For the field of international development, 2025 was one of the most challenging years in recent memory. Roughly 5,300 out of 6,200 multiyear USAID contract awards (more than 85%) worth roughly US$75.9 billion were terminated, and more than 258,000 jobs in the aid and development sector were lost.
Other major donors drastically cut back on their official development aid as well—Germany, France, the UK, and the Netherlands all revealed plans to shut the door on aid in the next couple of years.
But when one door closes, another one opens. Multilateral development institutions are still looking for experts to implement short and long-term consultancy assignments.
In this article, we reveal exclusive insights into the top 10 organizations that published individual consultant opportunities in 2025.
What does the data on consultancy opportunities for individuals reveal?
Data from the DevelopmentAid platform—the number one information service provider for the international development aid sector—shows that the top ten organizations published over 20,000 consulting assignments for individuals in 2025, out of a total of 21,465.
This serves as proof that multilateral institutions are resilient and continue to rely on independent specialists to support the design and implementation of development programs.
Who was engaging consultants in 2025? The market at a glance
The first nuance that catches the eye is that the market demand for individual international development consultants is not evenly dispersed.
If we estimate the numbers from the top three organizations with the highest number of consultancy opportunities (the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and UNDP), we can see that together they published over 14,450 calls for applications during 2025, representing the vast majority of the overall total of 20,020 tenders among the top 10.
Basically, this implies that large agencies operate at a scale that needs constant, high-volume engagement with external, independent specialists across numerous nations and sectors.
But the demand for individual consultants is not limited to the biggest institutions, as seen by the inclusion of regional banks and specialized funds in our list.
Institutions such as the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility, despite their smaller overall volumes, published hundreds of tenders for individual consultants, with a particular emphasis on areas like climate finance, environmental governance, and sustainability programs.
Ranking the Top 10 organizations by number of tenders for individual consultants (2025)
World Bank (WB) – Number of calls for applications: 5,413
In 2025, the WB continued to be by far the biggest publisher of individual consultant opportunities on the DevelopmentAid platform, making up over 25% of the top 10 volume by itself.
The organization oversees one of the largest project portfolios in the world–over 140 countries (more than 170 nations if we count the activities of the larger World Bank Group with partners). Its projects cover infrastructure, governance, health, education, financial systems, and climate resilience.
World Bank tenders for individual consultants broken down by region:
As we can see, the World Bank focuses on Africa (2573 tenders), followed by Asia with 1245 tenders. Together, these two regions account for around 70% of all tenders for individual consultants in 2025. This distribution shows the World Bank’s focus on developing countries.
Its presence in Oceania (391 tenders) reflects a strong engagement with Pacific island nations, many of which face serious climate risks.
Some of the World Bank’s consultancy assignments were related to positions like: Financial Officer, Project Engineer, Financial Management Specialist, Program Implementation Unit (PIU) Senior Labor Market Specialist, Disaster Risk Management Consultant, Social Risk Management Officer, Climate Change Specialist, Geographic Information System Specialist, and others.
Browse World Bank tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Asian Development Bank (ADB) – Number of calls for applications: 4,564
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) ranked second, underscoring its position as one of the most active employers of independent expertise in the development sector.
In 1966, the ADB set up its main goal of moving forward with joint efforts and social and economic development in the Asia-Pacific area. With its headquarters in Manila, Philippines, the institution promotes socio-economic progress in its developing member countries via loans, grants, equity investments, technical assistance, and other forms of assistance.
Asian Development Bank assignments for individual consultants broken down by region:
The regional breakdown leaves little room for ambiguity: With over 91% of the total tenders for individual consultants directed at the Asian region, the ADB is, overwhelmingly, an Asia-focused institution.
The second-largest share belongs to Oceania with 499 tenders, which shows the ADB’s engagement with Pacific island nations, particularly when it comes to infrastructure and climate resilience.
Some of the ADB consultancy assignments were related to positions like: Renewable Energy Expert, Environmental Specialist, Country Programming and Portfolio Management Specialist, Evaluation Specialist, Business Outreach Strategic Communication Expert, Education Improvement Project-Software Developer, Wastewater (Trade Waste, Inflow and Infiltration) Specialist, National Resettlement External Monitoring Consultant, and others.
Browse Asian Development Bank tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Number of calls for applications: 4,477
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with 4,477 assignments for individual consultants published on the platform, ranks third on our list.
Working in 170 countries and regions around the globe, UNDP has offices in nearly every developing nation. Its programming includes governance, rule of law, climate adaptation, crisis recovery, gender equality, poverty reduction, and more.
UNDP tenders for individual consultants broken down by region:
The data shows that in 2025, the institution primarily focused on African and Asian regions (both have nearly equal numbers of published tenders), but also has projects in non-EU countries and the Caribbean.
UNDP consultancy assignments are related to positions such as: Gender Analyst Consultant, Asset Management Consultant, Evaluation Consultant, National Consultant on the Development of Draft Regulations on Brokerage and Dealer Activities, Integrated Watershed Management Terminal Evaluation Local Consultant, and others.
Browse UNDP tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Nonprofit organizations – Number of calls for applications: 1,431
Ranking fourth is not a single organization, but rather the collective contribution of nonprofit organizations, including numerous associations and humanitarian agencies, with consultancy opportunities for individuals available on the DevelopmentAid platform in 2025.
Together, these organizations generated 1,431 calls, placing them above several major multilateral institutions in terms of volume.
Consultancy assignments from nonprofit organizations broken down by region:
The majority of consultancy opportunities for individuals were aimed at the Asian region, with the second one being Africa, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean.
Some of the consultancy opportunities targeted positions like: Emergency Preparedness Trainer, Daily Data Collector, Individual Consultant for Endline Evaluation, Business Registration and Formalization Trainer, Professional in Agronomic Engineering, Digital Marketing & Growth Consultant, and others.
Browse nonprofit organization tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
African Development Bank (AfDB) – Number of calls for applications: 1,188
The AfDB ranked fifth with 1,188 tenders for individual consultants in 2025. As the continent’s major multilateral development institution, it assists operations across 54 African member countries, producing demand for independent experts across a wide range of disciplines.
AfDB consultancy assignments broken down by region:
AfDB opportunities (published on the DevelopmentAid database) are almost exclusively Africa-focused. To gain entry to this market, one must possess both regional knowledge and practical experience in several African nations. Africa accounts for 1,179 of the AfDB’s 1,188 tenders, nearly 99.2% of the total, making it one of the most regionally concentrated institutions in our list.
Some of the consultancy opportunities published by the AfDB in 2025 were related to such positions as: Legal Consultant, Environmental Expert, Technical Assistant, Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant, Individual Consultant for Training in Drainage Design and Storm Water Management, Industrial Policy-Mining Expert, Procurement Officer, and others.
Browse African Development Bank tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
International Labour Organization – Number of calls for applications: 930
The International Labour Organization (ILO), with 930 consultancy opportunities for individuals published on the DevelopmentAid platform in 2025, made it to sixth place in our top ten list. This shows the agency’s extensive engagement with governments, employers, and workers across numerous member states.
The ILO’s mission to promote decent working conditions, labor rights, social protection, and job opportunities needs constant input from independent specialists who possess technical know-how along with a clear understanding of regional labor markets and institutions.
ILO consultancy opportunities for individual consultants broken down by region:
The tenders posted by the organization on the DevelopmentAid platform are spread across several regions, mainly Asia, Africa, and European non-EU countries. There has been little focus on the Northern American region or EU nations, with more consultants sought after in Latin America and Oceania.
Some of the consultancy opportunities published by the ILO in 2025 were related to positions like: Communications Consultant, Technical Consultant, Senior Technical Consultant to support combating child labour, Consultant for copy-editing and proofreading of reports, Forest Engineer, Consultant for developing and operationalizing recruitment models in the agriculture sector, Expert in Translation and Editing of ILO Publications, and others.
Browse ILO tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
European Commission – Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) – Number of calls for applications: 855
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), the EU’s development arm, published 855 consultancy opportunities for individuals in 2025, with all of them available on the DevelopmentAid platform.
The organization’s main objectives include reducing poverty, ensuring sustainable development, and promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law around the world.
DG INTPA consultancy opportunities for individual consultants broken down by region:
DG INTPA manages the EU’s external development cooperation programs across Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific, Asia, Latin America, and the neighborhood. Based on its geographic scope, we can firmly say that there’s a continuous need for independent experts who can navigate complex political and institutional environments.
Some of the opportunities published by the DG INTPA in 2025 were related to positions like: Coordination, Outreach and Knowledge Management Specialist, National Expert on Administrative Coordination and Interinstitutional Procedures, Communication Specialist, National Provincial Expert on Agricultural Commodities, Expert in Assessing Media Environment, Urban Planning and Environment Landscaping Engineer, Consultant for the Development and Review of Accounting Policy and Financial Manual, and others.
Browse European Commission DG INTPA tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Global Environment Facility – Number of calls for applications: 565
Since the Global Environment Facility (GEF) made it to the top 10 list, it’s safe to say that there’s a growing importance of environmental finance in international development.
The GEF works via a network of implementing agencies to finance various projects that solve global environmental issues, including biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation, among others. Over the last 30 years, the organization has provided over US$27 billion in financing, mostly as grants.
GEF consultancy opportunities for individuals broken down by region:
The data on the platform shows an almost equal number of tenders for individual consultants in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with a little focus on the EU 27 nations and the Northern America region. Tenders for consultants in Oceania show that the organization focuses on improving environmental sustainability and protecting ethnic minorities in the region.
Some of the GEF assignments published in 2025 on DevelopmentAid were related to positions like: Integrated Watershed Management Terminal Evaluation Local Consultant, National Environmental Policy Specialist, Consultant on Climate Projection, Variability, and Risk Assessment, Gender and Indigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minorities Specialist, and others.
Browse Global Environment Facility tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Inter-American Development Bank – Number of calls for applications: 308
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) represents the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. Its project portfolio generates demand for consultants with regional expertise and technical depth across a variety of sectors.
IADB consultancy opportunities for individual consultants broken down by region:
The data regarding the number of tenders for individual consultants from the IADB shows that, like the AfDB, it concentrates mostly on one region. 307 out of 308 tenders on DevelopmentAid were directed at Latin America and the Caribbean.
For individual consultants, this means that regional expertise, language skills, primarily Spanish and Portuguese, and established networks across Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Bolivia, and El Salvador, turn out to be valuable assets.
Some of the assignments published by the IADB in 2025 were related to positions like: Behavioral Specialist, Financial Specialist, Technical Specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation, Information Gathering Officer, Technical Specialist of the Environmental Component of the Project, Procurement and Contracting Specialist, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and others.
Browse Inter-American Development Bank tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Green Climate Fund – Number of calls for applications: 289
Rounding out the top 10, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) published on the platform 289 assignments for individual consultants in 2025. While the GCF’s volume is modest compared to the top-ranked institutions, its presence in the top 10 is significant.
Established to support developing countries in limiting greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, the GCF distributes its resources through accredited entities and national designated authorities (public, private, national, regional, or international organizations).
GCF consultancy opportunities for individual consultants broken down by region:
The regional breakdown highlights the GCF’s geographic focus: Asia leads with 129 tenders, followed by Africa with 83 and Latin America and the Caribbean with 62. Together, these three regions account for nearly 95% of all GCF tenders for individual consultants in 2025 posted on DevelopmentAid.
The fund’s project portfolio is concentrated in the developing countries that are the most vulnerable to climate change. The presence of Oceania (23 tenders) reflects the organization’s strong engagement with Pacific island nations, many of which face existential climate risks.
Some of the assignments published by the IDB in 2025 on DevelopmentAid were related to positions like: Climate Finance Consultant, National Evaluation Expert for Final Independent Evaluation, Procurement Assistant, Communication Specialist, Individual Consultant for Training in Environmental Management, Climate Change Project Manager, Climate Data and GIS Specialist, and others.
Browse Green Climate Fund tenders for individual consultants on DevelopmentAid
Final word
All of the information in this analysis was drawn exclusively from the DevelopmentAid database, which keeps track of tenders for individual consultants published across all organizations.
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