Terms of reference Robert Carr Fund Strategic Planning Process 2025 – 2030

Introduction

The Robert Carr Fund (RCF) is the world’s leading international fund focused on funding regional and global networks led by and involving and serving inadequately served populations (ISPs).

As a cooperative effort of donors and civil society, the Robert Carr Fund is structured to maximize participation, empowerment, equity, transparency and accountability in our fundraising and grant making.

The Robert Carr Fund works to mobilize and deliver core and strategic funding for regional and global networks to achieve four outcomes:

• Protecting and promoting human rights
• Improving access to HIV services
• Mobilizing and monitoring national and international funding for human rights and health
• Building capacity of civil society and community networks

Our goal: Improved health, inclusion and wellbeing for inadequately served populations (ISPs).

Aidsfonds (NL) has served as the Robert Carr Fund's Fund Management Agent (FMA) since 2012. The FMA provides supportive administrative services to the Fund, including entering into contractual agreements with grantees and donors, supporting financial management and reporting, supporting financial due diligence and prevention of corruption, fraud and mismanagement, supporting the Secretariat with office and communications infrastructure, and supporting the Secretariat staff with employee and human resources services and promotion of a healthy, safe and supportive work environment.

2020 – 2024 strategic plan

In 2019, RCF launched a participatory process to develop its 2020-2024 strategic plan.

Reflecting the Fund’s inclusive, participatory nature and values, the strategy process involved an extensive consultation with civil society members, grantees, members of the RCF International Steering Committee and Program Advisory Panel. Overall, over 255 stakeholders provided input into the strategy via an open survey, in-depth interviews, and during an in-person consultation.

The resulting strategy prioritizes fostering a culture of learning and nurturing partnerships that benefit ISPs. Rooted in these two principles, it focuses on three strategic priorities:

• Movement leadership
• Financial health and resilience
• Innovation and creativity

To realize its commitment to these priorities, the Fund will leverage its own influence in two primary ways:

• Dialogue with funders to promote resource availability and accountability.
• Investment in stronger institutional and advocacy capacity and sustainability of civil society networks to achieve results for ISPs.

2025 - 2030 Strategic Plan

The fund now seeks external support to develop a new strategic plan for 2025 – 2030. The external consultant is tasked with supporting the development of this plan utilizing participatory and inclusive methods. The consultant will report to the Fund Director and Chairs of the International Steering Committee, working in close collaboration with the ISC fundraising and governance subcommittee. The plan should reflect the Fund’s mission and vision and should ensure input from key stakeholders including the International Steering Committee, Program Advisory Panel, RCF grantees, wider civil society networks, Secretariat and FMA staff.

The final strategic plan should be accessible to a wide audience of key stakeholders including current and potential donors.

Role and deliverables of the consultant

To meet the above-mentioned objectives, RCF will expect the selected consultant(s) to:

• Utilizing a participatory methodology, conduct a review of RCF’s recent results and evaluations to synthesize key recommendations. Interview key stakeholders and conduct desk review to develop a context analysis.
  1. Deliverable: An inception report outlining:
     1. the consultant’s findings from their preliminary review of documents
     2. the proposed plan and methodology (list of interviewees and questions) for a participatory and inclusive consultative process; detailed timeline of work and deliverables.

• Facilitate participatory strategic development workshops and online/offline tools to surface key themes to shape strategic priorities for 2025 – 2033
  1. Deliverable: A final consultation report (max 10 pages), that includes:
     1. feedback from stakeholders about RCF
     2. context analysis findings

• short concise analysis of previous evaluations and recommendations).

1. Deliverable: Facilitated discussions of the findings with the International Steering Committee.

• Develop final strategic plan for approval by International Steering Committee.
  1. Deliverable: A facilitated workshop of the International Steering Committee to agree key strategic priorities,
  2. Deliverable: Finalize and produce a written strategic plan for final approval by the Committee in November 2023.

Sources for Strategic planning process

Documents:

• 2018 Request for Proposals (RFP), including its evaluation
• 2021 Request for Proposals, including its evaluation
• 2019 – 2021 grantmaking evaluation
• 2020 – 2024 Strategic Plan
• 2019, 2020, and 2021 RCF annual reports
• Strategic Opportunity Funding (SOF) final report
• Previous relevant evaluations
• FMA strategy 2022-2025
• Other identified relevant documents

Stakeholders:

• Networks granted funding in the 2019 – 2021 Grant Cycle
• Networks granted funding in the 2022 – 2024 Grant Cycle
• RCF’s Programmatic Advisory Panel
• RCF’s International Steering Committee
• RCF’s Fund Management Agent
• RCF’s Secretariat Fund Management Agent
• Wider civil society and community led networks
• Other identified relevant stakeholders (i.e. prioritized potential new donors)

Timeline

April 3rd: consultants selected

April: Review process and context analysis completed.

April 25th: Results presented to ISC governance and fundraising subcommittee. Subcommittee approves next steps.

May – June: Consultative process.

June 12th – 14th: Face to face workshop of the International Steering Committee in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

June – October: Strategic plan drafted and finalized.

November: Strategic plan approved by ISC.

Proposals from Consultant(s)

Expression of Interest submissions should be received by the RCF Secretariat no later than March 29th. The submission should show an understanding of the Terms of Reference and should consist of the following in separate documents:

• Motivational pitch letter (1-page)
• Brief work plan of suggested (participatory) methodology and a linked budget with a timeline envisioning a maximum of 40 days of work (1-page each or 2-page combined)
• Curriculum Vitae of consultant(s)

Any questions and expression of interest submissions should be directed to secretariat@robertcarrfund.org with the subject line “Expression of Interest for the RCF Strategic Planning Process 2025 - 2030”.