Request for Proposals: We’re seeking consulting and coaching services

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People Powered seeks a suite of consulting services to support a recent leadership transition to a Co-Executive Director model and advance strategic organizational priorities. A capacity-building grant is allowing us to increase our internal capabilities in fundraising, partnerships, and community building. We welcome proposals for one or both of the scopes of work below. 

About People Powered

People Powered is a global hub for participatory democracy. Our mission is to expand people’s power to make government decisions, by supporting organizations and governments that are building participatory democracy around the world. We develop and coordinate global resources, research, training, and other support that increases and improves participation in government, beyond elections. We support practices such as participatory budgeting, citizens’ assemblies, participatory policy-making, participatory planning and legislative theater, from the local to the global level. Through this work, we help to address common challenges and shift power toward historically marginalized communities. Faced with a global crisis of democracy, we are growing a global movement to expand people’s democratic power, beyond elections.

People Powered is a membership-based organization—our members include over 140 local and national organizations, practitioners, and researchers that directly support participatory democracy in their countries, with the majority based in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Our members vote to decide our top priorities, and then they implement them with our staff. We incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the United States in 2020, and now have 15 staff working around the world. Organizationally, we practice what we preach: that shared and inclusive decision-making is the future of democracy. In January, we transitioned to a Co-Director model.

Scope of Work

1. Fundraising & Partnerships:

  • Challenge: People Powered has been a key partner for international organizations working on participation and democracy. However, our funding partnerships so far have been mainly with US-based private foundations. We would like to partner with bilateral and multilateral donor agencies to provide the international support they need to grow successful and equitable participatory programs. We seek a consultant with significant multiyear experience working with these entities to help us develop stronger partnership strategies. 

  • Scope of work: Guide and advise us on developing and implementing a partnership and fundraising strategy for bilateral and multinational donor agencies.

  • Deliverables: An actionable plan, including a prospect list for priority partnerships and a roadmap to connect with them. 

2. Membership Systems:

  • Challenge: People Powered started as a small network of a few dozen organizations and individuals. After three years, we have 140+ members and a global governance system. As our membership and programs grow we need to upgrade our systems and practices, to enable an expanding membership to continue to feel engaged and supported, and to continue to serve as a base of support and expertise for our programs. We seek a consultant with significant and direct experience building and managing global communities and networks of NGOs and individual practitioners, researchers and/or advocates. 

  • Scope of work: Guide and advise us in developing and implementing an improved membership strategy and system that delivers greater value for People Powered and its members. 

  • Deliverables: An actionable plan; including a needs assessment, relevant models and examples, and recommended strategies, tools, and practices for membership growth and management. 

Timeline

Work will begin in May and extend for 2-4 months. 

Budget

$30,000-$35,000 USD

How to Apply

Please submit proposals as a single PDF that includes the following:

  • Overview of relevant experience and expertise, including names and qualifications of key personnel who will deliver the work.

  • Approach and methodology.

  • Work plan, including timeline and deliverables.

  • A basic budget.

  • References for previous clients/projects with a similar focus.

Applicants are welcome to submit a proposal for one or both of the scopes of work. Consultant may be based anywhere in the world but should be able to accommodate staff based in time zones in the Americas. We especially encourage applications from women and gender non-conforming individuals; people from ethnic, national, or racial minorities; LGBTQIA+ individuals; disabled people; and people from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. We welcome further questions. 

Please send proposals to info@peoplepowered.org with the subject line ‘Capacity-Building Consultant’ by April 8. See the PDF version of the Request for Proposals.