CIVICUS, a leading global civil society alliance, is seeking an experienced consultant or consultancy team to lead the design of a sustainable global learning and collaboration framework for its WeRise Global Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (FoPA) initiative. The consultancy offers an opportunity for professionals with expertise in community building, organisational learning, participatory design, and movement strengthening to contribute to one of the world’s largest civil society networks.

The consultancy aims to transform the existing WeRise network into a movement-owned global community that fosters long-term collaboration, shared learning, solidarity, and collective action beyond traditional grant-making relationships.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) must be submitted by 5 August 2026.

About CIVICUS

CIVICUS is a global alliance dedicated to defending people power and strengthening civil society worldwide. The organisation brings together more than 17,000 members across over 180 countries, working collectively to protect civic freedoms, promote citizen participation, and support more accountable, innovative, and inclusive civil society organisations.

The alliance places particular emphasis on amplifying voices from the Global South while advocating for democratic participation, human rights, and social justice.

Consultancy Background

Grassroots movements around the world continue to defend the right to peaceful assembly despite increasing restrictions on civic space, political repression, and complex operating environments.

Through two successful WeRise programme cohorts, CIVICUS has supported 32 grassroots organisations and movement collectives through grant funding, innovation initiatives, learning exchanges, and solidarity-building activities.

As the current funding cycle comes to an end, CIVICUS is working to preserve the relationships, knowledge, and collaborative networks established through the programme by creating the WeRise Global FoPA Solidarity Infrastructure.

The consultancy will play a central role in designing this long-term community model, ensuring it is owned and driven by participating movements rather than external funding mechanisms.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The selected consultant will design and facilitate a participatory learning and co-creation process that supports the establishment of a sustainable, partner-owned WeRise Global Community.

The assignment will focus on building structures that strengthen collaboration, shared governance, collective learning, and long-term solidarity among grassroots organisations worldwide.

Consultancy Objectives

The successful consultant will be expected to:

• Assess existing relationships, strengths, learning needs, and expectations across the WeRise network.

• Co-design the future vision, governance structure, and value proposition of the WeRise Community.

• Develop recommendations for services, collaboration mechanisms, and solidarity infrastructure.

• Produce a practical implementation roadmap for launching and sustaining the global community.

Scope of Work

The consultancy involves leading a comprehensive participatory design process through several key workstreams.

Community Discovery and Ecosystem Assessment

Responsibilities include:

• Assessing member relationships and collaboration opportunities.

• Identifying strengths, aspirations, and learning priorities across the network.

• Designing an effective methodology for gathering community insights.

Community Listening and Consultation

The consultant will:

• Facilitate an inclusive consultation process.

• Capture diverse perspectives from members across different countries.

• Promote meaningful participation and equitable representation.

• Identify priorities for the future community.

Co-creation of the WeRise Community Model

The consultancy will facilitate collaborative processes to define:

• Community purpose.

• Identity and guiding principles.

• Governance structures.

• Ways of working.

The approach should strengthen member ownership and establish the foundation for a sustainable movement-led network.

Community Value Proposition

Working closely with members, the consultant will identify:

• Priority services.

• Collaboration opportunities.

• Mutual support mechanisms.

• Collective action strategies.

Recommendations should reflect the needs and priorities of participating grassroots organisations.

Community Engagement Framework

The consultant will also develop recommendations that promote:

• Long-term participation.

• Leadership development.

• Knowledge sharing.

• Continuous learning.

• Shared stewardship across the network.

Implementation Roadmap

The assignment concludes with the development of a strategic roadmap outlining:

• Implementation phases.

• Governance recommendations.

• Key milestones.

• Community sustainability strategies.

Expected Deliverables

The consultancy will produce the following outputs:

• Inception Report.

• Community Assessment Report.

• WeRise Community Design Framework.

• Implementation Roadmap.

• Final Consultancy Report.

Required Qualifications

CIVICUS is seeking consultants who demonstrate substantial expertise in community and movement development.

Applicants should possess:

• Extensive experience in movement building, community organising, or network facilitation.

• Expertise in participatory learning and organisational learning.

• Experience designing Communities of Practice or collaborative networks.

• Strong understanding of civic space, social movements, and human rights ecosystems.

• Proven experience facilitating multicultural and multi-country engagements.

• Excellent qualitative research, analytical, and report-writing skills.

Experience in the following areas will be considered an added advantage:

• Human-centred design.

• Systems thinking.

• Participatory design methodologies.

Application Requirements

Interested consultants or consultancy teams should submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via email.

Applications must include:

• A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV).

• A cover letter of no more than two pages outlining relevant experience, qualifications, and the proposed approach to the consultancy.

• A proposed consultancy budget.

Applicants should use the subject line:

EOI – External Learning and Community Design Consultancy

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest is:

5 August 2026

Professionals with expertise in civil society strengthening, participatory design, community facilitation, organisational learning, and movement building are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to contribute to a globally significant initiative that seeks to strengthen civic participation and grassroots collaboration across diverse regions.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.

CIVICUS Invites Applications for External Learning and Community Design Consultancy to Strengthen Global WeRise Movement – Apply By 5 August 2026 ·Unknown