JOB DESCRIPTION

Consultant – Resource Mobilization (CSGs)

Role Purpose

VSO Pakistan is implementing the ACTIVE Project, which focuses on strengthening of capacities of Civil Society organizations to promote inclusive, locally led development and active citizenship. The Consultant will design and deliver a needs-based, hands-on Resource Mobilization training programme for grassroot organizations in Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), building their capacity in proposal development, proposal budgeting, stakeholder and donor mapping, and donor engagement, so that each CSG becomes better equipped to independently identify, pursue, and secure funding for its development priorities.

The consultancy is structured around learning-by-doing: every training module is paired with practical application, culminating in each CSG producing a donor-ready funding proposal in one of the major donor templates i.e. European Union etc.

Key Responsibilities

1. Needs Assessment & Training Design

• Conduct a rapid resource mobilization capacity/needs assessment for each of the six CSGs to identify existing gaps in fundraising knowledge, systems, and experience.

• Design a tailored, modular training curriculum responsive to CSG needs, context, and sector focus (e.g., climate resilience, inclusive leadership, public service accountability).

• Develop practical toolkits, and templates.

2. Proposal Development Training

• Deliver hands-on training on the full proposal development cycle: problem analysis, theory of change, results framework/logframe development, SMART objectives and indicators, activity planning, risk analysis, and sustainability planning.

• Coach CSGs on tailoring proposals to different donor formats and requirements (bilateral/multilateral donors, INGOs, foundations, corporate/private sector, crowdfunding platforms).

• Train CSGs on strong narrative and storytelling techniques to communicate impact, evidence, and community voice persuasively in written proposals.

3. Budgeting & Financial Planning for Proposals

• Train CSGs on developing realistic, activity-based project budgets, including direct and indirect/overhead costs, unit costing, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

• Coach CSGs on writing clear budget narratives/justifications that align with donor templates, cost norms, and compliance requirements.

• Build CSG understanding of multi-year and multi-donor budgeting, co-financing/cost-sharing arrangements, and currency/inflation considerations.

4. Stakeholder & Donor Mapping

• Train CSGs on stakeholder mapping methodologies (power/interest matrices, influence-impact mapping) to identify key stakeholders, potential partners, and champions relevant to their development priorities.

• Facilitate donor mapping and landscape analysis, equipping CSGs to research and profile potential donors — including traditional donors, private sector/corporate foundations, philanthropies, diaspora giving, and local philanthropic actors — and to match funding opportunities to their programmatic priorities.

• Train CSGs to track and monitor donor calls, funding windows, and application deadlines using simple, sustainable tools (e.g., shared trackers/calendars).

• Train CSGs on proactively mapping of funding landscape and identifying opportunities of fund raising.

5. Donor Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build CSG capacity in donor engagement skills: crafting compelling pitches/elevator statements, effective donor communication, networking etiquette, and relationship management.

• Coach CSGs on pre-proposal engagement approaches such as expressions of interest, concept notes, and donor meetings.

• Organize and facilitate a donor fair/networking event connecting CSGs directly with a diverse range of donors, including non-traditional ones (private sector, corporate social responsibility teams, and philanthropic actors), to build first-hand relationships.

6. Resource Mobilization Strategy

• Support CSGs to develop or refine resource mobilization strategies that go beyond grant funding, introducing diversified income streams such as membership fees, social enterprise/earned income models, local fundraising events, individual giving, and crowdfunding.

• Introduce CSGs to basic grants management and donor compliance practices (reporting requirements, financial tracking, audit-readiness) to strengthen their credibility with donors post-award.

• Orient CSGs on partnership structuring, including consortium-building, MOUs, and sub-granting arrangements, to strengthen joint fundraising potential.

7. Hands-On Proposal Development Support & Quality Assurance

• Provide direct mentoring and coaching to each CSG throughout the training period and post training period as they draft their proposals, ensuring the learning is applied in real time rather than only taught theoretically.

• Review and quality-assure each CSG's draft proposal against donor standards and VSO quality benchmarks, providing structured feedback for revision.

• Ensure that, by the end of the training programme, each of the six CSGs produces one complete, donor-ready funding proposal (a total of 6 donor-ready proposals) that reflects the CSG's own development priorities and could realistically be submitted to a donor.

8. Monitoring, Feedback & Continuous Learning

• Establish simple pre- and post-training assessments to measure CSGs' growth in resource mobilization knowledge and confidence.

• Facilitate peer-learning exchanges among CSGs to share proposal drafts, donor intelligence, and lessons learned.

• Document good practices, case studies, and lessons from the training process to inform future VSO resource mobilization capacity-building initiatives.

Expected Deliverables

• Inception Report

• Resource mobilization capacity/needs assessment report (per CSG)

• Tailored training curriculum, toolkits, and templates (proposal, budget, stakeholder/donor mapping)

• Training sessions delivered and training reports (attendance, content, feedback, pre/post assessment results)

• Stakeholder and donor mapping outputs for each CSG

• CSG resource mobilization strategies

• Six (6) donor-ready funding proposals — one produced by each CSG by the end of the training programme

• Final consultancy report, including lessons learned and recommendations for future resource mobilization capacity building

Qualifications & Experience

• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering resource mobilization/fundraising training, ideally for grassroots CSOs or community-based organizations.

• Strong track record in proposal writing and successful fundraising, including donor mapping, budget development, and donor relationship management.

• Familiarity with a wide range of funding sources — institutional donors, private sector/CSR, philanthropies, crowdfunding, and diaspora/individual giving.

• Skilled in participatory, adult-learning facilitation methods; able to coach and mentor CSGs through hands-on application rather than theory alone.

• Understanding of civil society's role in locally led development, equitable partnership, and sustainability.

• Strong networking and relationship-building skills, with the ability to broker introductions between CSGs and donors.

Reporting Line

Project Implementation Lead – ACTIVE Project, VSO Pakistan