Request For Proposal (RFP): Vital Voices Global Fellowship Trainers

The Vital Voices Global Fellowship brings together global women leaders from across sectors to build skills and capacity, foster a collaborative network, and exchange ideas. In addition to learning successful leadership practices both from experts and from each other, in 2024, we will offer programming across 2 pillars – social entrepreneurship and political leadership. Fellows will engage in focused learning on sector-specific skills and knowledge and with other changemakers. Through the fellowship, Vital Voices also aims to create opportunities for cross-issue collaboration and harness the collective creative potential of women leaders working on critical challenges that disproportionately affect women and girls.  

We are seeking experienced trainers with global experience to facilitate sessions for our upcoming Foundational and Social Entrepreneurship (SE) Pillar Programming. Foundational programming will be jointly held for both pillars (up to 50 fellows) and must be relevant to both political leaders and social entrepreneurs. The social entrepreneurship pillar (for up to 25 fellows) is designed to equip our fellows with the knowledge, skills, and mindset required to successfully launch and scale social ventures. The program spans several key areas, from strategic planning and accessing capital to legal considerations and communicating social impact. 

Program Sessions and Objectives 

Foundational - Vital Voices is seeking proposals to design and lead a training related to two foundational topics in the Vital Voices Global Fellowship curriculum. Each training will be 90-120 minutes long, will take place virtually via zoom, and will be for up to 50 fellows. We welcome proposals that include the incorporation of breakout rooms and group discussion as well as follow-up materials such as relevant readings or worksheets. We are seeking proposals for the following sessions:     

Imposter Syndrome (targeted date - first week of July) – Lead an introductory session on the imposter syndrome/imposter complex. This session will take place early in the fellowship curricula. 

Objectives:

• Introduce the fellows to the concept of the imposter complex, including symptoms and manifestations of the imposter complex, prompt the fellows to think about the way it shows up in their lives, and offer solutions for combatting the imposter complex.  
• Enable fellows to feel that they are not alone in imposter feelings
• Encourage cohort bonding and relationship building between fellows
• Build fellows confidence as women leaders by helping them to work through feelings of imposter complex 

Foundations of the Sustainable Development Goals (targeted date - July 15-19)  Build a foundational understanding of the SDGs across the cohort and strengthen the ability of fellows to link their work to the SDGs. 

This session could: 

• Focus in on SDG 5 as an example 

• Share resources for how fellows can understand their countries progress on the SDGs - focusing on indicators around women's representation in politics and business 

• Introduce the idea of SDGs as a system 

• Context – Fellows were asked in the program application to list the SDGs that their work supports. Fellows may have differing levels of knowledge about the SDGs. Vital Voices will be able to share fellows SDG interests in advance of the session.  

We are also soliciting proposals for the following sessions, each aiming to address specific facets of social entrepreneurship: 

SE Overview and Strategic Planning (Existing Content for Revision) - 7/31/2024 

• Objective: Introduce fellows to the Social Entrepreneurship (SE) vertical, outlining the fellowship's vision and how it integrates with their entrepreneurial journey. The session will guide participants in strategic planning, helping them align their business goals with their social impact objectives, ensuring a solid foundation for scaling their ventures. 

Accessing Capital Overview (New Content) - 8/14/2024 

• Objective: Equip fellows with comprehensive knowledge of different capital avenues available for social entrepreneurs. The session will cover traditional and innovative financing options, investor expectations, and how to position their ventures for successful funding rounds, aiming to demystify the investment process and prepare participants for capital acquisition. 

Business Model (Existing Content for Revision) - 9/5/2024 

• Objective: Dive deep into the components of a sustainable business model tailored for social enterprises. This session will focus on creating value propositions that resonate with target markets and ensuring financial viability while maximizing social impact, encouraging innovative thinking in business model design. 

Financial Model and Valuation (New Content) - 9/15/2024 

• Objective: Provide fellows with the tools and knowledge to build robust financial models and understand business valuation techniques. This session aims to enhance participants' ability to forecast financial performance, evaluate their enterprise's worth, and effectively communicate these aspects to potential investors. 

People Operations and Team Management (New Content) - 10/21/2024 

• Objective: Focus on the critical aspects of building and managing effective teams within the context of social entrepreneurship. The session will cover hiring strategies, cultivating a positive organizational culture, and leadership practices that foster high performance and dedication to the social mission. 

Strategic Planning - Social Impact Investment Strategy (New Content) - 10/31/2024 

• Objective: Guide fellows through the development of a strategic plan that integrates social impact goals with financial sustainability. This session will help participants identify key milestones, resources needed, and strategies for engaging investors interested in both social and financial returns. 

Founder Advocacy: Legal Considerations, Structure, and Protecting Interests (New Content) - 11/14/2024 

• Objective: Address the legal aspects crucial for protecting the interests of social entrepreneurs and their ventures. The session will cover entity structuring, intellectual property rights, contracts, and negotiations, ensuring founders are well-equipped to advocate for themselves and their enterprises. 

Communicating Social Impact for Investment (New Content) - 11/28/2024 

• Objective: Empower fellows to effectively communicate their social impact in a way that attracts investment. This session will focus on storytelling techniques, impact measurement, and reporting strategies that resonate with investors, highlighting the unique value proposition of social enterprises. 

Finally, we are seeking training proposals for our in-person gathering.  

In-person Global Convening: 09/30 - 10/05/2024 

• Objective: The in-person foundational objectives of the program are meticulously designed to build a robust and dynamic learning environment. Central to these objectives is the strengthening of network connections, allowing participants to forge valuable relationships with peers and mentors. The program introduces attendees to the Vital Voices Headquarters and key program staff, creating a tangible connection with the organization's heart and its partners.  Emphasizing cross-sector understanding, the program bridges gaps between different fields, enriching participants’ perspectives. A unique aspect involves developing storytelling skills, enabling participants to articulate their personal leadership experiences and sector-specific narratives, be it in business or politics. This skill is vital for impactful communication and advocacy. Additionally, the program nurtures a community-oriented environment where sharing success stories and challenges is encouraged, fostering a culture of mutual learning and support among the participants. 
• Social Entrepreneurship sessions for the upcoming in-person convening have yet to be specified. Trainers are encouraged to propose relevant sessions that align with the in-person objective and complement the virtual sessions. 

Dates are tentative and subject to change.  

Trainer Qualifications 

Trainers interested in facilitating these sessions should possess the following qualifications: 

• Proven expertise in specific session topics. 

• Extensive experience in delivering engaging, informative, and impactful training sessions. 

• Experience delivering and adapting trainings for a global audience.  

• Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts in an accessible manner. 

• For social entrepreneurship trainers: Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities within the social entrepreneurship landscape. 

Proposal Submission Requirements 

Proposals should include the following: 

• Trainer's background and experience. 

• Detailed approach to delivering the proposed session(s), including methodologies, tools, and engagement strategies. For foundational trainings this should include how to engage both political leaders and social entrepreneurs.  

• Case studies or examples of previous training sessions facilitated, including outcomes and participant feedback. 

• Proposed budget, sessions within your expertise and availability for the session dates listed above. 

Submission Deadline and Contact Information 

Please apply online or submit proposals by May 20, 2024 to VVGlobalFellowship@vitalvoices.org.

Selection Criteria 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the trainer’s expertise, proposed approach to the session(s), engagement strategies, and overall value. Vital Voices is committed to selecting trainers who best fit the program’s mission and objectives.