Consultancy-Fundraising Strategy Coaching and Mentorship

Project: Masarouna/ Our pathway

Country: Iraq – Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)

Preferred typology of the consultancy: in person

Location: Erbil – Sulaimaniyah

Background

Oxfam is an international confederation counting 22 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries.

Oxfam has been working in Iraq since the 1990s with both an expanding and contracting presence. At present, Oxfam works through five offices across the country.

Oxfam in Iraq’s strategy is shaped around 3 key pillars 1) Humanitarian response 2) Governance and 3) Equality. Within each of these pillars, intervention covers the following sectors: Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation and Hygiene, Gender and Protection, Emergency lifesaving support, and Local Humanitarian Leadership.

Assignment background:

In response to the evolving funding landscape in Iraq and globally, Oxfam is launching a Coaching and Mentorship Consultancy aimed at strengthening the capacities of partner organisation in becoming more sustainable from funding prospective. This initiative will provide targeted support to partners in developing robust funding strategies that align with the changes in the funding landscape. Through tailored coaching and hands-on mentorship, the consultancy will assist partners in identifying potential funding opportunities and provide strategic guidance in proposal development.

Methodology:

To ensure an effective and needs-based approach, the consultancy will employ the following methodology:

1. Needs and Capacity Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of partners’ organizational needs, funding capacities, and areas of expertise to tailor support accordingly.
2. Capacity Building: Design and deliver targeted training sessions based on identified gaps, equipping partners with essential skills in fundraising including exploring crowdfunding as a potential funding avenue, donor engagement, and proposal writing.
3. Market Research: Perform in-depth research to map and identify potential funding sources, including private donors, philanthropists, foundations, and institutional funders relevant to the partners’ thematic focus areas.
4. Funding Strategy Development: Guide partners in designing a strategic, long-term funding plan that reflects their organizational goals, sectoral priorities, and the evolving donor landscape.
5. Proposal Development Support: Provide hands-on mentorship in drafting high-quality funding proposals, including reviewing and refining concept notes and full proposals to enhance competitiveness.

Deliverables and timeframe

The consultancy period is three months, with the expected start date to be March 20th, 2025, and continued support until June 20th, 2025.

1. Develop an outline for each coaching and mentorship session, tailored to the specific needs of partner organizations.
2. Conduct a needs and capacity assessment of partner organizations, identifying key gaps and opportunities in their funding strategies.
3. Perform market research to identify relevant funding opportunities, including private donors, institutional funders, Iraqi diaspora and alternative financing options.
4. Develop a comprehensive funding strategy framework for each partner, incorporating donor trends, diversification plans, and sustainability measures.
5. Prepare training materials, including PowerPoint presentations, and evaluation tools (feedback forms, pre/post-assessments) for each capacity-building session.
6. Deliver at least three rounds of capacity-building training sessions on funding strategy development, donor engagement, proposal writing, and fundraising techniques, with each session accommodating 10–12 participants.
7. Provide hands-on mentorship in proposal development for the duration of 10 working hours per partner, including supporting partners in drafting and refining at least one funding proposal per organization.
8. Submit a final report within one week after the last training, including:
   • Summary of activities conducted
   • Key findings from the assessment and feedback forms
   • Lessons learned and recommendations for future interventions to enhance partners’ funding sustainability

Please note, there will be multiple rounds of feedback on content and language. The service provider is expected to have the flexibility for amendments and adjustments after the delivery of the first draft of the outline, training materials, and PowerPoint presentation.

Supervision and management

The Masarouna Project Manager and the Head of Programmes will provide technical and practical supervision to the consultant/ consultant team.

Logistics

Oxfam team will organize the logistics related to the arrangements of venues, accommodations for the participants only, and lunch for everyone.

The consultant is responsible for the day-to-day follow-up on the attendance lists, participant feedback collection, and any specific stationary materials needed for the training (if the hotel is the hotel is not able to provide them to provide them). The consultant will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

Ethical requirements, safeguarding and confidentiality.

Do no harm. The consultant should be inclusive of all participants, culturally sensitive, and participatory, he/she/they will ensure the application of the “do no harm” principle. The consultant shall respect the Oxfam code of conduct and the guidance regarding safe programming.

Lastly, the service Provider shall not use or disclose to any person during or at any time after service provider’s engagement by Oxfam any information relating to Oxfam’s business and operations or any other matters which may come to Service Provider’s knowledge whilst providing the Services and which may reasonably be regarded as confidential (Confidential Information).

Skills and Experience:

• Knowledge of the funding landscape, socio-political dynamics, and challenges faced by civil society organizations in Iraq.
• Proven experience in conducting needs and capacity assessments for organizations, particularly in funding sustainability and strategy development.
• Strong expertise in donor mapping and market research, with a deep understanding of funding trends, private philanthropy, institutional donors, and alternative financing options.
• Demonstrated ability to develop comprehensive funding strategies, including diversification plans, donor engagement approaches, and sustainability frameworks.
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity-building training, specifically on fundraising, proposal writing, donor engagement, and financial planning for non-profit organizations.
• Hands-on experience in proposal development and grant writing, with a track record of supporting organizations in securing funding through high-quality proposals.
• Excellent facilitation and coaching skills, with the ability to tailor mentorship approaches to different organizational needs and capacities.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with experience in developing structured reports, summarizing key findings, and providing actionable recommendations.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of Arabic and Kurdish is an asset.
• In case of lacking Kurdish and Arabic language skills, a translator is required to be part of the consultant’s team.

How to apply

Interested consultancies, with relevant experience and skills based on the ToR, can submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), including the following:

1. Cover letter of no more than 1 page introducing the consultant/team and intention to deliver the assignment. The cover letter should also indicate the consultants’ availability for the proposed period.
2. The technical proposal should provide details on the capacity in line with the competencies required for the assignment, including experience with similar assignments, CVs of the consulting team directly involved in the assignment, and their specific roles. A work plan detailing the anticipated timeline to undertake the assignment and finalize the deliverables, clearly indicating the dates of delivery. The technical proposal should not be longer than 10 pages, including all annexes.
3. Financial proposal consisting in a one-page budget of the offer, covering all major anticipated costs including all the fees related to the training, mentorship sessions and strategy development.

Please submit the EOI and other documents by 11:59 PM Iraq time by 10th of March 2025 to IRQConsultancy@oxfam.org.uk with Fundraising Strategy Coaching and Mentorship

in the subject line. No EOIs will be accepted after the deadline.

TOR LINK: https://oxfam.box.com/s/yfzubt24md4t9rkil2rc5jh31olrtxvy