UAF AFRICA EVALUATION and STRATEGIC PLANNING TORS

END OF PROGRAMME EVALUATION

Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

16th June, 2015

Background

Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa) is an Africa-wide feminist Fund that fills a rapid response grant making niche in the women’s movement. To date, the Fund has supported over 700 initiatives in 48 African countries addressing a wide range of current and emerging issues affecting African women. Through funding in a timely and strategic manner, the Fund has provided stepping stones for feminist activists to take advantage of political openings or hold the line, even in the most volatile of socio-political situations. It has supported feminist movement-building and protected women’s human rights defenders under threat to continue their work in a safe environment. The Fund has also supported the growth of young feminist leadership.

UAF-Africa has built trust in the African feminist movement as well as amongst other funding and social justice stakeholders, promoted mutually supportive initiatives, identified and supported a cross-section of organisations and feminist activists, including those that work to ‘detonate’ stigma and taboos related to sex and sexuality.

Funding urgently and strategically is a 24-hour and 365-day job and the Fund has acquired the expertise and resilience needed to do it. Since 2012, UAF-Africa, with support from the Dutch Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW), has implemented a four-year programme covering 15 African countries.

The specific objectives of FLOW were to:

1. Promote security by combating violence against women and actively involving women in processes of peace, security and reconstruction;

2. Enhance the participation of women in politics and public administration;

3. Promote and strengthen economic self-reliance.

Through FLOW, the Fund’s Programme supported women’s rights initiatives and responses to emerging issues, sometimes itself catalysing initiative to build on gains already made and lessons learnt. The Programme also sought to build women’s leadership, support their prioritised actions for change and promote knowledge and skills development to protect and build on the gains already secured. This was done using four key strategies:

Provision of catalytic, rapid response grants;
Capacity strengthening and investing in women’s leadership;
Knowledge generation and dissemination;
Building communities of actors who challenge the socio-political status quo.

The Programme, which commenced in January 2012, will end in December 2015. The purpose of this evaluation is to assess its achievements/impact against its objectives, as well as FLOW’s objectives, covering all UAF-Africa programmes and activities in this period. This evaluation will also inform a backwards strategic reflection and future-focused strategic planning process for UAF-Africa as an organisation.

Purpose of the Evaluation

The overall objective of the end of programme evaluation is to assess the achievements/impact of the Programme while generating knowledge from the Fund’s experience with FLOW. The evaluation will cover the four years of implementation of the FLOW-funded programme.

Key beneficiaries of the Programme were African women’s rights organisations and activists under the Fund’s African Women’s Leadership and Mentorship Initiative (AWLMI). One specific objective of the evaluation will therefore be to gauge the achievements and impact of the Programme in the lives of these beneficiaries. Their level of participation and ownership in the Programme will also be ascertained.

More broadly, however, the evaluation shall also identify the intended and unintended achievements and impact of the Fund’s overall programming. It shall identify challenges experienced, lessons learnt and opportunities moving forward to inform the Fund’s programming and organisational development for its next strategic plan.

Scope and focus of the Evaluation

The evaluation will look at the following areas of programme management and programme activities in respect of women’s rights and leadership. It will assess the mutual value add of partnerships with the Coady’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership at Saint Francis Xavier University in Canada and Strathmore University’s Governance Centre in Nairobi as well as partnerships with other women’s rights actors across Africa. It will assess activities/processes undertaken, results achieved and mutual value add of partnerships established. It will also assess the Fund’s strategies and capacities given the above.

The Evaluation Questions

The following questions will guide the end of programme evaluation:

i. Relevance: Assess the focus of the Programme: To what extent did the Programme’s objectives, strategies, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts (including contributing factors and constraints) address identified needs of the beneficiaries?

ii. Effectiveness: Assess the design of the Programme and its implementation: To what extent did the Programme’s management processes support delivery? Was the Programme effective in delivering desired/planned results? To what extent did the Programme’s monitoring and evaluation contribute towards achieving intended results?

iii. Efficiency: Assess Programme implementation: Was the process of achieving results efficient? Specifically, did actual or expected results (outputs, outcomes and impacts) justify costs incurred? Were resources effectively utilized? Did activities duplicate similar interventions (funded nationally or by other grantmakers? Are there more efficient ways to deliver betters results with available inputs? How did the Programme’s financial management processes, procedures and accountability for the same affect implementation?

iv. Sustainability:To what extent are benefits of the Programme likely to be sustained after completion? How effective were exit strategies? What factors require attention to improve sustainability of impacts?

v. What lessons arise for the Fund’s programmatic strategies as well as its internal systems and capacities moving forward?

Methodology for Evaluation

The UAF-Africa team shall guide and oversee the evaluation process.

a) The evaluation will provide quantitative and qualitative data through the following methods:

• Desk study and review of all relevant documentation including 2012-15 Strategic plan, Programme documents, annual work-plans and reports;

• In-depth structured interviews with key partners and other key informants (to be provided by UAF-Africa);

• Focus Group Discussions with key beneficiaries and other stakeholders;

• Observation (field visits using checklists).

Expected Deliverables

The following deliverables are expected:

i. An inception report, outlining the work plan for the evaluation process shall be submitted within five days of commencing the consultancy. The inception report will provide UAF-Africa the opportunity to verify they share an understanding of the evaluation objectives. The inception report should detail the evaluators’ understanding of what is being evaluated and why, showing how each evaluation question will be answered by way of: data sources; and data collection methods. The inception report should include a schedule of tasks, activities and deliverables. The inception report will be discussed and agreed upon with UAF-Africa;

ii. A draft evaluation report in English by 20th August, 2105. UAF-Africa will be responsible for ensuring timely provision of comments within five days of the draft report’s reception from the Fund’s staff and Board;

iii. The final evaluation report shall be submitted five days after receiving comments. The final evaluation report should follow the outline below:

Executive summary (1-2 pages)

Introduction (1 page)

Description of evaluation methodology (1 page)

Situational analysis with regard to objectives, strategies, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts (4-6 pages)

Key findings, including lessons learnt (4 pages)

Conclusions and recommendations for UAF-Africa’s next strategic plan (4 pages)

Appendices (terms of reference, documents reviews, people interviewed, discussions held, etc.).

Required Expertise and Qualifications

The Evaluator (s) shall have the following expertise and qualifications:

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in programme design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation, including the range of monitoring and evaluation frameworks/tools used in social justice fields;

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the field of women’s rights in Africa;

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the field of grant making for women’s rights in Africa;

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in strategic planning in social justice fields;

· A post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline;

· Fluency in English, with working knowledge of French being an added advantage.

Duration of the Evaluation

The evaluation is expected to start in mid-July while ending at the end of August, 2015.

Management Arrangement

The evaluator will report to the UAF-Africa’s Executive Director.

STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTANCY

Terms of Reference

16thJune, 2015

Background

Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa) is an Africa-wide, feminist Fund that fills a rapid response grantmaking niche in the women’s movement. To date, the Fund has supported over 700 initiatives in 48 African countries addressing a wide range of current and emerging issues affecting African women. Through funding in a timely and strategic manner, the Fund has provided stepping stones for feminist activists to take advantage of political openings or hold the line, even in the most volatile of socio-political situations. It has supported feminist movement-building and protected women’s human rights defenders under threat to continue their work in a safe environment. The Fund has also supported the growth of young feminist leadership.

Institutionally, the Fund’s Secretariat is now based in multiple locations, helping expand its reach and imprint. UAF-Africa has presence in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Egypt and Nigeria. This is important given that UAF-Africa’s work requires it to be plugged into developments affecting women’s rights across Africa. Funding urgently and strategically is a 24-hour and 365-day job and the Fund has acquired the expertise and resilience needed to do it.

UAF-Africa’s strategic plan (Fire in the Belly) was designed to provide the organization with a strategic framework for 2012-15. There have been many socio-economic and political changes in the social justice and women’s rights sectors since the crafting of the Fund’s current strategic plan. These changes include growing pushback against women’s rights, dwindling resources for women’s rights organizing at the local and national levels, narrowing of spaces for civil society activism as well as the constant evolving of the global funding architecture. These changes, amongst many others at the global, regional and national levels, place UAF-Africa at a critical crossroads. UAF-Africa is pushing herself to deeply reflect while she revisits her strategic framework, reinvigorates her thinking and provides critical analysis to construct a plausible, practical and visionary strategic blueprint for advancing her vision and mandate within this constantly shifting terrain.

Purpose and Objective

This assignment is geared to ensuring that UAF-Africa develops a strategic plan to match the present and future work context and challenges while achieving her objectives within the framework of her constitutional mandate. The Consultant will assist UAF-Africa in developing a new strategic plan that ensures the Fund is responsive to the needs and expectations of her African constituency of women, girls and trans women across Africa while building on previous milestones in her contribution to the African feminist movement’s strategic aspirations.

Specific Objectives:

· Conduct an in-depth assessment and analysis of UAF-Africa’s internal environment;

· Assess and analyse UAF-Africa’s external environment including through broad stakeholder consultation;

· Synthesise the results and identify strategic opportunities;

· Plan and facilitate a day-long workshop with UAF-Africa’s staff and others to prioritize strategic directions;

· Support UAF-Africa in designing appropriate Theories of Change to best align with identified strategic priorities;

· Draft and finalise UAF-Africa’s strategic plan.

Scope and Focus of the Assignment

The scope and focus of the assignment is to provide technical, strategic and facilitation support to enable the renewal of UAF-Africa’s strategic plan. After an initial document review, the Consultant will develop an analysis framework and work plan to guide the assessment. The Consultant will especially draw on the findings of the Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW) evaluation report to conduct a thorough but focused assessment of UAF-Africa’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and challenges, with a view to identifying appropriate strategic options for 2016-20. The assessment will include a review of relevant documents, in particular UAF-Africa’s vision and mission statements, existing strategic plan, key programme documents as well as inputs from UAF-Africa’s Board meeting of May 2015 to:

i. Plan and facilitate a strategic discussion with the UAF-Africa’s staff (with prior written input from the Board) around past achievements and big picture questions for UAF-Africa’s future direction. They will use the above discussion to produce a draft five-year strategic plan for the Fund as an input for the UAF-Africa Board meeting of November 2015.

ii. The use of participatory processes is expected. Critical reflection by current, past and potential grantees and partners (both cooperating as well as technical) is integral to this strategic planning initiative. As such, the Consultant will be expected to provide for active and meaningful engagement of UAF-Africa’s stakeholders.

iii. It is expected that data will be analysed using a rigorous and transparent analysis framework, summarised and presented back to UAF-Africa to aid in prioritisation of strategic directions. A key aspect of the consultancy is preparation for and facilitation of a one-day strategic planning meeting with UAF-Africa staff and Board. All data and the results of the workshop will be consolidated into a draft and finalised strategic document.

Roles and Responsibilities

UAF-Africa will be responsible for:

· Preparing the terms of reference;

· Selecting, contracting and managing the Consultant;

· Covering the costs of and managing communications and logistics associated with the assessment;

· Actively engaging with the Consultant during the assessment;

· Identifying stakeholders and relevant documents as needed.

The Consultant will be responsible for:

· Preparation of a work plan and an appropriate Assessment Framework;

· Actively engaging with staff, board members and other stakeholders through the use of participatory processes;

· Regular progress reporting to UAF-Africa;

· Production of deliverables in accordance with the requirements and timeframes of the Terms of Reference.

Expected Deliverables

The following deliverables are expected:

· An inception report, outlining the work plan for the strategic planning process shall be submitted within three days of commencing the consultancy. The inception report will provide UAF-Africa the opportunity to verify they share an understanding of the strategic planning objectives. The inception report should detail the Consultant’s understanding of what is being planned and why, showing how each strategic planning stage will be executed. The inception report should include a schedule of tasks, activities and deliverables. The inception report will be discussed and agreed upon with UAF-Africa;

· An Analysis Framework based on these Terms of Reference;

· A strategic plan workshop agenda and facilitation plan including the workshop for UAF-Africa team and subsequent strategic planning meeting with the Board;

· A draft strategic plan document by mid-November including: Executive summary; Background; Internal and External analysis; Strategic priorities; means of assessing progress made in the attainment of these strategic priorities (using Theory of Change and/or similar methodology), to be reviewed by UAF-Africa’s Board and staff;

· UAF-Africa will be responsible for ensuring timely provision of comments to the draft strategic plan within five days of the draft report’s reception from the Consultant;

· A final strategic plan by end of December 2015.

Required Expertise and Qualifications

The Consultant shall have the following expertise and qualifications:

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in strategic planning in social justice fields, experience in organisational and change management an advantage;

· Demonstrated knowledge and experience in working with participatory approaches in conducting assessments and facilitating strategic planning processes;

· Demonstrated expertise in working with the Theory of Change approach;

· Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the field of women’s rights in Africa;

· Demonstrated knowledge of and exposure to philanthropy or having worked with groups that rely on external grants for women’s rights in Africa;

· Highly motivated and committed to feminist values and principles;

· A post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline;

· Fluency in English, with working knowledge of French being an added advantage.

Duration of the Evaluation

The strategic planning consultancy is expected to start at the beginning of September and must be completed by end of December 2015.

Management Arrangement

The Consultant will report to UAF-Africa’s Executive Director.

HOW TO APPLY:

Application Process

Applications for FLOW Evaluation and Strategic Planning (in English) must be sent by email to;jobs@urgentactionfund-africa.or.ke by 5 pm EAT on Tuesday 30th June, 2015. Applications must contain the following elements: A cover letter outlining motivation and summarizing relevant experience • Curriculum Vitae with full description of the applicant’s profile and experience • Lump Sum Fee • Contact details for at least two independent referees with in-depth and proven knowledge of the applicant’s expertise and relevant work experience