Consultant - Sourcing

Summary

World Resources Institute (WRI) is seeking up to 6 individual consultants with expertise in restoration and biodiversity to identify and engage with locally led organizations in need of funding within the Greater Rift Valley of Kenya; the Lake Kivu & Rusizi River Basin of Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda; and the Ghana Cocoa Belt. As part of the sourcing team for WRI’s flagship TerraFund financing program, you will play a key role in assisting and vetting organizations that are applying for funding between January and July 2025.

About the Program

WRI’s Restoration Initiative informs, enables, and invests in people that restore degraded land. The team’s flagship investment program for locally led enterprises and community non-profits, TerraFund, currently finances, trains, and monitors 200+ projects across Africa. It focuses on deploying grants, low-interest loans, and equity finance to organizations in three target landscapes: the Lake Kivu & Rusizi River Basin in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda; the Greater Rift Valley of Kenya; and the Ghana Cocoa Belt.

These portfolios for funding and capacity building are built through the TerraMatch platform, an end-to-end system that hosts open calls for proposals, connects champions with technical assistance, and tracks the progress of funded projects through a standard monitoring, reporting, and verification protocol.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

In 2025, TerraFund is deepening its commitment to investment in locally led land restoration champions by proactively sourcing and financing up to 100 additional projects with grants, loans, and equity investments in the three target landscapes mentioned above.

These projects will focus on improving biodiversity and aim to connect the most important forests and conservation areas of each landscape through tree-based restoration projects that bring benefits to people, nature, and climate. To assist TerraFund and its partners in uncovering the most impactful organizations working at the intersection of biodiversity and restoration, WRI is seeking up to 6 individual consultants in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana to identify and co-create project proposals with locally led organizations within these target landscapes and prepare them for funding through the TerraMatch system.

As part of the core sourcing team at WRI, you will also play a key role vetting proposals submitted by other local organizations and preparing final proposals and budgets for approval from TerraFund’s financial intermediary partners.

You will be based within the country from which you will source projects and engage champions. You are an individual, not a representative of a consulting company or service. You are available to work 40 hours per week between January 6, 2025 and July 5, 2025.

Sourcing Project Proposals (70%)

• Identify organizations (NGOs, enterprises, community-based organizations, research institutions, cooperatives, etc.) that implement biodiversity-focused restoration projects within the target landscape.
• In collaboration with the WRI TerraMatch team, create a detailed database of potential partners, including project descriptions, operational regions, and areas of expertise.
• Evaluate the alignment of these organizations with WRI's core restoration goals and propose a list of organizations eligible to apply for TerraFund.
• Initiate contact and build relationships with identified organizations and other partners, once approved.
• Provide hands-on support for selected organizations in submitting high-quality proposals through the WRI TerraMatch portal.
• Negotiate final budgets and assist in completing contracts between funded organizations and TerraFund’s financial intermediary partners.

  Proposal Review (30%)

  • In collaboration with the larger sourcing team, conduct a thorough review of project proposals to assess their alignment with funding objectives and analyze the projected impact of the projects on local communities and ecosystems.
  • Verify that projects meet predetermined criteria by reviewing the completeness and accuracy of submitted documents.
  • Provide constructive feedback to project applicants on areas for improvement.
  • Conduct site visits (if necessary) to verify project locations, local engagement, and ground realities.
  • Summarize proposals into clear, evidence-based recommendations to the TerraFund project selection committee, who will approve or reject proposals.

    Duration & Terms:

    • The consultancy is expected to last 6 months, starting on January 6, 2025 and concluding on July 5, 2025.
    • Specific timelines for deliverables will be agreed upon with the selected consultant.
      • You will be paid a standard monthly rate for the hours that you have worked that month. You will submit an invoice directly to WRI at a pre-determined date.

        Consultant Qualifications

        • A bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Economics, Finance, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or a related discipline.
          • At least 5 years of experience in restoration and biodiversity projects.
            • Demonstrated success in securing partnerships or fundraising within the environmental sector.
            • Excellent communication, analytical, and networking abilities.
            • Proven experience in conveying technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
            • Knowledge of international funding mechanisms and grant processes.
            • Experience in engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including government, NGOs, and the private sector.
            • Ability and willingness to travel