Consultancy on grants management and proposal writing

1. Background and Introduction:

UTOPIA is a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to abolishing all types of social discrepancies through specialized projects and programs that rely on voluntary work, in hopes of acquiring social justice among people within the same society regardless of their political or religious beliefs. UTOPIA Association relies on fundraising to cover operational and programs implementation expenses. Its sources of funding are international grant institutions in addition to local donations from the private sector and fundraising activities. We constantly try to reach out to potential partners that share the same strategic values as ours. To achieve our mission, we invest in the following programs: Community Service, Youth Empowerment, Women Empowerment, Child Development, and Advocacy. UTOPIA is operating in North Lebanon since 2012 and has been developing its internal systems since the beginning. UTOPIA works on different projects, from different scales and with different donors and partners. UTOPIA is keen to ensure the best practices in all its interventions, and to main high quality work always.

As part of our efforts to strengthen our capacity in grants management and proposal writing, we are seeking a skilled and experienced consultant to support us in building the capacity of our grants management and proposal writing team.

2. Objectives:

The main objectives of the Grants Management and Proposal Writing Consultant are as follows:

• To build the capacity of UTOPIA’s team in grants and compliance management and proposal writing, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge.
• To support UTOPIA’s team in conducting a donor mapping and identifying potential new funding opportunities for the organization.
• To support UTOPIA to effectively manage and oversee the funds acquired through grants and donations, ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
• To develop a comprehensive funding strategy aligned with our organization's mission and goals.
• To provide support and guidance in the development of high-quality and compelling project proposals.

3. Scope of Work:

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

a) Capacity Building:

• Conduct a thorough assessment of the organization’s current grants management and proposal writing practices.
• Design and deliver tailored training sessions and workshops to UTOPIA’s team to enhance their skills in the above areas.
• Provide ongoing mentoring and support to team members, offering guidance and feedback on proposal development and grants management.

b) Donor Mapping and Funding Strategy:

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of potential donors and funding opportunities relevant to our organization's focus areas.
• Develop a detailed funding strategy document that outlines donors to be prioritized, strategies to engage them, deliverables, roles and responsibilities and resources needed to implement the strategy.

c) Proposal Writing and Management:

• Review past proposal submitted by Utopia and draft concrete recommendations for improving proposal design and writing
• Develop Call for proposal and other opportunity summaries for the Team, highlighting the key parameters and eligibility criteria 
• Participate in design workshops for new funding opportunities and provide strategic guidance

4. Deliverables:

• Assessment report on current grants management and proposal writing practices.
• Training materials and workshop sessions for capacity building.
• Donor mapping analysis and a comprehensive funding strategy.
• Well-written and compelling project proposals aligned with donor requirements.

5. Timeline:

The consultancy will be for a minimum of 6 months, starting ASAP. A detailed work plan will be developed in collaboration with the consultant upon agreement.

6. Qualifications and Experience:

• Proven experience in grants management, proposal writing, and donor mapping for non-profit organizations for at least 5 years.
• Proven experience in working in grants management or similar fields with international NGOs.
• Strong understanding of donor requirements and funding landscape in the relevant sector and in Lebanon
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with a track record of successful proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to build the capacity of teams and provide effective training and support.