CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI) – Civic Tech Lab (CTL)

1. Background

The Civic Tech Lab (CTL) is a programme under the CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). It is designed as a scale-up accelerator, rather than an incubator or seed-funding mechanism, providing structured, time-bound support to advanced civic-tech solutions to help them move from tested prototypes towards deployable and scalable public-interest infrastructure. The programme supports a cohort of up to 28 mature civic-tech solutions across six regions and seeks to strengthen technical robustness, scalability, civic relevance and sustainability.

Evidence and Methods Lab (EML) serves as a Technical Partner to the CTL under a 12-month engagement running from July 2026 to July 2027. Its responsibilities include co-designing and operationalising the milestone framework, defining and applying a scale-readiness rubric, conducting technical assessments, providing structured technical mentorship and capacity building, strengthening documentation and deployment pathways, and generating portfolio-level learning. The programme also includes broader technical accompaniment to CIVICUS DDI focal teams.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The consultant will lead the application of the CTL scale-readiness methodology and support programme monitoring, evidence generation, milestone tracking and learning. The role will distinguish between the Scale-Readiness Rubric as the common assessment standard and the baseline, midline and endline technical assessments as the processes through which individual solutions are assessed against that standard.

3. Scope of Work

·       Support the co-creation and programme design process, contributing scale-readiness and MERL expertise to the development and refinement of the CTL framework, assessment criteria, milestone architecture, indicators and related implementation tools.

·       Support the administration, analysis and, where required, approved refinement of scale-readiness assessment tools, including the self-assessment and baseline technical assessment instruments.

·       Apply the approved Scale-Readiness Rubric consistently across participating solutions and support calibration of assessment findings.

·       Conduct or coordinate baseline, midline and endline technical assessments and review supporting evidence submitted by solution teams.

·       Prepare solution-level readiness findings, identify strengths and priority gaps, and support classification of solutions as Ready for Scale, Ready for Replication, or Requires Further Strengthening in line with the approved methodology.

·       Support the refinement and tracking of solution milestone plans arising from assessment findings.

·       Review milestone evidence, identify delays and risks, and prepare analytical inputs for milestone review discussions, while recognising that CIVICUS retains final decision-making authority on milestone approval and grant tranche releases.

·       Analyse readiness trends and changes across the cohort and produce portfolio-level synthesis on technical maturity, progress, common gaps and emerging lessons.

·       Support programme learning by documenting what is enabling or constraining solution progress and translating findings into recommendations for adaptive technical accompaniment.

·       Contribute structured evidence and analysis to CIVICUS reporting requirements and relevant programme review processes.

·       Contribute to the EML team’s parallel review of all cohort proposals, alongside other members of the technical team, with particular attention to the quality and coherence of evidence, methodology, expected results and learning.

·       Assess whether each solution partner's proposed grant timeline is appropriate in light of the solution's Phase 1 scale-readiness position and the level of technical support and mentorship it is likely to require, and provide a recommendation to the EML technical team.

·       Assess the suitability of proposed grant durations across the full programme range of six to nine months, recognising that appropriate durations may be six, seven, eight or up to nine months depending on each solution's readiness, milestones and anticipated support needs.

·       Flag proposals where the requested grant timeline appears inconsistent with the solution’s Phase 1 readiness position, including cases where a short implementation period is proposed despite multiple outstanding Essential Readiness Conditions, and provide a clear rationale for the recommended adjustment.

4. Expected Deliverables

i)      Scale-readiness assessment tools and calibration guidance, as required.

ii)     Baseline technical assessment outputs for participating solutions.

iii)    Midline technical review and solution-specific feedback.

iv)    Endline technical assessment and deployment-readiness classification.

v)     Updated milestone tracking and evidence-review records.

vi)    Portfolio-level scale-readiness synthesis and learning inputs.

vii)   Analytical contributions to programme progress and final reporting.

viii)  Proposal review and grant-timeline suitability recommendations for cohort solutions, including flags where proposed durations are not aligned with Phase 1 readiness findings.

5. Qualifications and Experience

·       Advanced degree in monitoring and evaluation, development studies, statistics, economics, information systems, social sciences or a related field.

·       At least seven years of relevant experience in MERL, programme assessment, applied research or organisational/technical readiness assessment.

·       Demonstrated experience designing or applying assessment frameworks, rubrics and evidence-verification approaches.

·       Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis, report-writing and facilitation skills.

·       Experience with civic technology, digital innovation, civil society or governance programmes is highly desirable.

6. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Programme Manager and will work closely with the relevant EML technical staff, specialist consultants and CIVICUS DDI focal persons as required. The consultant will coordinate with other roles to avoid duplication and ensure that technical advice, evidence, learning and documentation are mutually reinforcing.

7. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy will be undertaken during the CTL implementation period, with a maximum level of effort of 45 consultancy days. The days are not necessarily consecutive and will be scheduled according to programme needs, agreed deliverables and the implementation calendar, in consultation with the Programme Manager.

8. Confidentiality and Ownership

All information, data, tools and materials accessed or produced through this assignment will be treated as confidential where applicable. Deliverables produced under the consultancy will be submitted to EML and will be used in accordance with the project's contractual, data-protection and intellectual-property requirements.

1. Background

The Civic Tech Lab (CTL) is a work area under the CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). It is designed as a scale-up accelerator, rather than an incubator or seed-funding mechanism, providing structured, time-bound support to advanced civic-tech solutions to help them move from tested prototypes towards deployable and scalable public-interest infrastructure. The programme supports a cohort of up to 28 mature civic-tech solutions across six regions and seeks to strengthen technical robustness, scalability, civic relevance and sustainability.

Evidence and Methods Lab (EML) serves as a Technical Partner to the CTL under a 12-month engagement running from July 2026 to July 2027. Its responsibilities include co-designing and operationalising the milestone framework, defining and applying a scale-readiness rubric, conducting technical assessments, providing structured technical mentorship and capacity building, strengthening documentation and deployment pathways, and generating portfolio-level learning. The programme also includes broader technical accompaniment to CIVICUS DDI focal teams.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The consultant will provide specialist advisory support on civic-tech governance, digital rights, data governance, civic-space risk and responsible use of emerging technologies, including AI, to strengthen the safety, accountability and responsible scaling of CTL-supported solutions.

3. Scope of Work

·       Review governance arrangements relevant to the design, deployment and scaling of participating civic-tech solutions and identify weaknesses or dependencies that may affect responsible implementation.

·       Assess data protection, privacy and data-governance practices appropriate to the operating context of individual solutions.

·       Identify risks of digital harm, misuse, exclusion, surveillance or other rights-related impacts and recommend proportionate safeguards.

·       Analyse political, regulatory and civic-space risks affecting solutions operating in sensitive environments and advise on appropriate mitigation measures.

·       Provide guidance on responsible AI, including transparency, accountability, human oversight, bias, safety and ethical deployment, where relevant.

·       Provide specialist advice on emerging technologies, including blockchain, where relevant to solution design and context.

·       Participate in relevant technical clinics, mentorship sessions and milestone reviews where governance, digital-rights or responsible-technology issues arise.

·       Contribute specialist content to relevant capacity-building sessions for CTL participants and CIVICUS DDI focal officers.

·       Document material governance, security, regulatory and digital-rights risks identified through technical accompaniment and bring them to the attention of the EML technical team for appropriate programme action.

4. Expected Deliverables

i)      Solution-specific governance and digital-rights advisory inputs.

ii)     Risk and mitigation recommendations for supported solutions.

iii)    Responsible AI and emerging-technology guidance notes, where required.

iv)    Specialist inputs to technical clinics, mentorship and milestone reviews.

v)     Training or guidance materials on digital rights, civic-tech governance, data governance and responsible technology.

vi)    Technical advisory inputs to broader DDI civic-tech activities as assigned.

5. Qualifications and Experience

·       Advanced degree in law, public policy, technology governance, digital rights, information systems, political science or a related field.

·       Demonstrated experience in digital rights, technology governance, data protection, civic space or responsible AI.

·       Experience working with civic-tech, civil society, public-interest technology or digital-development initiatives.

·       Strong understanding of political, regulatory and rights risks associated with digital technologies.

·       Excellent analytical, advisory, facilitation and communication skills.

6. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Programme Manager and will work closely with the relevant EML technical staff, specialist consultants and CIVICUS DDI focal persons as required. The consultant will coordinate with other roles to avoid duplication and ensure that technical advice, evidence, learning and documentation are mutually reinforcing.

7. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy will be undertaken during the CTL implementation period, with a maximum level of effort of 35 consultancy days. The days are not necessarily consecutive and will be scheduled according to programme needs, agreed deliverables and the implementation calendar, in consultation with the Programme Manager. Specific assignment dates will be reflected in the consultant's approved workplan or work order.

8. Confidentiality and Ownership

All information, data, tools and materials accessed or produced through this assignment will be treated as confidential where applicable. Deliverables produced under the consultancy will be submitted to EML and will be used in accordance with the project's contractual, data-protection and intellectual-property requirements.

1. Background

The Civic Tech Lab (CTL) is a work area under the CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). It is designed as a scale-up accelerator, rather than an incubator or seed-funding mechanism, providing structured, time-bound support to advanced civic-tech solutions to help them move from tested prototypes towards deployable and scalable public-interest infrastructure. The programme supports a cohort of up to 28 mature civic-tech solutions across six regions and seeks to strengthen technical robustness, scalability, civic relevance and sustainability.

Evidence and Methods Lab (EML) serves as a Technical Partner to the CTL under a 12-month engagement running from July 2026 to July 2027. Its responsibilities include co-designing and operationalising the milestone framework, defining and applying a scale-readiness rubric, conducting technical assessments, providing structured technical mentorship and capacity building, strengthening documentation and deployment pathways, and generating portfolio-level learning. The programme also includes broader technical accompaniment to CIVICUS DDI focal teams.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The consultant will support the design, coordination and delivery of capacity-building and cohort learning activities for CTL beneficiaries, ensuring that technical learning responds to readiness gaps, milestone priorities and the varying maturity levels of participating solutions.

3. Scope of Work

·       Review readiness findings and milestone priorities to identify common and solution-specific capacity-strengthening needs.

·       Develop and maintain a capacity-building plan aligned with the CTL implementation schedule and technical accompaniment model.

·       Coordinate and support thematic technical clinics, workshops and other cohort learning activities, complementing solution-specific technical mentorship.

·       Develop session plans, learning materials and facilitation resources in collaboration with relevant technical specialists.

·       Facilitate selected capacity-building sessions and support technical experts to deliver accessible and practical learning.

·       Support structured capacity-building sessions for CIVICUS DDI focal officers and relevant partners in areas including technology, UI/UX, AI, data security, blockchain and platform architecture.

·       Promote exchange and practical application of learning to solution development and milestone implementation.

·       Capture participant feedback and emerging learning needs and use these to inform subsequent capacity-building interventions.

·       Maintain and organise training and facilitation materials required for capacity-building activities and support cohort access to approved learning resources.

4. Expected Deliverables

i)      CTL capacity-building and cohort learning plan.

ii)     Capacity-needs summaries informed by readiness and milestone findings.

iii)    Training modules, session plans and facilitation materials.

iv)    Delivered or supported technical clinics, workshops and peer-learning sessions.

v)     Participation and feedback summaries.

vi)    Organised cohort learning resources and reference materials.

vii)   Recommendations for strengthening subsequent capacity-building interventions.

5. Qualifications and Experience

·       Advanced degree in education, organisational development, knowledge management, development studies, technology or a related field.

·       Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating adult-learning, capacity-strengthening or peer-learning programmes.

·       Experience working with civic-tech, digital innovation, civil society or similar multi-stakeholder programmes.

·       Ability to translate technical subject matter into practical and accessible learning approaches.

·       Strong facilitation, coordination, documentation and stakeholder-engagement skills.

6. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Programme Manager and will work closely with the relevant EML technical staff, specialist consultants and CIVICUS DDI focal persons as required. The consultant will coordinate with other roles to avoid duplication and ensure that technical advice, evidence, learning and documentation are mutually reinforcing.

7. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy will be undertaken during the CTL implementation period, with a maximum level of effort of 30 consultancy days. The days are not necessarily consecutive and will be scheduled according to programme needs, agreed deliverables and the implementation calendar, in consultation with the Programme Manager. Specific assignment dates will be reflected in the consultant's approved workplan or work order.

8. Confidentiality and Ownership

All information, data, tools and materials accessed or produced through this assignment will be treated as confidential where applicable. Deliverables produced under the consultancy will be submitted to EML and will be used in accordance with the project's contractual, data-protection and intellectual-property requirements.

1. Background

The Civic Tech Lab (CTL) is a work area under the CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). It is designed as a scale-up accelerator, rather than an incubator or seed-funding mechanism, providing structured, time-bound support to advanced civic-tech solutions to help them move from tested prototypes towards deployable and scalable public-interest infrastructure. The programme supports a cohort of up to 28 mature civic-tech solutions across six regions and seeks to strengthen technical robustness, scalability, civic relevance and sustainability.

Evidence and Methods Lab (EML) serves as a Technical Partner to the CTL under a 12-month engagement running from July 2026 to July 2027. Its responsibilities include co-designing and operationalising the milestone framework, defining and applying a scale-readiness rubric, conducting technical assessments, providing structured technical mentorship and capacity building, strengthening documentation and deployment pathways, and generating portfolio-level learning. The programme also includes broader technical accompaniment to CIVICUS DDI focal teams.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The consultant will provide technical support for the design and implementation of the CTL monitoring and evaluation system, with emphasis on performance tracking, data quality, analysis, outcome assessment and evidence-based reporting. This role will complement, rather than duplicate, the scale-readiness assessment function.

3. Scope of Work

·       Develop and maintain programme monitoring tools, indicator reference materials, data-collection instruments and performance trackers.

·       Track implementation progress against the programme workplan, agreed indicators, outputs and outcomes.

·       Support collection, cleaning, management and analysis of programme monitoring data.

·       Conduct routine data-quality assurance and maintain appropriate records of data checks and corrections.

·       Support periodic assessment of programme progress and outcomes, including analysis of changes in solution readiness and performance over the course of implementation.

·       Analyse programme performance and generate evidence to support management decisions, accountability and adaptive implementation.

·       Support assessment of project outcomes and contribution to intended changes at solution and portfolio levels.

·       Prepare monitoring dashboards, periodic performance summaries and analytical inputs for progress and final project reports.

·       Work with the MERL & Scale-Readiness Consultant to ensure that monitoring evidence complements technical assessment findings without duplicating the readiness-assessment process.

·       Provide verified evidence and analytical findings to the Project Documentation and Knowledge Sharing Consultant for packaging into approved knowledge products.

4. Expected Deliverables

i)      M&E framework and indicator tracking tools.

ii)     Data-collection instruments and programme performance tracker/database.

iii)    Data-quality assurance records and periodic data-quality review findings.

iv)    Periodic monitoring dashboards and performance analysis reports.

v)     Outcome assessment findings and analytical summaries.

vi)    Analytical inputs to programme progress and final reports.

vii)   Periodic analysis of changes in solution performance and programme outcomes over the implementation period.

5. Qualifications and Experience

·       Advanced degree in monitoring and evaluation, statistics, economics, social sciences, development studies or a related field.

·       At least five years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, data analysis or applied research.

·       Demonstrated experience developing M&E systems, indicators, data-collection tools and data-quality processes.

·       Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills and proficiency in relevant data-analysis and visualisation tools.

·       Experience with innovation, technology, governance or civil-society programmes is desirable.

6. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Programme Manager and will work closely with the relevant EML technical staff, specialist consultants and CIVICUS DDI focal persons as required. The consultant will coordinate with other roles to avoid duplication and ensure that technical advice, evidence, learning and documentation are mutually reinforcing.

7. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy will be undertaken during the CTL implementation period, with a maximum level of effort of 17 consultancy days. The days are not necessarily consecutive and will be scheduled according to programme needs, agreed deliverables and the implementation calendar, in consultation with the Programme Manager. Specific assignment dates will be reflected in the consultant's approved workplan or work order.

8. Confidentiality and Ownership

All information, data, tools and materials accessed or produced through this assignment will be treated as confidential where applicable. Deliverables produced under the consultancy will be submitted to EML and will be used in accordance with the project's contractual, data-protection and intellectual-property requirements.