Terms of Reference: Mid-Term Evaluation of the European Union System for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society (EU SEE) – Apply By 20 April 2026

The European Union System for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society (EU SEE) is a five-year, multi-country programme implemented from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 under a global consortium. The initiative is coordinated by Hivos (lead partner) in collaboration with CIVICUS, Democracy Reporting International (DRI), European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), Forus, and Transparency International (TI). The programme operates across 86 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, and the Caribbean.

EU SEE is designed to strengthen and safeguard the enabling environment for civil society (EE) by improving monitoring systems, early warning mechanisms, and evidence-based advocacy. It aims to support civil society organisations (CSOs), governments, and development actors in identifying risks, responding to deteriorating civic spaces, and leveraging opportunities for reform.

The programme is complemented by a Flexible Support Mechanism (FSM) coordinated by CIVICUS, Oxfam Novib, Protection International, and Urgent Action Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean. FSM provides rapid and flexible financial support to CSOs operating in urgent or high-risk environments.

Definition of Enabling Environment

An enabling environment for civil society refers to the legal, institutional, political, and social conditions that allow CSOs to operate freely, safely, and effectively. This includes:

• Supportive laws and regulations
• Access to information and resources
• Protection of civic space in physical and digital environments
• Transparent and accountable governance systems
• Positive societal attitudes toward civil society participation

The overarching goal of EU SEE is to contribute to strengthened and sustainable enabling environments for civil society globally.

Programme Structure and Outcomes

EU SEE is structured around three core outcome areas:

• Strengthened gender-sensitive, CSO-led learning networks and collaboration systems
• Improved monitoring of civic space through Country Focus Reports, Enabling Environment Snapshots, and Early Warning Mechanisms
• Enhanced advocacy capacity to respond to civic space developments at national, regional, and global levels

The programme also contributes to three intermediate outcomes:

• Coordination of a coherent EU-funded CSO system supporting enabling environments
• Strengthened CSO capacity to detect, analyse, and respond to civic space changes using gender and intersectional approaches
• Improved CSO engagement in evidence-based advocacy with EU institutions and international partners

Purpose of the Mid-Term Evaluation

The programme is currently at its mid-point, having commenced in 2024 with implementation extending to 2026. The mid-term evaluation is commissioned by Hivos to inform strategic decision-making for the remaining implementation period.

The evaluation serves two key purposes:

• Accountability: Assess the performance of EU SEE against commitments made to the European Union and other stakeholders
• Learning and Adaptation: Generate evidence to improve effectiveness, coherence, relevance, and sustainability of programme interventions

The evaluation will be participatory and inclusive, engaging consortium partners, network members, FSM stakeholders, and EU representatives.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation will be guided by OECD/DAC criteria:

Relevance

The evaluation will assess whether EU SEE aligns with the needs of civil society and stakeholders, and whether its Theory of Change remains valid in changing contexts. It will examine:

• Alignment with CSO priorities and EU policy frameworks
• Appropriateness of design and governance structures
• Contextual relevance across diverse country settings
• Effectiveness of Early Warning Mechanisms in varied environments

Coherence and Partnerships

This criterion assesses the quality of collaboration across the consortium and external partners, including FSM. It will explore:

• Added value of consortium coordination
• Synergies with external actors and EU Delegations
• Effectiveness of adaptive management practices
• Opportunities for improved coordination and joint action

Effectiveness

The evaluation will assess progress toward intended and unintended outcomes, including:

• Achievement of outputs and outcomes under the results framework
• Effectiveness of CSO capacity strengthening initiatives
• Success of advocacy efforts at multiple governance levels
• Emerging lessons, challenges, and contextual influences

Efficiency

This criterion examines how effectively resources are used to achieve results, focusing on:

• Timeliness and quality of implementation
• Cost-effectiveness and resource allocation
• Strength of management and coordination systems
• Bottlenecks affecting programme delivery

Sustainability

The evaluation will assess whether results are likely to endure beyond the project cycle by examining:

• Institutionalisation of capacities within CSOs and networks
• Financial and operational sustainability mechanisms
• Integration of programme lessons into policy and practice
• Long-term durability of outcomes

Evaluation Questions

Key evaluation questions are structured around the OECD/DAC criteria and include:

• How well does EU SEE respond to the needs of civil society and evolving contexts?
• To what extent has collaboration among partners and FSM created added value?
• What progress has been made toward intended outcomes and what factors have influenced results?
• How efficiently are resources being used to achieve programme objectives?
• What outcomes are likely to be sustained after programme completion?
• What lessons and good practices can inform future implementation?

Methodological Approach

The evaluation will adopt a theory-based, mixed-methods and contribution-oriented approach, suitable for a complex multi-country programme.

Key methodological expectations include:

• Use of Contribution Analysis, Process Tracing, or Realist Evaluation approaches
• Integration of quantitative and qualitative methods
• Case-study based sampling across selected countries
• Strong triangulation of data sources to ensure validity
• Participatory and inclusive engagement of stakeholders
• Adaptation to multilingual and context-sensitive environments

Data collection methods may include:

• Key informant interviews
• Focus group discussions
• Surveys across network members
• Case studies and Most Significant Change (MSC) analysis
• Organisational Capacity Assessments (OCA)
• Desk review of programme documents

Field visits may be conducted where feasible to deepen contextual understanding.

Deliverables

The evaluation will produce the following outputs:

• Inception Report, including methodology, tools, and evaluation design
• Proposed Table of Contents for final report
• Preliminary Findings Note
• Draft and Final Evaluation Reports
• Evaluation Brief for dissemination

Two rounds of feedback will be integrated into the draft report before finalisation.

Timeline

The evaluation will be conducted over 6–8 months:

• Inception report: 31 May
• Data collection: June – August
• Preliminary findings: 30 September
• Validation workshops: Early October
• Draft report: 20 October (1st), 10 November (2nd)
• Final report: 30 November

Consultant Profile

The lead evaluator must demonstrate:

• At least 10 years of experience in civil society, governance, or human rights evaluation
• Proven expertise in complex multi-country programme evaluations
• Strong experience in Theory of Change-based evaluations
• Background in gender equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Familiarity with enabling environment and civic space programming
• Strong analytical and communication skills in English
• Ability to work across multilingual contexts (French, Spanish, Portuguese)

Submission Requirements

Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (maximum 15 pages), including:

• Technical proposal outlining methodology and workplan
• Financial proposal with detailed budget breakdown
• CVs of key team members
• Samples of previous evaluation work (shortlisted candidates only)

Budget ceiling: EUR 100,000 (VAT included)
Deadline: 20 April 2026
Submission email: [email protected]

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