Terms of Reference (ToR) for Certified Training Institution to Deliver Training on Project Cycle Management (PCM) at Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD)

1. Background

The Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) is a board-led, not-for-profit organization registered in Ethiopia under the Civil Societies Proclamation No. 1113/2019 with registry number 4307. CARD envisions an Ethiopia where democratic culture flourishes on the basis of human rights values. Its mission is to empower citizens and civic groups to promote and defend human rights and build democratic governance.

In line with its capacity-building goals, CARD seeks to enhance its internal project management systems and staff capabilities. To that end, CARD is looking to recruit a certified training institution to deliver comprehensive training on Project Cycle Management (PCM) for its staff. This will strengthen the organization’s capacity in designing, managing, monitoring, and evaluating projects more effectively and efficiently.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The main objective is to strengthen CARD staff’s competencies in project management by equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement PCM throughout the project cycle. This includes:

• Understanding and applying PCM principles
• Improving proposal development, project design, implementation, and closure
• Enhancing monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) practices
• Improving donor reporting and accountability

3. Scope of Work

The certified training institution will be responsible for:

• Designing and preparing PCM training materials tailored to CARD’s operational context
• Delivering in-person training sessions covering all stages of the project cycle, including:
  • Project identification and assessment
  • Project design and logical framework
  • Proposal writing and budgeting
  • Project implementation and resource management
  • Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)
  • Reporting and project closure
• Providing relevant training handouts, templates, and tools
• Facilitating interactive learning through practical group work, case studies, and simulations
• Conducting a pre- and post-training assessment to measure knowledge gained
• Submitting a training completion and evaluation report

4. Deliverables

• PCM training agenda and tailored training materials
• Delivery of in-person training sessions (exact dates to be agreed upon)
• Pre- and post-training evaluation results
• Final training report including participant feedback and recommendations

5. Timeline

• The training is expected to take place over three consecutive days, tentatively scheduled for July 21-23, 2025.
• All deliverables must be completed within one week after the training concludes

6. Required Qualifications

The training institution must have:

• A valid and renewed training license/certification recognized in Ethiopia
• Proven experience delivering PCM training to civil society organizations or similar sectors
• A team of experienced trainers with strong backgrounds in project management, proposal development, and MEL
• Ability to provide high-quality training materials and tools customized to organizational needs