Terms of Reference (ToR) 

Consultancy to Develop a Training Module for CSOs, CBOs, and Local Businesses on Advocacy and Key Capacity Gaps

1. Background 

The Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) Project aims to improve nutrition and reduce poverty among vulnerable urban populations in low- and middle-income countries. NICE works in Bangladesh, Kenya, Rwanda, and Senegal and is implemented by a Swiss public-private consortium consisting of Swiss TPH, Sight and Life, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (SAF),ETH Zürich (Sustainable Agroecosystems Group), and the Enterprise for Society (E4S) Centre at University of Lausanne. NICE is sponsored by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In Rwanda, Sight and Life and Swiss TPH are co-implementing NICE in Rubavu and Rusizi District.

In partnership with national and local actors, NICE promotes agroecological practices, healthier diets, and multi-sectoral collaboration to holistically transform local food systems. Civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), cooperatives, and local businesses play a key role in strengthening and transforming urban food systems and to ensure sustainable, nutritious, and affordable food are available, accessible, and affordable even for vulnerable city populations. Besides concrete production and distribution, CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses particularly also play a crucial role in advocating for food system transformation, although structured capacity in these rather soft skills are often underdeveloped. 

Addressing gaps in advocacy, fundraising, and organizational development through tailored capacity-building is essential to improve their impact.

2. Objectives of the Consultancy 

The consultancy seeks to strengthen CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses as strong and organized drivers of food system transformation in Rubavu and Rusizi through a comprehensive, tailored, co-designed and validated capacity-building module on advocacy and fundraising that: 

• Identifies and addresses key capacity gaps and priorities in advocacy and fundraising for sustainable food system transformation in Rubavu and Rusizi. 
• Enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses. 
• Strengthens joint advocacy and fundraising efforts and respective successes of local CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses enabling them to actively influence food systems policies and strengthen their role in sustainable local development.

3. Methodological Approach 

The consultancy will apply a participatory, iterative, and evidence-based methodology to ensure the module is contextually relevant and responsive to the needs of CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses active in Ribadu’s and Rusizi’s food system while aligning with the objectives of the NICE Project. The approach will include: 

1. Inception and Planning

The consultant will conduct a desk review of relevant NICE Project documents and related literature, followed by the preparation of an inception report outlining the proposed methodology, tools, and work plan as well as the proposed structure of the final module (e.g. practical booklet for self-learning, workshop package for a wholeday, half-day workshop, package for a series of “training sessions” that the group is working on during their regular meetings etc.). After discussion, this will serve as the guiding framework for the assignment. 

2. Capacity Needs Assessment

Through a consultative meeting with selected local stakeholders (selected based on recommendation discussions between the NICE project, Rubavu/Rusizi district, and the consultant), the consultant will conduct a rapid assessment to identify local food system advocacy priorities, priority capacity gaps in advocacy and fundraising, in the local food system and the favored structure of a respective module addressing these gaps (see suggestions under 1). 

3. Development of the Training Module

Based on the assessment findings, the consultant will design a tailored and practical training module. The module will incorporate interactive methodologies, case studies, and tools relevant to the operational realities of CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses. It will also be aligned with NICE Project objectives and will contain all the relevant supporting documents, such as check-lists, material lists, time estimation, dissemination strategy etc.. 

4. Validation and Refinement

The draft module will be presented during a validation workshop with representatives from CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses. Feedback will be systematically collected and integrated to ensure the module is contextually appropriate, practical, and widely owned by stakeholders. 

5. Finalization and Reporting

The consultant will finalize the training module in both user-friendly and editable formats and produce a short report summarizing the process, key findings from the consultations, and recommendations for implementation and follow-up capacity strengthening. 

4. Scope of Work 

The consultant will be expected to: 

1. Conduct a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders (e.g., ADECOR, PSF, CSOs, CBOs, local businesses) to identify priority capacity needs. 

2. Develop a tailored training module addressing capacity gaps in: 

o Advocacy and policy engagement o Fundraising and Resources Mobilisation for food system stakeholders.

3. Facilitate a validation workshop with CSOs, CBOs, and local business representatives to review and refine the module for contextual relevance. 

4. Produce final deliverables, including the training module and a brief report summarizing the process and recommendations for implementation.

5. Deliverables 

• Inception report with proposed methodology, proposed module structure, and workplan. 
• A short (5 pages max) narrative report incorporating existing and missing food system advocacy priorities in Rubavu and Rusizi’s food system, and key criteria for a respective module addressing these gaps (structure of this module and respective dissemination) generated during the consultative meeting with CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses representatives. 
• Draft training module, incorporating stakeholder inputs. 
• Validation workshop report with consolidated feedback. 
• Finalized training module, ready for use by implementing partners and/or the CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses themselves to build as well as to share widely with other groups and institutions, thus containing check-lists, materials lists, time estimations etc... 

6. Duration and Timeline 

The consultancy is expected to take from December to March 2026 with the following tentative timelines:

• Last week of November 2025: Selection of the consultant 
• First week of December 2025: Drafting & submission of the Inception report (5days)
• Third week of December 2025: Stakeholders consultation in both cities and submission of the needs assessment reports from both districts. (Rubavu and Rusizi districts) (10days)
• Second week of January 2026: Drafting and Submission of a draft module & report documenting the process. (10days)
• First week of February 2026: Validation workshop with representatives of CSOs, CBOs, and local businesses (10days)
• First week of March 2026: Draft and submission of the final module submission( In Kinyarwanda and English)& report documenting the recommendations and lesson learnt (5 days)
  Total days:40 days

7. Qualifications and Experience

The consultant should possess:

• At least five years of experience in advocacy and fundraising roles, 
• Proven experience in working with CSOs, CBOs, and/or private sector actors and developing training curricula or modules for them. 
• Experience in facilitating participatory consultations and validation processes. 
• Excellent writing and communication skills in Kinyarwanda and English. 
• Experience of working outside of Kigali. 
• Experience of working in the food system is an asset. 

8. Management and Coordination 

The consultant will work under the guidance of the NICE Project team in collaboration with local implementing partners. The consultant will report directly to the Public Health Project Manager at the Swiss Tropical Public Health Institute. 

9. Application Process 

Interested consultants/consulting firms should submit to clementine.tumukunde@swisstph.ch  and
copy jocelyne.Ingabire@swisstph.ch  and the following documents:

• A technical proposal outlining their understanding of the assignment, methodology, and timeline. 
• A financial proposal (budget). 
• Relevant CV(s), two references, and examples of previous similar work. 

The application deadline is 5:00 PM (CoB) on November 21, 2025. Late submissions will be automatically disqualified.