WeForest Zambia
Contract Period: November 2025 – January 2026
1. Background
WeForest Zambia supports a wide range of Forest Farm and Producer Organisations (FFPOs), including Cooperatives, Forest Trusts, farmers’ associations, Community Resource Boards (CRBs) and Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs), with the objective of strengthening their governance systems, building organisational capacity, and improving their ability to sustainably manage natural resources.
Over time, several stakeholders have developed training materials addressing governance, natural resource management, and community leadership. Notably, the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Forum, with support from USAID, has produced highly relevant modules that are widely used across Zambia. These existing materials provide a strong foundation for the current assignment.
The consultant will therefore not develop all content from scratch. Instead, they are expected to review, adapt, simplify, and build upon existing modules, integrate WeForest’s organisational capacity indicators, and produce harmonised manuals tailored to the realities of FFPOs.
The final manuals will serve as both trainer guides and trainee workbooks, designed to be simple, interactive, visual, and accessible to users with varying levels of literacy.
2. Purpose of the Consultancy
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop three comprehensive, easy-to-use, self-learning, and visually engaging training manuals covering Governance and Leadership, Organisational Management and Operations, and Organisational Sustainability
The manuals must:
● Be fully aligned with WeForest’s organisational capacity indicator framework
● Integrate and build upon existing training modules, especially those developed by the CBNRM Forum/USAID and other relevant organisations
● Be tailored to local FFPO contexts, using simple language, illustrations, examples, and step-by-step activities
● Serve both trainers and trainees effectively
● Contribute to strengthening autonomy, governance, and sustainability of community institutions
3. Scope of Work
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
A. Desk Review and Alignment
● Review existing training materials including:
o CBNRM Forum/USAID community governance modules
o WeForest project documents and Capacity Development Plans
o Training tools used by government agencies (e.g., Department of Small Enterprises and Medium Enterprises, Forestry Department)
o Other NGO capacity-building resources like GIZ, USAID, and FAO
● Identify gaps and opportunities to harmonise content
● Map existing materials to WeForest’s indicators across the three domains
B. Development of Three Manuals (Governance & Leadership; Organisational Management & Operations; Organisational Sustainability)
The consultant will develop three practical manuals that guide FFPOs through a clear organisational growth pathway. Each manual must be structured around three progression levels, Foundational, Functional, and Mature, to help organisations progress systematically from basic compliance to strong operational performance and long-term sustainability.
I Approach to Manual Development
The consultant will:
● Adapt and enhance existing modules, particularly those developed by the CBNRM Forum with USAID support, rather than creating all content from scratch.
● Apply adult-learning principles, ensuring the manuals use simple language, practical examples, illustrations, checklists, templates, case studies, and step-by-step guidance suitable for rural communities.
● Produce trainer guides and trainee workbooks, including exercises for group learning, self-learning, reflection, and basic assessments.
II Structure of the Manuals Using Progression levels
Each manual should be organised around the following three progressive levels:
● Foundational Level: This level sets the minimum requirements for early-stage or newly formed organisations. It should outline basic structures, legal obligations, core leadership roles, simple operational procedures, and essential sustainability practices.
● Functional Level: This level focuses on strengthening systems and ensuring consistency in governance, management operations, financial organisation, planning, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement. It should describe the processes that allow an organisation to operate effectively and meet project and partner requirements.
● Mature Level: This level outlines advanced practices that support strategic growth, strong accountability, deeper partnerships, financial sustainability, scaling, and long-term relevance to communities.
III Content Coverage for Each Manual
The consultant will integrate the progression levels into the thematic areas below:
● Governance & Leadership Manual: This manual should include, at minimum, Vision, mission, goals; Shared beliefs & values; Strategic and DEI-sensitive planning; Board/governing committee systems; Board expertise, gender & social inclusion; Board governance & accountability; Management committee operations; Leadership development & succession planning; Legal recognition and constitution/bylaws; Annual general meetings (AGMs); Decision-making processes; Safeguarding, grievance mechanisms; and conflict of interest policies.
● Organisational Management & Operations Manual: This manual should include, at minimum, organisational structure, Administrative procedures, Annual work planning, Conflict resolution, Filing and records management, Office management & operational assets, Risk management, and Human resources management & HR policies.
● Organisational Sustainability Manual: This manual should include, at minimum, Fundraising & resource mobilisation, Diversification income streams, management of Financial reserves, Productive assets management, Service fees/cost-recovery models, Strategic alliances and long-term partnership building, Programme scaling & replication, Continuity/sustainability planning, and Social license and community relevance.
Note: Each topic should show what Foundational, Functional, and Mature practice looks like.
IV Learning Approach for All Manuals
All manuals should be grounded in adult-learning methods, including: Clear, simple explanations; Practical, rural-based examples; Case studies, illustrations, and scenarios; Step-by-step procedures, checklists, tools, and templates; Trainer guides and trainee workbooks; Individual and group learning exercises; and Reflection activities and assessments
C. Virtual validation workshops
● Facilitate participatory review sessions with WeForest teams
● Integrate feedback into final manuals
D. Final Deliverables
● Three complete manuals (trainer + trainee versions) in editable and print-ready formats
● A harmonised, easy-to-adapt set of systems, templates and job aids for FFPOs
● A presentation of the final manuals to WeForest Zambia Management
4. Deliverables and Milestones
Deliverable
Timeline
Inception Report & Workplan
1 weeks after contract signing
Desk Review & Mapping Report
1 Week
Draft Manuals
4 weeks
Validation Workshops
Week 7
Final Manuals (all three)
Week 8
Final Presentation
Week 9
5. Consultant Profile and Qualifications
The consultant/firm must demonstrate:
● Advanced degree in organisational development, governance, public administration, adult education, or related field
● Proven experience in developing training manuals for community-based organisations
● Strong background in NRM, governance, and organisational strengthening
● Experience working with cooperatives,CRBs or CFMGs preferred
● Demonstrated ability to simplify complex concepts for low-literacy audiences
● Graphic design or visual communication skills (or sub-contracting capacity)
● Excellent writing, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills
6. Coordination and Reporting
Theconsultant will work closely with:
● WeForest Zambia, Organisational Development Specialist (primary contact)
● Project Managers (Copperbelt & Muchinga regions)
WeForest Zambia will provide:
● Relevant project documents
● Access to existing training materials
7. Submission Requirements
Interested consultants must submit:
- Technical proposal
- Financial proposal
- Proposed workplan and methodology
- CVs of key personnel
- Samples of similar work
- At least two professional references
8. Evaluation Criteria
● Technical approach & methodology – 30%
● Understanding of assignment & adaptation of existing modules – 20%
● Experience & qualifications – 25%
● Quality of sample work – 15%
● Financial proposal – 10%
Note: The financial proposal should not exceed ZMW 145,000, tax inclusive.
9. Application Procedure
Interested consultants should send their expression of interest by 8th December 2025 to zambia@weforest.org.
