Prepared for Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director·Dr. Bill Chapman, President·National Rural Education Association
Strategic Partnership Proposal
NREA LEGENDS
Rural Alliance
LEGENDS Research will provide NREA with VisionQuest strategic research experience as the foundation for strategic partnership development, sponsorship sales, research visibility enhancement, and marketing support services designed to increase NREA's organizational visibility, expand sponsorship revenue, and maximize the policy and funding impact of NREA's research portfolio.
Exhibit A — Statement of Work
VisionQuest: Foundational Strategic Research Experience
VisionQuest is the foundational research and strategic design experience LEGENDS will use to guide NREA's future and to shape major collaborations with education, advocacy, and business partners.
Over time, NREA and LEGENDS may replicate the VisionQuest process with select state organizations, advocacy coalitions, and strategic business partners, creating a common language and framework for collaboration across the rural education ecosystem.
Clarify Identity and Direction
Guide NREA leadership to a shared, evidence-based vision of what NREA is becoming — a support system and voice for rural schools, not only a research publisher — and how it should show up to members, state organizations, and vendors.
Define Engagement Architecture
Produce a concrete blueprint for national and regional engagement (national conference, regional summits, vendor/associate meetings, and listening sessions) so NREA is more visible, accessible, and responsive to rural districts.
Align Research, Advocacy, and Business
Specify how NREA research (including "Why Rural Matters") will be used both to support districts and to structure sponsored research opportunities that deliver clear ROI to vendors and partners.
Create a Repeatable Collaboration Model
Establish a VisionQuest template that can be replicated with NREA's key education partners, advocacy allies, and vendor sponsors so each new partnership begins with shared goals, clear roles, and agreed measures of success.
Section 2 — Engagement Structure
Investment and Structure
Monthly Retainer
$10,000
Due on the first business day of each month, invoiced on the 25th of the preceding month.
Performance Commission
20%
On all new sponsorship and partnership dollars that LEGENDS brings to NREA, including increases from existing sponsors, for as long as LEGENDS continues to manage those dollars each year.
Definition of "New Dollars": Money from sponsors LEGENDS introduces to NREA, or any increase above a sponsor's previous highest annual amount with NREA. No commission is paid on the unchanged portion of existing sponsorships.
Term: 12 months, aligned with NREA's fiscal year.
Section 4 — Detailed Scope of Services
What LEGENDS Delivers
Section 5 — Deliverables and Timeline
12-Month Engagement Phases
Month 1–2
Discovery and Foundation
- Complete sponsorship and partnership audit
- Deliver audit report with findings and recommendations
- Redesign sponsorship tiers and inventory
- Develop initial prospect lists (minimum 50 qualified prospects)
- Create core sponsorship deck and messaging templates
Month 3–6
Pipeline Build and Outreach
- Launch outreach campaigns to identified prospects
- Submit customized proposals to qualified prospects
- Quarterly report to NREA Board (end of Month 3 and Month 6)
- Close initial sponsorships and execute contracts
Month 7–9
Optimization and Expansion
- Refine messaging based on prospect feedback
- Expand prospect lists with new target segments
- Launch co-branded campaigns
- Implement Google Ads Grant activation
- Quarterly report to NREA Board (end of Month 9)
Month 10–12
Scaling and Renewal Planning
- Focus on multi-year agreement closures
- Prepare sponsor renewal strategy for Year 2
- Annual performance review and ROI analysis
- Recommendations for ongoing partnership adjustments
- Quarterly report to NREA Board (end of Month 12)
Section 6 — Performance Metrics and Success Criteria
How Success Is Measured
Revenue Generation
Total new sponsorship and partnership revenue secured
Pipeline Development
Number of qualified prospects identified and engaged
Conversion Rate
Percentage of proposals that result in signed agreements
ROI
Net revenue to NREA after LEGENDS fees (retainer + commission)
Sponsor Satisfaction
Post-engagement sponsor surveys and retention rates
Organizational Visibility
Measurable increases in website traffic, social media engagement, and media mentions
Target ROI: Minimum 2.0x net ROI — for every $1.00 paid to LEGENDS, NREA nets $2.00 or more in new revenue.
Section 7 — Client Responsibilities
NREA's Commitments Under This Agreement
Section 8 — Fees and Payment Schedule
Payment Terms
Monthly Retainer
$10,000 / month
Due on the first business day of each month. Invoiced on the 25th of the preceding month.
Commission
20% on new dollars
Invoiced monthly within 15 days of month end. Due within 30 days of invoice.
Authorized Signors
Parties to This Agreement
Client — NREADr. Melissa Sadorf
Executive Director
National Rural Education Association
Dr. Bill Chapman
President
National Rural Education Association
LEGENDS Research, LLCDr. Kimberly Bonniksen, EdD
Founder & CEO
LEGENDS Research, LLC
Eric Bonniksen
Co-Founder
LEGENDS Research, LLC
Next Steps
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