagement and relationship management.
Grassroots Advocacy and Mobilization
- Develop and support implementation of grassroots advocacy strategies in support of MASH legislative priorities.
- Coordinate advocacy activities engaging coalition members, providers, tenants, community members, and other stakeholders.
- Help identify opportunities to elevate supportive housing success stories and stakeholder voices in legislative advocacy efforts.
- Coordination with CSH and MASH
- Coordinate closely with CSH staff and coalition leadership to ensure alignment on legislative strategy, messaging, and priorities.
- Provide strategic guidance for testimony, meetings, communications, and advocacy materials.
- Work collaboratively with CSH’s policy and advocacy team and MASH members.
- Support coordination of advocacy activities across coalition partners to ensure consistent messaging and effective engagement.
Reporting and Communication
- Provide regular updates summarizing legislative activity, lobbying efforts, coalition engagement, and advocacy outcomes.
- Participate in recurring strategy meetings with CSH staff and coalition leadership.
- Communicate urgent developments and time-sensitive opportunities as needed.
- Provide end-of-session and annual summaries of activities, accomplishments, opportunities, and challenges.
Desired Qualifications
CSH seeks a lobbying or government affairs firm with demonstrated experience advancing policy priorities before the Maryland General Assembly and state agencies.
Desired qualifications include:
- Demonstrated experience lobbying the Maryland General Assembly and executive branch agencies.
- Strong relationships with legislative leadership, committee members, legislative staff, agency officials, and key stakeholders.
- Experience advancing housing, homelessness, affordable housing, behavioral health, healthcare, human services, or related policy initiatives.
- Understanding of Maryland’s legislative, budget, and regulatory processes.
- Experience supporting coalitions, alliances, associations, or statewide advocacy initiatives.
- Experience designing and implementing grassroots advocacy or stakeholder engagement campaigns.
- Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a non-partisan policy environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to provide practical, actionable intelligence and strategic guidance.
- CSH welcomes responses from both firms and individual consultants with the capacity and expertise to support this work.
Submission Requirements
Submissions should include the following components:
Relevant Experience and Relationships
- Description of the respondent’s experience lobbying before the Maryland General Assembly and executive agencies.
- Summary of relevant relationships with legislators, legislative staff, agency officials, and other key stakeholders.
- Experience working in a non-partisan policy environment, particularly on housing, homelessness, or related issues.
- Experience supporting coalitions, advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement efforts, or grassroots mobilization initiatives.
Proposed Approach
- Your proposed strategy for advancing the Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing’s legislative priorities.
- Your approach to legislative lobbying and relationship building.
- Your approach to coalition coordination, stakeholder engagement, and grassroots advocacy.
- How you would coordinate with CSH staff and coalition leadership.
- Key opportunities and challenges you anticipate related to advancing supportive housing priorities in Maryland.
Staffing and Capacity
- Identification of the individuals who would lead and support this engagement.
- Relevant biographies and experience.
- Expected level of involvement by senior staff.
- Description of available capacity and resources to support the proposed scope of work.
Reporting and Communication
- Proposed communication and reporting approach.
- Frequency and format of updates.
- How urgent legislative developments would be communicated.
- Approach to coordinating with coalition members and leadership.
Cost Proposal
Respondents should provide a detailed budget and fee structure for the proposed services.
Proposals should clearly identify costs associated with:
- Legislative Lobbying and Government Affairs Services
- Coalition Support and Advocacy Services, including coalition coordination, stakeholder engagement, grassroots advocacy, advocacy events, and related activities
For each category, respondents should include:
- Proposed fee structure (monthly retainer, project-based, hourly, or other approach)
- Activities and deliverables included in the proposed cost
- Any assumptions affecting pricing
- Anticipated pass-through expenses, if applicable
Respondents should also provide:
- The total annual cost for Legislative Lobbying and Government Affairs Services;
- The total annual cost for Coalition Support and Advocacy Services; and
- The combined total annual cost for the full scope of work.
While CSH is seeking a partner capable of supporting the full scope described in this RFP, CSH reserves the right to contract for the full scope of services or for a more limited scope focused solely on legislative lobbying and government affairs activities. Therefore, respondents should provide sufficient cost detail to allow these service categories to be evaluated independently.
Evaluation Criteria
Responses will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Maryland Legislative Experience
- Demonstrated experience lobbying the Maryland General Assembly.
- Understanding of Maryland’s legislative and budget processes.
- Experience advancing housing, homelessness, and related policy priorities.
Strength of Relationships
- Existing relationships with legislators, legislative staff, agency officials, and key stakeholders.
- Ability to identify and cultivate legislative champions.
- Ability to expand support for MASH priorities among policymakers and partner organizations.
Coalition and Advocacy Capacity
- Experience supporting coalitions and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
- Ability to coordinate diverse partners around a unified advocacy agenda.
- Experience mobilizing grassroots advocates, stakeholders, and community partners.
Non‑Partisan Approach and Credibility
- Ability to operate effectively in a non‑partisan policy environment.
- Experience advancing funding priorities grounded in evidence, program outcomes, and cost‑effectiveness.
- Alignment with CSH’s commitment to pragmatic, solutions‑oriented advocacy.
Communication and Responsiveness
- Ability to provide timely, actionable intelligence and concise updates.
- Clear, effective communication style that supports coordination and decision‑making.
Cost and Value
- Clarity and practicality of the proposed approach.
- Reasonableness of proposed costs in relation to the scope of work.
- Overall value and efficient use of resources.
- Transparency of pricing and cost allocation across service categories.
Submission Instructions & Key Dates
Responses to this Request for Proposals should be submitted electronically.
- Submission Deadline: August 28, 2026
- Submission Method: Email submissions to [email protected]
- Format: PDF preferred; a single file is encouraged
- Subject Line: “MASH Legislative Advocacy and Lobbying RFP – [Firm or Individuals Name]”
Questions regarding this RFP may be submitted to Kara Mergl at [email protected] by August 25, 2026. Responses to questions may be shared with all respondents, as appropriate. Click here to download this RFP.
CSH reserves the right to request additional information, conduct interviews with selected respondents, and accept or reject any or all submissions. Issuance of this RFP does not obligate CSH to award a contract.