Job Description

For people and nature to thrive together in India, decision makers in government and businesses must advance conservation programs that integrate economic growth with sustainability measures. India needs win-win, science-based solutions that are scalable and actionable. Those solutions are not always readily available to them. The Tata Trusts and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) are helping to bridge the gap between decision makers and science-producing organizations by catalyzing an Indian Centre for Applied Sustainability Solutions (ICASS). The Centre will facilitate the development of science-based solutions for on-the-ground sustainability and policy challenges, thereby offering decision-makers a path to balance economic growth with natural resource conservation. During this initial phase, we are advancing the development of a business plan for ICASS that will help determine the overall goals, objectives, model, and actions of the Centre. We are now seeking a consultancy to support the development of a fundraising plan and its execution to advance the business plan and develop financial sustainability for the Centre.

Consultancy Context:

The intention of ICASS is to build collaboration between research institutions, governments, civil society, industry, and nongovernmental organizations to address complex problems that require collective impact at an unprecedented scale. ICASS will support research and thought-leadership activities, as well as on-the-ground conservation projects that contribute to sustainable development goals, human well-being, economic growth, and conservation goals. A key role for ICASS is to facilitate information sharing across organizations so that organizations can work more effectively, avoid duplication of efforts, and bring programs to scale using the best tools and partnerships.

ICASS is still in a conceptual state. In its initial stages, it will be housed within TNC India and be a collaborative initiative managed with a variety of partners. The intent is for ICASS to mature into a standalone collaboration managed by a consortium of partners over time. A business plan is currently in development and scheduled to be finalized of the coming months. A key component to shaping the business plan is understanding government funding for related initiatives and engaging with prospective donors for their feedback on the Centre.

The purpose of this consultancy is to research current funding for science-based conservation efforts in India. This includes extensive research in current national and state government funding, as well as prospective donors for ICASS. This consultancy should help inform the business plan regarding if/how to leverage government funds in support of science-based conservation in India. It will also inform potential sources of funding for ICASS to be financial sustainable over time and identify key donors that should be engaged during the development of the Centre’s business plan to ensure it aligns with their priorities and helps build a collective effort. The research should consider the options for funding from within India and abroad, with an initial prioritization for donors based in India and should be complementary to current TNC fundraising efforts.
 

Scope of Work and Timeline

Phase 1: Research Government Funding for Similar Initiatives (2 months)

1.             Prepare and submit a detailed work plan to complete the consultancy within the given timeframe.

2.             Research current national and state government funding flows, outlining the funding department, what funds were invested in, and related outcomes (if available). Research sho

Eligibility Criteria

Consultancy Characteristics: • Duration: the consultancy is to last for 4 months, start date is anticipated in October • Communications: the consultants are expected to provide periodic updates to TNC staff and ICASS consultants throughout the consultancy period.

Desired Candidate Profile

Graduation - Graduate-Other

•  Familiarity with funding models and practices in India and abroad

•  Familiarity with prospective funders in India and abroad

•  Familiarity with researching donors

•  Experience developing proposals and fundraising

•  Experience engaging with a variety of funding institutions

•  Preferred experience and familiarity with fundraising for section 8 non-profits

•  Preferred experience with academic, think-tank, non-profit, or research institutions

Organization Details

• Organization Name:TNC – The Nature Conservancy Centre
• About Organization:

  The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working to make a positive impact around the world in more than 70 countries, with a new program in India. Founded in 1951, the mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

  TNC is registered in India as a not-for-profit Section 8 Company. The team is comprised of 16 high-performing individuals with an annual operations budget of around USD $5M. We are focused on 8 projects that advance environmental solutions for some of India’s most pressing challenges. Currently our programs cover 6 States of India and we are working with 10 partner organizations. Both program operations and budget are growing at a healthy rate. We are working hard to demonstrate conservation results and achieve early “win-wins” that promote equitable economic development while conserving natural resources for people and nature.&
  
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