Development of Strategic Plans for County Civil Society Organizations’ Networks
Counties: Baringo, Bungoma, Mombasa and Kisumu
REF: ACT-KDP-01-2025
KENYA DEVOLUTION PROGRAMME – TIMIZA UGATUZI
- Background
About Act Change Transform (Act!) and Kenya Devolution Programme (KDP)
Act! is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation established in Kenya in September 2001 and registered under the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordination Act 1990. The vision of Act is “empowered citizens and communities living a productive life in dignity”, while the mission is to “support, partner with and develop local organisations to be effective agents of lasting positive change”. Our holistic approach to development is delivered through capacity development and grants management. Act! programmes are in three strategic focus areas: (1). Sustainable Environment and Natural Resource Management; (2). Democracy, Governance, and Human Rights, and (3). Peace Building and Conflict Transformation.
Act! invests in building the organisational capacity of its partners, including Network, Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and government agencies to equip the public and private sectors better and enable them to deliver better quality services efficiently and effectively. In our two decades of history, Act! has supported capacity development to over 400 CSOs across the 47 counties of Kenya as well as to dozens of CSOs in East Africa. Under its strategic focus area on Democracy, Governance, and Human Rights, Act Change Transform (Act!) has been implementing the Kenya Devolution Programme (KDP) – Timiza Ugatuzi, which is funded by the United Kingdom Government.
The KDP is a 4-year programme (2021-2025) and is a successor to the Kenya Devolution Support Programme (KDSP) and Agile Harmonized Assistance for Devolved Institutions (AHADI). KDP is now in its final year of implementation and has been contributing to making devolution more effective in Kenya, with particular emphasis on improving service delivery and accountability. At the overall impact level, the programme’s goal is improved development results at the county level, while the expected outcomes by 2025 are: 1). more effective, open, and accountable county governments; and 2). county governments improve service delivery.
To deliver the above objectives, KDP has four distinct and interrelated output areas, namely:
- Output 1: Improved Intergovernmental relations and coordination at national and sub-national levels to support the devolution sector.
- Output 2: County government economic planning and development, trade, and investment capacity strengthened.
- Output 3: Enhanced social accountability and participatory approaches in key devolved sectors to improve service delivery.
- Output 4: Research and evidence generation to inform public policy, facilitate peer learning and improved county service delivery.
The delivery of KDP Output 3 has two main components namely a). Sub-granting and capacity building of the county level CSOs networks to effectively implement social accountability interventions with a focus to key devolved sectors and own source revenue transparency, and b). Building capacity of the Kenyan civil society and citizens for effective advocacy on the implementation of devolution at the national, regional and county levels. KDP is in the final year of implementation and in this period, KDP Output 3 has prioritized the need to strengthen partner networks’ internal systems and processes in order to effectively and efficiently undertake their advocacy role that will contribute to improved service deliver at county level during and after the programme closure.
The County Level CSOs’ Networks in Isiolo, Kisumu, Bungoma, Mombasa, Baringo and Kiambu received a sub-grant from Act!, funded by the British High Commission Kenya Mission. One of the key components of this funding was to support the capacity building of the networks. As part of the capacity building, each of the networks underwent an Organizational Network Assessment (ONA) process, which resulted in the development of an Institutional Improvement Plan (IIP). The IIP in part identified the requisite policy documents necessary for the development and growth of each network, including a Strategic Plan. In order to support the networks in this area, Act! has planned to engage skilled and experienced experts on this area. This TOR outlines the scope, responsibilities, and deliverables for the development of these policy documents. Please indicate in your application the Counties you are able to work in.
The Assignment
2.1. Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of this consultancy is to support development of comprehensive Strategic Plan(s) that outlines the vision(s), mission statement(s), goals, and objectives of the Networks, with clear actions and timelines.
2.2. Scope of Work
The consultant(s) will be responsible for designing the outline for and facilitating development of the strategic plans which will be discussed and approved by Act! and use it to support the networks to develop their strategic plans in line with the vision and objectives of the network(s) assigned:
Strategic Plan
Conduct consultations with members of the network(s) to gather inputs on priorities, needs, and areas for improvement and provide technical guidance and facilitation in the development of the Strategic Plan(s) that includes:
- Vision, mission, and values.
- Key strategic objectives linked to the Networks’ core areas: advocacy, transparency, capacity building, citizen participation, sustainable development, equity, collaboration, governance, and anti-corruption.
- Action plans for each objective with specific tasks, timelines, responsible persons, and performance indicators.
- A Resource Mobilization plan for ensuring the Strategic Plan is fully resourced for smooth implementation.
Specific Tasks and Process
The development of the strategic plan shall include the following:
a.Preparation phase:
This involves collecting all necessary and related documents for desktop review. The key documents for guidance include: The Network(s) guidelines, the Network operational plan(s) and the report(s) on Network(s) capacity assessment.
It also includes an assessment of internal and external work environment, and key stakeholders who will need to be engaged in the development of the Strategic Plan.
b.The analysis and goal setting:
Lead the discussions to build consensus on the key strategic goals and objectives for the duration of the strategic plan.
Support the network(s) to develop the strategic actionable plans. While at it, ensure gender and disability inclusion in each Network is well captured.
c.The Resource Mobilization plan:
The consultant shall guide the network(s) to develop resource mobilization plan(s) which include the budget for the implementation of the Strategic Plan and identify strategic partners for the Resource mobilization Plan.
d. Engagement of stakeholders:
In the Development of the plan, the voices of stakeholders will be key. Some of the partners include professional bodies such as the law society of Kenya, trade unions, religious institutions, private sector, National Police Service, National, independent commissions and offices and County Government among others.
Deliverables
The following deliverables shall be anticipated in this assignment:
- Draft and advanced Strategic Plan (s) for the network(s) allocated.
- Budget for implementation of the strategic plan and stakeholders mapped,
- Process report that provides in summary the task done, process, any challenges encountered and how they were mitigated.
Reporting and Supervision
The Consultant will work under the overall supervision of the KDP Team Leader and her designate KDP Output 3 Technical Lead.
All materials developed under this assignment are property of the relevant CSOs network(s) and may be reproduced only with permission from the authorized official(s) of the network(s).
Required Professional Experience
Strategic Planning Expertise
- Demonstrated experience in developing strategic plans for networks, organizations, or institutions, preferably within the civil society or non-profit sector.
- Proven ability to analyse organizational dynamics, stakeholder relationships, and external contexts to design effective strategies.
Experience with Civil Society and Advocacy Work
- In-depth knowledge of civil society operations, including grassroots engagement, advocacy strategies, and coalition building.
- Familiarity with the policy, social, and political environment relevant to the network’s area of focus.
Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement
- Extensive experience in facilitating participatory workshops, consultations, and focus group discussions.
- Strong ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including CSO members, funders, policymakers, and community representatives.
Sector-Specific Knowledge
- Understanding of the thematic areas the network focuses on (e.g., human rights, environmental advocacy, gender equality, health, etc.).
- Knowledge of global and local advocacy trends and best practices.
Cross-Cultural Competence
- Ability to work in diverse, multicultural environments, respecting varying cultural and contextual nuances within the network.
- Experience working across regions or with international and regional networks is an added advantage.
Professional Qualifications
- Advanced degree in social sciences, public policy, organizational development, or a related field or extended experience in lieu thereof.
- Additional certifications or training in strategic planning, organizational management, or advocacy would be advantageous.
Communication and Report-Writing Skills
- Proven ability to distil complex ideas into clear, concise, and actionable strategic documents.
- Strong communication skills, both oral and written, to ensure stakeholder buy-in and comprehension of the strategy.
Proven Track Record
- References and examples of previous work in strategic planning for similar organizations or networks.
- Evidence of successfully aligning organizational goals with actionable strategies.
Adaptability and Problem-Solving
- Ability to adapt to dynamic and potentially uncertain contexts, including evolving stakeholder priorities or challenges.
- Strong problem-solving skills to address barriers to achieving strategic goals.
Duration of the Assignment, Payment and Management
The actual level of effort for the consultancy shall be 15 consultancy days for each CSOs’ network.
The consultancy fees will be paid as follows:
40% upon singing of the contract and 60% on completion of this assignment and upon submission and approval of the deliverables by Act!.
Logistics and incidentals related to this task such as travel, accommodation and means of the consultant will be met by Act!
How to apply
Application process
Individuals with necessary qualifications are requested to submit their applications and Curriculum Vitae demonstrating relevant experience and capacity to execute the task. Applications should clearly demonstrate experience in delivery of similar tasks and provide the expected daily professional fee and total amount for the task, as well as, 3 work related referees. Applications should be sent electronically to [email protected] indicating the reference number REF: ACT-KDP-01-2025 with the title “Development of Strategic Plans for County Civil Society Organizations Networks” indicating the county of your choice on the email subject line.
The same should be submitted not later than 5.00 pm (East African Time) on 23rd January 2025. All materials to be developed under this assignment are property of Act! and may not be reproduced under any circumstances.