Training, mentoring and consulting services for institutional capacity development and fundraising
1. Background and context
INOTEK is an innovation and entrepreneurship centre based in Cahul, Southern Moldova, with the mission to strengthen local capacities, support entrepreneurship, foster innovation, and contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
INOTEK implements the project ““Inotek Institutional Strengthening for Financial Sustainability””, financed by the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF). The project aims to strengthen Inotek Foundation’s institutional, financial, and operational capacity to advance toward long-term financial sustainability and achieve measurable growth in space occupancy, revenue generation, and service delivery. To this end, INOTEK plans to contract an organization or individual expert with proven expertise in strategic planning, fundraising, and capacity building to deliver targeted trainings, mentorship, and practical tools.
The objective of this ToR is to select a qualified organization to provide training, mentoring, and consultancy services aimed at strengthening INOTEK’s institutional capacity in strategic planning, fundraising, and service design, and supporting the development and operationalization of relevant tools and manuals.
3. Scope of services
The selected Contractor will provide a comprehensive package of training, mentoring, and consultancy services, including but not limited to:
· Strategic planning and team role allocation
· Fundraising strategy and grant acquisition
· Design thinking and community engagement
· Service design and operational workflows
· Development of institutional tools and manuals
4. Target group
The assignment targets the Inotek team.
5. Key tasks and responsibilities
The selected Contractor will be expected to:
· Design and deliver one onsite full-day training on strategic planning and team role allocation
· Deliver two online trainings focused on fundraising and grant acquisition
· Design and deliver one onsite full-day training on design thinking and community engagement
· Deliver three additional capacity-building sessions, either as full-day practical trainings or as monthly mentorship sessions, focused on grant application development and institutional sustainability
· Provide hands-on mentoring and consultancy support for the preparation of up to four full grant applications
· Develop an English-language Fundraising Manual covering the full fundraising cycle, including workflows, templates, and practical tools
· Participate in coordination and review meetings with INOTEK
6. Training format and duration
· Onsite trainings will be delivered in Cahul, Republic of Moldova
· Online trainings and mentorship sessions will be delivered remotely
· Full-day trainings are expected to last approximately 6–8 hours
· The detailed schedule and format will be agreed jointly with INOTEK
7. Deliverables
The Contractor will deliver the following outputs, structured around the agreed project pillars. The indicative level of effort (in hours) is provided for budgeting and planning purposes only and does not replace the obligation to deliver the agreed results.
Pillar A: Strategy, governance and workflows
Deliverables:
· Facilitation of one onsite full-day strategic planning workshop for INOTEK team
· Review and refinement of INOTEK’s strategic objectives, governance structure, and internal role allocation
· Development and documentation of internal workflows supporting strategy implementation
Indicative level of effort: up to 25 hours
Pillar B: Cost model and pricing
Deliverables:
· Analysis of existing services and operational costs
· Development of a cost model for INOTEK services
· Design of a pricing catalogue for paid services
· Support to pilot the cost model and pricing approach within INOTEK’s operations
Indicative level of effort: up to 15 hours
Pillar C: Fundraising system
Deliverables:
· Delivery of two online fundraising trainings
· Development of an English-language Fundraising Manual covering the full fundraising cycle
· Provision of workflows, templates, and tools for proposal development, budgeting, and logframes
· Hands-on support for the preparation of up to four full grant applications
Indicative level of effort: up to 40 hours
Pillar D: Revenue streams and sales
Deliverables:
· Identification and structuring of new and existing revenue streams
· Design of service packages and sales approaches for different target groups
· Support to pilot new paid services within INOTEK’s space
Indicative level of effort: up to 10 hours
Pillar E: Occupancy and marketing
Deliverables:
· Development of an occupancy and outreach approach for INOTEK’s space
· Support for targeted marketing and sales campaigns
· Tools and guidelines to support contracting of new space users and partners
Indicative level of effort: up to 22 hours
Cross-cutting deliverable: Monthly mentoring
Deliverables:
· Monthly mentoring and advisory support over a period of up to 7 months
· Continuous guidance for implementation of all pillars, troubleshooting, and institutional alignment
8. Eligibility and qualification requirements
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
· At least 3 years of relevant experience in strategic planning, fundraising, or institutional capacity building
· Proven experience supported by at least two relevant assignments or projects implemented within the last 3 years
· Experience working with NGOs, innovation centres, or entrepreneurship support organizations is considered an asset
· Experience with international donor-funded projects is an advantage
9. Evaluation criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
· Relevance and quality of the proposed approach and methodology
· Demonstrated experience and qualifications of the applicant
· Practical orientation and applicability of proposed tools and trainings
· Cost-effectiveness of the financial offer
· Ability to deliver services within the proposed timeframe
10. Financial proposal
The financial offer should include the proposed hourly rate. All costs shall be indicated in MDL and shall be exclusive of VAT (if applicable).
11. Application procedure
Interested applicants are invited to submit:
· A technical proposal describing experience, methodology, and approach
· Company profile
· CVs of proposed experts/trainers (if applicable)
· Financial offer
Applications should be submitted electronically to nmocanu@inotek.md and rnegru@inotek.md by January 28th, 2026, 16.00.
The extended deadline for submitting bids is: February 03, 2026 3:00 PM.
12. Contracting and timeline
The selected Contractor will sign a service contract with INOTEK. The assignment is expected to start upon contract signature and be implemented over a period to be agreed with the selected Contractor.
13. Additional information
Submission of an application does not guarantee contract award. All materials developed under this assignment shall become the property of INOTEK. The Contractor may use the materials for portfolio purposes only, with prior written consent of INOTEK.