Consultant to conduct final evaluation

OPEN POSITION: Consultant to conduct a final evaluation of the CORE Group Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) Small Grants Project in Cambodia, Nepal, and Bangladesh

REPORTS TO: Project Manager, Small Grants Project

CONSULTANCY PERIOD: January 13 – February 14, 2025. Final report is expected by February 12, 2025 with a presentation to stakeholders on February 13 or 14.

Virtual Evaluation Design

BACKGROUND

CORE Group fosters collaborative action and learning to improve and expand community-focused public health practices. Established in 1997 in Washington D.C., CORE Group is an independent not- for-profit hybrid, membership organization, and home of the International Community Health Network, which brings together over 15,000 global health practitioners- CORE Group member organizations, scholars, advocates, and donors to support the global health of underserved women, children, adolescents, and communities around the world. Learn more here: www.coregroup.org.

CORE Group is implementing a small grants program to advance Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) programming, policy, and interventions in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Cambodia by providing financial, SRMNCAH technical, and organizational resources to six local women-led, youth-led, people with disabilities-led organizations, and other community-based organizations. This approach is strengthening local and national organizations' technical and organizational capacity to design and implement community-based solutions to SRMNCAH challenges, focusing on gender transformation, quality of care, and health equity.

DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the overall effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the SRMNCAH Small Grants Project in Cambodia, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The evaluation will provide insights into the project's achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for future programming in similar contexts. The evaluation will specifically focus on the achievement of the following objectives and the learnings that come out of them:

Objective #1: To strengthen the technical and organizational capacity of selected partners implementing SRMNCAH programs

Objective #2: To provide critical financial resources to women-led, youth-led, people with disabilities-led organizations, and other minorities-led organizations to implement SRMNCAH programs.

Objective #3: To construct an improved grantmaking mechanism for SRMNCAH through a participatory approach of all the parties involved in the small grants program.

Objective #4: To implement successful SRMNACH interventions in three selected countries, with a particular focus on women and girls.

The Consultant will work closely with the Project Manager to coordinate all deliverables. All data collection, stakeholder engagement, and analysis will be conducted virtually to provide for a cost efficient, timely evaluation of the project.

SCOPE OF WORK

General responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

Conduct a final evaluation of CORE Group’s SRMNCAH small grants project in Bangladesh,

Cambodia, and Nepal

• Review of project documentation, including grantee proposals, work plans, progress reports, and monitoring and evaluation reports.
• Assessment of project implementation, including the delivery of activities, achievement of targets, and adherence to timelines.
• Analysis of project outcomes and impact on participants and communities.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of project strategies, approaches, and interventions in contributing to the achievement of the overall objectives.
• Examination of capacity building efforts, institutional arrangements, and local ownership.
• Identification of key success factors, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Recommendations for future programming and utilization of the grant making model.

METHODOLOGY

The evaluation will utilize a multi-stage, mixed-methods virtual approach to ensure a comprehensive assessment:

1. Desk Review
   • Review project documents provided by CORE Group, including proposals, progress reports, and monitoring data.
2. Virtual Familiarization Interviews
   • Conduct 1 virtual interview with CORE Group staff via Zoom or Microsoft Teams to clarify evaluation goals and priorities.
3. Virtual Key Informant Interviews (KIIs):
   • Conduct virtual interviews with CORE Group staff and grantee staff to understand their thoughts and impressions of the project – its design, implementation, management and evaluation.

CORE Group and Grantees

CORE Group Staff

2 interviews

Bangladesh grantee #1

1 interview

Bangladesh grantee#2

3 - 4 interviews

Cambodia

3 interviews

Nepal grantee #1

6 interviews

Nepal grantee #2

2 interviews

Nepal grantee #3

7 interviews

Total

24-25 interviews

MOH Officials and Other Key Partners

Bangladesh

1 interview

1 health official in Cox’s Bazaar

Cambodia

2 interviews

2 health officials in the 2 districts where project is being implemented

Nepal

4 interviews

1 technical advisor

1 national MOH official

1 MOH official, district level 1 MOH official, municipality level (Palika)

Total

7 interviews

DELIVERABLES

• Timeline for consultancy activities and deliverables.
• An inception report outlining the evaluation approach, methodology, tools and work plan.
• Draft evaluation report for review and feedback.
• Final evaluation report incorporating feedback and recommendations.
• Presentation of findings and recommendations to project stakeholders.

PROPOSED TIMELINE

• Final report is expected by February 12, 2025 with a presentation to stakeholders on February 13 or 14.

How to apply

To apply, send a resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the position to: jobs@coregroup.org Use *“Consultant_***SRMNCAH_**Last Name” as the subject line – no phone calls please. Only potential interviewees will be contacted