Grant Evaluation Consultant - Guyana Program

TITLE: Grant Evaluation Consultant - Guyana Program

LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY; Georgetown and Region 9, Guyana; remote

WORK SCHEDULE: Full-time – 40 hours a week

EMPLOYMENT/JOB TYPE: Short-term consultant

TIMEFRAME: (if consultancy or temporary) The fieldwork will be carried out in October 2023, with desk research starting as early as August. The final report should be delivered to RFUS by December 1, 2023.

DEPARTMENT: Programs

SUPERVISING MANAGER:

• Program Director

DIRECT REPORTS:

• Not Applicable

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About Rainforest Foundation US

For over 35 years, Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) has worked to address climate change and safeguard biodiversity by promoting the rights of indigenous peoples and supporting their efforts to protect and defend their rainforests. Science shows that forests managed by indigenous peoples are healthier, suffer less deforestation, capture more carbon, and contain more biodiversity than forests managed by private or public entities--including nationally protected areas. What’s more, scientists tell us that protecting forests is as important as reducing greenhouse emissions if we hope to stem the tide of ecological collapse.

RFUS works in partnership with indigenous communities and their representative organizations to protect tropical rainforests by supporting their efforts to secure rights to their lands, strengthen monitoring and land security, influence laws and policies that protect their resources, and build strong and sustainable community leadership. By investing directly in indigenous communities, RFUS connects the people rooted in the land with the tools, training, and resources to be effective advocates and protectors of the forests they call home. RFUS currently operates four country programs in Brazil, Guyana, Panama, and Peru, and hosts a number of regional partnerships in Central America, the Amazon Basin, and across the tropical belt.

About the project “Protecting Forests, Protecting Rights, GUY-21/0003”

The project, “Protecting Forests, Protecting Rights, GUY-21/0003”, seeks to protect 5 million hectares of forests and ecosystems through expanded indigenous peoples’ land rights in Guyana, by supporting four indigenous district councils and their constituent communities. The four district councils – the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), North Pakaraimas District Council (NPDC), Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC), and Moruca District Council (MDC) – have are working toward the following priorities: improved governance plans; expanded territorial control; and national advocacy.

A strategic framework guides NICFI’s priorities. Together with indigenous organizations and civil society partners, this project contributes to the following three NICFI Outcomes through four nested Project Outcomes and their respective Project Outputs:

• NICFI Outcome 1: Approved and implemented policies for sustainable forest and land use in tropical forest countries and jurisdictions

  • Project Outcome1: Guyana’s oil and gas development path addresses indigenous peoples’ concerns of equity and environmental sustainability.
    • Output 1.1 Policies and plans related to oil and gas development include indigenous peoples’ priorities for development, rights, and forest protection.
    • Output 1.2 Revised national policies support indigenous peoples land ownership.

• NICFI Outcome 2: Improved rights and livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities in tropical forest countries

  • Project Outcome 2: District councils have stronger institutional and political capacity.
    • Output 2.1 District councils’ organizational capacity and decision-making processes strengthened.
  • Project Outcome 3: 3.4 million hectares of traditional lands and forests in Guyana under increased control by district councils
    • Output 3.1 North Pakaraimas Shared Use Area plan drafted (.59 million hectares)
    • Output 3.2 South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) territorial protection and conserved areas strategy developed and implemented in line with cultural heritage policy (2.86 million hectares)

• NICFI Outcome 7: Reduced Forest crime

  • Project Outcome 4: Strengthened community based territorial monitoring and coordinated action with government agencies reduce forest crimes.
    • Output 4.1 Forest crime and its impact is documented and/or exposed in the South Rupununi
    • Output 4.2 Forest crime and its impact is documented and/or exposed in the North Pakaraimas
    • Output 4.3 Forest crime and its impact is documented and/or exposed in the Upper Mazaruni
    • Output 4.4 National data hub supports Guyana’s indigenous communities, district councils, and their collaborative management initiatives.

About the Position

Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) is seeking a consultant to undertake a midterm review of the 5-year project entitled “Protecting Forests, Protecting Rights, GUY-21/0003”, funded by Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) via the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). RFUS is the grant recipient, and the Forest Peoples Program (FPP), the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), and the South-Central Peoples Development Association (SCPDA) are project partners.

As stipulated in the agreement between Norad and RFUS, a review focused on progress to date shall be carried out in the third year of the project. The purpose of the review is to analyze progress on the project and provide recommendations for strengthening the project and partnership moving forward.

Responsibilities

• Review of project documents (proposal, results framework, annual implementation plans, budgets, and reports);
• Meetings with RFUS’s team and interviews with project staff (in-person in New York or Guyana, and/or virtually);
• Virtual (or in-person in Guyana) interviews with project staff at FPP;
• Visit to APA’s office in Georgetown, Guyana to conduct interviews with project staff and leadership;
• Visit to communities and District Councils, as agreed with RFUS and APA, to conduct interviews with project partners;
• Meetings (in person or virtually) with other relevant actors (other funders, NGOs, government agencies, etc);
• Development of a final report, including recommendations.
• The final evaluation report should include:
  • Executive summary with main findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
  • The main text of 15 – 30 pages, including: background; objectives of the review; methodology used; findings; analysis and conclusions; and recommendations.
  • An annex listing the documents reviewed and people interviewed.

Qualifications

• 7 - 10 years of experience in the fields of indigenous rights, forest protection, human rights, and/or sustainable development, and knowledge of the actors and geographies of the Amazon;
• Proven ability to understand and interpret complex situations on the ground, including cultural, political, and social nuances;
• Ability to provide constructive recommendations that contribute to the success and impact of the program, as well as to the understanding of all participants.

Desired skills

• Experience conducting independent evaluations of projects and programs in the field, ideally for similar programs;
• Strong analytical and writing skills to deliver a high-quality report.

Language

• Full professional proficiency in English is required

Compensation & Benefits

The consultant will be paid a total of USD$13,000, according to the following schedule:

• 30% of the consulting fee (USD$3,900) upon RFUS approval of a detailed work plan;

• 70% of the consulting fee (USD$9,100) upon RFUS approval of the final report.

Travel

The consultant will receive a travel stipend in the amount of USD$2,000, according to the schedule below. The consultant is responsible for covering all travel and other expenses above and beyond the stipend provided, with the exception of costs in any village visited, which will be covered by the project holder.

• 70% of the travel stipend (USD$1,400) upon RFUS approval of a detailed work plan;

• 30% of the travel stipend (USD$600) upon RFUS approval of the final report.

Workplace Culture & Conditions

Rainforest Foundation US prides itself on providing a flexible, equitable, family-friendly, and inclusive work environment that values work-life balance. Our offices are pet friendly and located in a historic downtown Brooklyn neighborhood that is easily accessible by public transit and boasts many restaurants and services. Since the pandemic, employees can come into the office as they wish or negotiate with their supervisors to work from home or remotely.

Commitment to Equality & Equity

​​Rainforest Foundation US does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations. We are committed to an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. Black, indigenous, and people of color are highly encouraged to apply.

Application instructions

• RFUS aims to fill the position immediately.
• Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early and advised to carefully study the job description to ensure they meet the requirements and skills we are looking for.
• Applications will only be considered with the submission of a resume and cover letter.
• Please note that the position will be listed as open until filled. Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be contacted.
• The candidate must possess the legal requirements to work in the United States; Rainforest Foundation US will not sponsor visas for international candidates.