Terms of Reference
CSO progress monitoring methodology study within the programme Together for People and Planet (TOPP)

WWF Sweden is procuring a consultant/s to support us in the development of an enhanced global level CSO progress monitoring methodology and global key performance indicators (KPIs) within the program Together for People and Planet (ToPP). WWF is inviting you to submit a tender for the assignment described in this ToR. Applications should be submitted no later than 31 October 2025. Please submit your tender to tender@wwf.se For questions, please contact Linda Wallin, PMEL advisor, at linda.wallin@wwf.se or + 46 76 1817 270 or Märta Jacobson, Advisor for civil society, at marta.jacobson@wwf.se, or + 46 704641564.

1. Background

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is the world’s leading global conservation organization, active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. From the grassroots to the international level, WWF works with civil society, governments, and the private sector to promote sustainable development that benefits both people and nature.

WWF Sweden, together with partner WWF offices and civil society organizations (CSOs) in 13 countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, is launching a new programme – Together for People and Planet (ToPP) – running from 1 October 2025 to 30 December 2028. The programme has a total budget of 325 million SEK and is funded by Sida under the Swedish Strategy for Civil Society. ToPP builds on its predecessors, Leading the Change 1 (2018–2023) and Leading the Change 2 (2023–2025).
The ToPP programme consists of 13 sub-programmes, each with its own Theory of Change and results framework, while also aligning with the broader global framework. CSO strengthening lies at the centre of ToPP, as CSOs are considered the key drivers of change. Strong local ownership and equitable partnerships are core principles guiding all programme approaches.

CSOs will receive support through three modalities: project, programme, and core support. Core and programme support are relatively new modalities within this programme and will be scaled up under ToPP. Compared with its predecessors, ToPP will increase financial transfers to CSOs while also introducing measures to further strengthen local ownership and programme delivery.

The vision of ToPP is a world with rich biodiversity and resilient ecosystems where people equitably enjoy their right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, driven by a vibrant and pluralistic civil society for just and inclusive development.

ToPP has six global outcomes*:

• 1. CSOs effectively influence and drive change in rights-based inclusive conservation and demonstrate organizational maturity, effectiveness and resilience.
  2. CSOs demonstrate enhanced capacity and resilience in navigating, coping and expanding civic space and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.
  3. Duty bearers from local to national level legislate and implement laws, policies and regulations for an effective climate and environmental governance, encompassing inclusive and rights- based conservation.
  4. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities effectively lead, sustain and develop rights-based natural resource management in targeted areas.
  5. CSOs with partners demonstrate strengthened collaboration, improving market access and value chains, creating more opportunities for sustainable livelihoods while promoting practical innovations for an environmental and human rights economy.
  6. The role of women and underrepresented groups in environmental and climate governance is effectively strengthened, and their enhanced participation and leadership in conservation efforts and NRM decision-making processes ensure their equal opportunities to influence policy and benefit equitably from natural resources.

Of the above, the first two outcomes will focus on monitoring CSO’s capacities.

At the global level, monitoring of CSO progress will focus on three main dimensions:

• Organizational progress of CSOs in terms of maturity, effectiveness and resilience
• Programmatic progress in advancing inclusive, rights-based conservation
• Capacity of CSOs in coping, navigating and expanding civic space

Under Leading the Change, CSO development monitoring varied across sub-programmes, with several applying WWF-developed CSO capacity assessment tools (or adapted versions). However, inconsistent use of tools limited comparability and hindered global-level assessment, particularly regarding organizational progress. In addition, monitoring CSOs’ capacity in addressing civic space is a new feature in ToPP.

There is now a clear need to:

• Establish a more coherent and effective global monitoring methodology for CSO’s organizational development and for monitoring capacity in addressing civic space.
• Define a limited number of global KPIs on CSO organizational development and, possibly also capacity in addressing civic space.
• Ensure that monitoring methodologies promotes and respect local ownership and equitable partnerships.
• Enable stronger and more consistent communication of global results.

*The outcomes are clustered into five change areas in the programme’s global ToC: 1) CSO capacity and resilience 2) civic space 3) Environmental governance 4) Transforming economies 3) Gender and social inclusion

2. Purpose and objectives of the assignment

Purpose
The consultancy will support the WWF ToPP team in developing a strengthened and coherent CSO progress monitoring methodology, along with a limited set of global KPIs on organizational development. The goal is to provide a unified framework for global reporting and communication of CSO progress, while safeguarding flexibility, local ownership, and equitable partnerships.

Objectives
The consultant is expected to:
a) Briefly review existing tools and approaches used by WWF offices and partners under ToPP (and previously LtC) to assess CSO organizational development.
b) Analyze strengths, weaknesses, and variations in how these tools are applied across countries and assess their implications for comparability and global reporting.
c) Design and propose an enhanced CSO organizational progress monitoring methodology that ensures coherence and credibility at the global level, while being adaptable to diverse contexts and reinforcing local ownership.
d) Define a concise set of global KPIs for CSO organizational development and possibly also for addressing CSO capacity on civic space that are measurable, practical, and aligned with programme objectives and support modalities (project, programme, and core).
e) Propose a clear categorization framework and database structure for systematizing data on CSO partners, enabling aggregation, comparability, and effective communication of global results.

The focus of the study should be on the future, i.e. on objectives c, d and e.

3. Methodology and organization of the assignment

The consultant is expected to carry out the assignment through desk reviews of existing CSO assessment tools, results frameworks, MEL plans (from LtC and ToPP), and WWF partnership and programme support principles and guidance. It is also expected to include surveys with relevant WWF offices and possibly selected CSO partners and interviews with key stakeholders (WWF staff and CSO representatives). A draft report with preliminary findings should be presented to the hiring team and ideally a meeting/learning workshop to validate findings before a final report is submitted with refined proposals for section 2 c, d and e. The consultant shall specify the methodology in the inception period and in consultation with the WWF hiring team.

It is expected that this assignment will be conducted in close dialogue and collaboration with a core team at WWF Sweden led by the PMEL advisor. A reference group consisting of the WWF Sweden and select programme partners will have advisory role in the process. Approval of the inception report will be done by Head of the ToPP programme while the final report should be approved by the Director of Governance WWF Sweden.

4.Deliverables

• • A brief Inception report: refined methodology, detailed workplan, and timeline.
  • Data collection outputs: surveys and interviews.
  • Draft report with findings and preliminary proposals.
  • Learning workshop to discuss and validate draft findings.
  • Final report with proposed monitoring methodology, KPIs, and categorization/database structure.

All presentations and reports are to be submitted in English in accordance with the deadlines to be specified and agreed on. WWF retains the sole rights with respect to all distribution, dissemination and publication of the mapping and study deliverables.

5. Timeframe and budget

The assignment is expected to start as soon as possible in November 2025.
The assignment will begin with an inception period during which a work plan will be elaborated and agreed upon between the consultant and WWF Sweden. During the inception phase the extent of the study, learning workshop, the roles and the support needed, will be discussed, and agreed upon.
An indicative budget for the assignment is maximum 200 000 SEK including VAT.
Deadlines for submission of the final report will be no later than January 16h 2026. Other deadlines and timing of the workshop will be determined during the inception phase in collaboration between the consultant and WWF Sweden.
The study will not include any travels to any of the programmer countries.

6. Qualifications

The Consultant/s should have the following qualifications:

• • Extensive experience from working with partnerships with civil society, organizational development, and institutional capacity strengthening
  • Extensive experience and documented expertise in monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) with regards to civil society, preferably in relation to development cooperation contexts.
  • Solid knowledge and experience of working with the issue of civic space.
  • Strong research/evaluation skills including designing surveys and experience from data collection and data analysis.
  • Strong ability to conduct qualitative interviews as part of assignments.
  • Good communication and documented facilitation skills.
  • Experience from work in development cooperation and countries in Africa and Southeast Asia and/or South America.
  • Proficient in English – French and/or Portuguese is a merit.

If a team of consultants is suggested it is important that the competencies of the individual team members are complimentary. It is recommended that local consultants are included in the team if appropriate.

7.Tender outline and content

The tender should include:

• 1. The consultant’s profile, experience, and competence relevant for the assignment (max 2 pages)
  2. Proposed approach, methodology and tentative workplan for the assignment, including comments on the ToR (max 3 pages).
  3. Presentation of how quality assurance will be handled by the tenderer during the assignment.
  4. Financial proposal presenting daily rate and days of input into the assignment by the consultant/s and the consultant’s total fees including VAT. Specify the cost in SEK, including all costs for workdays and any other costs related to the consultancy. The consultant will be responsible for paying own taxes related to this contract.
  5. CVs of the consultant/s.

WWF will acknowledge receipt of all tenders received within the deadline.

8.Tender Evaluation Process

WWF Sweden will review all tenders received based on the desirable qualifications, relevance of proposed approach to the assignment, the CV/s, and comments on the assignment. The 2-3 strongest tenderers will be invited to discuss the assignment further and if agreeable negotiate a contract.

The proposals will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• • Competence – Knowledge/experience in relation to the qualifications required in the ToR.
  • Quality of proposal – The tenderer’s understanding of the assignment, the relevance and feasibility of the approach and methodology proposed.
  • Availability – The tenderer’s ability to meet the timeframe in the ToR.
  • Budget- value for money.

9.Application

Applications should be sent to tender@wwf.se no later than 31 October 2025
For questions, please contact PMEL advisor at linda.wallin@wwf.se or + 46 76 1817 270 or Märta Jacobson, Advisor for civil society at marta.jacobson@wwf.se, or + 46 704641564