Consultant: Programme Design Specialist- Armenia

Position:  Programme Design Specialist- Armenia

Contract Type: Consultant

Application deadline: Friday 13 October 2023

Location:  Armenia (Remote)

Start date: ASAP

ABOUT IWPR:

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an independent not-for profit organisation that works with media and civil society to promote positive change in conflict zones, closed societies, and countries in transition around the world. As part of its program activities, IWPR, in partnership with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), is implementing its initiative Building Resilience in the Eastern Neighbourhood (BREN), which is supported by the UK Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).

IWPR’s BREN program seeks to strengthen the resilience of non-state actors, including marginalised communities, and enhance their ability to deliver transformative, inclusive, and sustainable contributions to peace, stability and security in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova.

The BREN project contributes to enabling CSOs to build resilience and deliver transformative change in the peace and security area to increase human security for women and marginalised, vulnerable and socially excluded groups in the four target countries.

Developing program design, proposal writing, and fundraising capacity is the foundation to building CSO resilience to bring about societal change. Building on IWPR’s previous activities on these subjects, IWPR is seeking the consultancy services of an expert in Armenia to support training and mentoring on program design, proposal writing and fundraising for up to 10 CSOs.

The objective is to build CSO capacity to design and obtain funding to implement effective programs that achieve the societal change sought.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The consultant will:

1. Assess and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each CSO’s program design, proposal writing, and fundraising capacities; in consultation with the CSO, prioritise the types and areas of support the CSO most needs; develop an agreed-upon capacity building plan on each subject for each CSO;

2. Conduct a two-day group in-person training session in Armenia that addresses program design, proposal writing and fundraising topics as recommended by the consultant and in consultation with IWPR. The topics should include, but are not limited to, the following:

Program Design and Proposal Writing

• Developing the Theory of Change; MEL framework integration aligned with the Theory of Change
• Developing an MEL plan
• Data collection and analysis tools
• Monitoring tools, and indicator tracking table; preparation of the evaluation design
• How to review, understand, and respond to a request for proposal - understanding the proposal review process
• Proposal Narrative/Telling a story
• Preparing the Budget and Budget Narrative

In addition to the above, IWPR’s MEL Specialist will provide supplemental in-house training and mentoring to CSOs in connection with their current BREN projects based on assessed need.

Fundraising & Development

• How to develop an organisational fundraising and development strategy and plan with templates;
• Fundraising in restrictive funding environments;
  1. Alternative fundraising strategies;
• How to attract new donors to your country (government, international organisations and corporate);
• Donor and prospective donor communications.

Provide individualized online mentoring of up to 8 hours to each CSO to put the training and strategies into practice.Program Design & Proposal Writing.

Provide individualized online mentoring to each CSO to support:

• Developing and designing a new project and to draft its proposal for use in connection with upcoming funding opportunities, including potential submission in response to an anticipated BREN FY 24/25 funding call.

1. Fundraising

Provide individualized online mentoring to each CSO to support:

1. a) development and implementation of the organisation’s fundraising strategy and plan;
2. b) development and implementation of an organisational fundraising campaign

The activities must accommodate all levels, from beginner to advance. The capacity building and mentorship support will vary from CSO to CSO based on its assessed maturity as the consultant determines, and within the project’s maximum number of mentoring hours of 80 for the project.

MAIN DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE:

Deliverable 1:

1 week: October 30-November 3, 2023.

• In consultation with IWPR, finalize the detailed workplan and develop the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) framework for this training and mentoring project, including tracking the assessment of the training and knowledge change.

Payment upon deliverables approval:

• At Milestone 1 below.

Deliverable 2:

2 weeks: November 2023

• Assess and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each CSO’s program design, proposal writing and fundraising capacities; in consultation with the CSO, prioritise the types and areas of support the CSO most needs; develop an agreed-upon capacity building plan for each CSO.

Payment upon deliverables approval:

• At Milestone 1 below.

Deliverable 3:

November 2023

• Conduct a two-day group in-person training session for up to two participants per each CSO that addresses program design, proposal writing and fundraising topics based on the needs assessment.

Payment upon deliverables approval:

• Milestone 1: After delivery of the training session and submission of the required invoice.

Deliverable 4:

4 months: November 2023-February 28, 2024

• Provide individualized online mentoring of up to 8 hours for each CSO to support the development and design of a new project and its draft proposal, and the development and implementation of an organisational fundraising strategy and campaign..

Payment upon deliverables approval:

• Milestone 2: After delivery of the CSO strategies and campaigns and submission of the required invoice.

Deliverable 5:

Due March 15, 2024

• Prepare MEL report and submit to IWPR

Payment upon deliverables approval:

• Final Payment: Upon delivery of the MEL report and submission of the required invoice.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATION/ INDIVIDUAL:

• Experience providing program design, proposal writing and fundraising training and mentoring consulting services to civil society organisations for all skill levels, from beginning to advanced;
• Experience supporting CSO implementation of fundraising strategies;
• Experience implementing and running local or regional fundraising campaigns for CSOs;
• Experience working in conflict zones, closed societies, and countries in transition around the world that require sensitivity program design, proposal writing and fundraising;

Principals only. No calls please. Only those who have been considered for an interview will be contacted.

IWPR is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, veteran status or pregnancy and maternity. IWPR will never ask for payment for recruitment.