January 7, 2025
Economic Development
DATE: January 7, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Lizeht Zepeda, Senior Business Assistance Officer
Kyle Lam, Management Analyst
Subject:
Contract with Empower Soul Studios for Events and
Marketing Services for Buy Local Campaign
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $156,000 expenditure is funded by the Transformative Climate Communities grant (Account
String – 01361165 – 400201 – 16G23).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 21, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City of Richmond aims to boost its local economy
and support small businesses through a Buy Local
Campaign. To achieve this, the City seeks a consultant to manage event planning, marketing, and community
engagement. A contract with Empower Soul Studios will
facilitate targeted marketing, branding, and events to
promote local spending, strengthen community ties, and
support economic sustainability in neighborhoods
vulnerable to displacement.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE a contract with Empower Soul Studios for event and marketing consultant services for the Buy
Local Campaign in an amount not to exceed $156,000,
for the term January 7, 2025, through December 31,
2026 – Economic Development Department (Nannette
Beacham 510-621-1306/ Lizeht Zepeda 510-620-
6653/Kyle Lam 510-620-6802).
AGENDA
REPORT
January 7, 2025
DISCUSSION:
Background
On October 27, 2022, the California Strategic Growth Council awarded the City of Richmond a $35 million Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant, launching the Richmond Rising initiative. This community-led effort focuses on improving the City’s environmental, economic, and social conditions, with an emphasis on the Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado neighborhoods.
A core element of the Richmond Rising initiative is the Displacement Avoidance Plan, which integrates policies and programs designed to prevent displacement by fostering opportunities for residents and businesses to thrive within these communities to ensure long-term residency and business presence in the area. A key element of this plan is the Buy Local Campaign, designed to strengthen local businesses and encourage community members to shop within their own neighborhoods.
As a key initiative of the Displacement Avoidance Plan, the Buy Local Campaign was launched to support small, locally owned businesses and encourage community members to actively explore and patronize these enterprises. The campaign aims to increase the visibility of local businesses through targeted outreach efforts, including promotional events, marketing campaigns, and collaborations with community organizations.
By driving customer exploration and increased revenue for small businesses, the campaign enables these businesses to reinvest profits into the local economy. This reinvestment supports job creation, strengthens the economic foundation of neighborhoods, and sustains other local businesses through interconnected economic activity.
Additionally, the Buy Local Campaign plays an important role in fostering economic resilience and mitigate the risks of gentrification and displacement in historically underserved neighborhoods. By promoting greater community engagement and creating opportunities for local businesses to thrive, the campaign builds a foundation for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Further supporting this initiative, the Buy Local Campaign includes an online business directory, and a rewards platform designed to boost community engagement and local spending. The directory will act as a centralized resource, increasing the visibility of local businesses and making it easier for residents to discover and support them. The rewards platform will further incentivize shopping locally by allowing residents to earn points or discounts for their purchases, fostering a stronger connection between consumers and neighborhood businesses.
This system benefits consumers with tangible rewards while helping businesses build customer loyalty and encourage repeated patronage. By leveraging technology, the
January 7, 2025
campaign ensures equitable access to resources for small businesses, stimulates economic activity in underserved areas, and supports long-term economic resilience.
Additionally, the reinvestment of revenue within the community strengthens job creation and bolsters the economic fabric of Richmond.
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
On August 1, 2024, the City of Richmond released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit proposals from qualified firms to assist in executing the Buy Local Campaign.
This campaign is designed to support small businesses and strengthen the local economy within Richmond. The City sought marketing and event consultants with the expertise necessary to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to ensure maximum reach and community impact. Proposals were due on August 29, 2024, and five proposals were received from the following firms:
1. 22nd Century Technologies, Inc.
2. Ares Social
3. Aurice Guyton Events
4. Empower Soul Studios & Bashworthy Events
5. Lezama Consulting USA/ J Majors & Associates
Selection Process
Following the submission of proposals, an evaluation committee of City staff was formed to review each proposal based on the following criteria:
Evaluation Criteria
Proposal reflects understanding of the City’s goals and objectives; proposal is complete in its responses to all RFQ elements
30%
Relevant and demonstrated qualifications and experience 35% Cost of proposed services 20%
Detailed community engagement plan 15%
Using a point-based system, the committee reviewed and scored the proposals. The top three firms were selected based on their average scores. These three finalists were:
1. Aurice Guyton Events
2. Lezama Consulting USA/ J Majors & Associates
3. Empower Soul Studios & Bashworthy Events
Each finalist was invited to participate in a virtual interview, during which they presented their proposals followed by a question and answer session. After evaluating the interviews, Empower Soul Studios & Bashworthy Events was selected for this initiative.
Empower Soul Studios & Bashworthy Events
Empower Soul Studios will be partnering with Bashworthy Events to create a holistic strategy focused on supporting local businesses through tailored marketing, branding,
January 7, 2025
and event management. Together, they offer a wealth of expertise in event coordination, branding, social media management, and community engagement.
Empower Soul Studios specializes in branding, marketing, and digital content strategy aimed at small businesses. With expertise in branding, marketing, and content development, they help businesses craft strong, cohesive identities and reach their target audience through innovative campaigns and social media strategies.
Bashworthy Events has over nine years of experience in the event management industry, specializing in creating impactful and seamless events. They provide end-to-end event services including planning, budgeting, venue management, vendor coordination, and on-site execution. Their focus is on delivering customized, detail-oriented events that meet the specific needs of their clients.
The partnership between these two organizations focuses on a multifaceted approach to the Buy Local campaign with Empower Soul Studios leading proposed activities that include designing and developing a website for the campaign, creating a cohesive brand identity, and implementing a comprehensive marketing campaign with digital and traditional advertising, social media content and partnerships, and multilingual materials.
In addition, Bashworthy Events will support Empower Soul Studios with the planning, production and implantation of a series of neighborhood-focused events such as business showcases, small business pop-up markets, and holiday shopping events as part of the Buy Local marketing and branding campaign. These events, paired with the creation of a local focused brand identity and comprehensive marketing campaign, aim to increase local spending, strengthen community engagement, and enhance the visibility of local businesses.
Both organizations have built strong relationships with community partners, which will be instrumental to the success of the Buy Local campaign. Some of their established partnerships include the Richmond Main Street Initiative, City of Richmond Economic Development Commission, CoBiz Richmond, Richmond Community Foundation, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, and various other local organizations. Notable past projects led by Empower Soul Studios include the annual Taste of Richmond, the city’s first Restaurant Week, and Taste of Bayview. These collaborations will provide a solid foundation for outreach, volunteer engagement, and cross-promotion of events.
Through these partnerships, Empower Souls Studios is positioned to effectively execute their vision of fostering economic growth and supporting local businesses.
Recommendation and Next Steps
City staff recommend approval of a contract with Empower Soul Studios for Event and Marketing Consulting Services for the Buy Local Campaign. The contract is for an amount not-to-exceed $156,000 and has a term from January 7, 2025, through December 31, 2026. This collaboration will enable the City to move forward with its goal
January 7, 2025
of fostering economic growth, supporting local businesses, and promoting a stronger, more resilient community.
Following City Council approval, City staff will finalize the contract with Empower Soul Studios. City staff will also coordinate with the selected firms to ensure a smooth launch and implementation of the Buy Local Campaign, establishing clear timelines, points of contact, and deliverables. Regular progress meetings will be scheduled to monitor the project’s advancement, address any potential issues, and ensure the effective execution of the Buy Local Campaign’s goals.
POLICY SYNERGIES:
The Richmond Business Recovery Action Plan (Plan), Action 2A, identifies the development of a Buy Local Campaign as a critical recovery action within Strategy 2 of the Plan to provide near-term support to businesses to help reduce closures.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Contract with Empower Soul Studios
Attachment 2 – Request for Qualifications Posted Online (RFQ) Attachment 3 – Scoring Matrix