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1. INTRODUCTION
Since 1944, Heifer International has worked with over 52 million people worldwide to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable manner. Working with rural communities in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States, Heifer International supports farmers and local food producers in strengthening local economies and building secure livelihoods that provide a living income.
In Kenya, where Heifer began operations in 1981, the organization has supported more than 682,000 families across dairy and poultry value chains. Heifer Kenya’s current seven-year Signature program, Practice for Change (P4C), aims to accelerate 625,000 farming households toward a sustainable living income through market-based interventions in poultry, dairy, beef, and horticulture. P4C seeks to achieve this through partnering with private sector, government, development agencies, and community organizations to create thriving, resilient farming households, with a focus on improved value chain competitiveness, stronger farmer organizations, increased incomes for women and youth, market efficiency, environmental sustainability, and food and nutrition security. Key thematic focus areas of P4C are access to innovative finance, technology and innovation, gender inclusion, youth empowerment, and climate resilience.
2. RATIONALE FOR ASSIGNMENT
In 2023, Heifer International Kenya constituted a new Board of Directors following the completion of the full term of the previous board and the issuance of updated governance guidelines by the NGO Coordination Board. The newly appointed directors formally assumed office in June 2024. In line with principles of board perpetuity, the Board anticipates onboarding two additional directors in the first quarter of 2026.
To adequately orient and equip the Board of Directors with a comprehensive understanding of Heifer Project International’s mission, operating model, governance framework, and strategic priorities, the leadership of Heifer Project International, in collaboration with the Kenya Country Office, proposes to organize a Board Governance Workshop. The objective of the workshop is to strengthen the directors’ governance capacity and provide them with the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively execute their fiduciary, strategic, and oversight responsibilities.
The Board Governance Workshop will be facilitated by an external governance training institution or expert and is projected to take place in the first quarter of the 2026 calendar year, aligned with the March 2026 Board meeting dates.
3. OBJECTIVES OF ASSIGNMENT
a) Enhance Governance Competence: Deepen participants’ understanding of complex governance dynamics and equip them with advanced tools to navigate emerging challenges effectively.
b) Strengthen Strategic Oversight: Build directors’ capacity to align governance practices with the Heifer ‘s organizational strategy, ensuring that decision-making processes drive sustainable impact.
c) Elevate Board Performance: Provide practical frameworks and methodologies to improve board effectiveness, collaboration, and accountability in delivering on organizational goals.
d) Lead and Oversee Change Initiatives: Empower participants to proactively oversee and guide transformative initiatives, managing risks and opportunities associated with the ongoing organizational transformation.
e) Uphold Ethical Leadership: Reinforce a strong ethical foundation by promoting integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship across all levels of governance.
f) Advance Governance Leadership: Transition directors from foundational governance understanding to advanced leadership roles, fostering a culture of innovation, reflection, and continuous improvement in board practices.
4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
The consultant/consulting team will be expected to produce the following deliverables:
a) Enhanced Strategic and Analytical Capacity: The board members will demonstrate a greater ability to analyze complex organizational issues, anticipate emerging trends, and provide insightful, forward-looking guidance that enhances strategic decision-making.
b) Enhanced Advisory Board Effectiveness: The board will operate with increased clarity of purpose and cohesion, contributing high-value insights, strengthening collaboration with management, and ensuring advisory input is both timely and actionable.
c) Improved Support for Organizational Transformation: Participants will be better equipped to advise on and champion change initiatives, ensuring that organizational transitions are strategically aligned and effectively managed.
d) Reinforced Ethical and Mission-Driven Advisory Practice: Members will model integrity and uphold the organization’s mission and values, ensuring that all recommendations and engagements reflect transparency, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose.
e) Elevated Leadership Influence and Stakeholder Engagement: Advisory board members will expand their role as ambassadors and thought partners — fostering partnerships, strengthening stakeholder trust, and advancing the organization’s visibility and impact.
f) Strengthened Advisory Systems and Processes: The advisory structure will evolve with more effective meeting practices, defined roles, and mechanisms for continuous learning and performance assessment that enhance the board’s overall contribution.Deliverables should be in professional English, well-structured, and submitted in both editable and PDF formats. The final report should also include an executive summary and relevant annexes (such as lists of stakeholders interviewed, etc.) as appropriate
Target Participants
• Heifer Kenya board of directors (6)
• Country Director (ex-officio board member) (1)
5. QUALIFICATIONS
The assignment should be undertaken by a consultant (or firm) with strong expertise in governance, law, business administration, public policy, development studies, or a related field.
1. Professional certification
Formal professional certification in corporate governance or board leadership, such as Certified Governance Auditor / Professional (ICSA / CGI), Chartered Director or equivalent, or a recognised governance certification from reputable institutions.
2. Relevant experience
Minimum of 8–10 years of demonstrated experience in board governance, organisational governance, or institutional strengthening, with a proven track record of designing and facilitating board governance trainings for NGOs/INGOs, foundations, donor-funded organisations, or regulated non-profit or quasi-public institutions.
Strong understanding of board roles and responsibilities (fiduciary, strategic, and oversight functions), board–management boundaries, and board performance, evaluation, and succession (board perpetuity).
3. Non-Profit and international development context knowledge
Demonstrated experience working with non-profit organisations, preferably international NGOs, with a solid understanding of donor compliance and accountability, NGO regulatory environments (including Kenya NGO Coordination Board requirements), and ethical governance and safeguarding obligations.
Familiarity with governance challenges unique to country offices of international organisations.
4. Facilitation and adult learning skills
Strong facilitation and adult-learning competencies, including participatory and case-based learning approaches, ability to engage senior-level professionals and board members, and capacity to manage sensitive governance discussions constructively.
5. Strategic and values-based orientation
Demonstrated ability to integrate mission-driven governance, values-based leadership, and risk oversight with sustainability considerations, alongside a clear understanding of board stewardship in development organisations, including social impact and accountability to the communities served.
6. EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Selection Committee will evaluate all proposals against the following weighted criteria:
Understanding of the Terms of Reference (10%) – Demonstrated clarity and comprehension of the assignment scope and objectives.
Facilitation and Training Methodology/Approach (40%) – Strength, relevance, and practicality of the proposed methodology and facilitation design.
Team Composition and Relevant Experience (20%) – Appropriateness of the proposed team, including relevant experience and summarised CVs.
Firm’s Capability and Experience in Similar Assignments (20%) – Proven track record and demonstrated capacity to deliver comparable work.
Statutory Compliance and Budget Justification / Cost Realism (10%) – Compliance with statutory requirements and reasonable budget proposals.
Total Score: 100%
7. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Legally registered local individuals or firms are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit the following documents as part of their application:
i. Letter of expression of interest and demonstration of capability
ii. The capacity and portfolio of the consultant including their qualifications, experience, and expertise relevant to the assignment.
iii. At least three references from other clients for which similar assignments have been undertaken with contact information for each.
iv. A clear and comprehensive work plan (draft), outlining the major activities and schedule.
v. Financial proposal – Individual/firm cost proposal in KES for this assignment based on the workplan. The cost should indicate the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all the cost. These costs must be broken down by no fewer than the following budget categories: Personnel (including rates and level of effort), Travel, Meetings, Materials, Fee, Tax etc.
All submissions must include the following documents as part of the bid or proposal to Heifer International Kenya:
Certificate of Incorporation or Business Registration Certificate
KRA PIN Certificate
Valid Tax Compliance Certificate
Updated Curriculum Vitae (for individual applicants)
Relevant industry licenses
8. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
The proposal (duly signed) from the consultant should comprise the technical and financial proposals. Applications will be accepted in soft copy through email and mentioning the subject line; “BOARD GOVERNANCE TRAINING” to [email protected] on or before Monday 2nd March 2026.
9. LATE SUBMISSIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their proposals are submitted according to the instructions stated herein. Heifer retains the right to terminate this request for proposal or modify the requirements upon notification to the applicants.
10. VALIDITY OF PROPOSALS
Proposals submitted shall remain open for acceptance for Thirty (30) days from the last date specified for receipt of the proposal. This includes, but is not limited to pricing, terms and conditions, service levels, and all other information. If your organization is selected, all information in this document and the negotiation process is contractually binding.
11. LIMITATIONS
This Request for Proposal does not represent a commitment to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this RFP, or to procure or to contract for services or supplies. Heifer reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and reserves the right to accept or reject in its entirety and absolute discretion any proposal received because of the request of the proposal.
12. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Section 1. Ownership Generally. Subject to Section 2 below, any intellectual property (including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, service marks, and patents), intellectual property rights, deliverables, manuals, works, ideas, discoveries, inventions, products, writings, photographs, videos, drawings, lists, data, strategies, materials, processes, procedures, systems, programs, devices, operations, or information developed in whole or in part by or on behalf of Contractor or its employees or agents in connection with the Services and/or Goods (collectively, the “Work Product”) shall be the exclusive property of HPI. Upon request, the Contractor shall sign all documents and take all actions necessary to confirm or perfect HPI’s exclusive ownership of the Work Product.
Section 2. Prior-Owned Intellectual Property. Any intellectual property owned by a Party before the Effective Date (“Prior-Owned IP”) shall remain that Party’s sole and exclusive property. Regarding any of Contractor’s Prior-Owned IP included in the Work Product, Contractor shall retain ownership, and hereby grants HPI a permanent, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable right and license to use, copy, reproduce, publicly display, edit, revise, perform, and distribute said intellectual property, in any format or any medium, as part of the Work Product.
Section 3. Work Made for Hire. To the extent copyright laws apply to the Work Product, the Parties agree that (a) HPI specially ordered or commissioned the Work Product, (b) the Work Product is a “work made for hire” under United States copyright laws, and (c) HPI shall be deemed the author thereof and shall own all right, title, and interest therein. To the extent such rights, in whole or in part, do not vest in HPI as a “work made for hire”, Contractor hereby irrevocably grants, assigns, and transfers to HPI, exclusively and in perpetuity, all of the Contractor’s rights of any kind or nature, now known or hereafter devised, in, too, and in connection with the Work Product, and HPI shall solely and exclusively own any rights therein, and in the elements thereof, including but not limited to any allied, ancillary, subsidiary, incidental, and adaptation rights. The contractor hereby waives all rights known as “moral rights”, and any similar rights, which Contractor may have in connection with the Work Product. The description of Services and/or Goods provided in this Agreement shall in no way limit the way HPI may use the Work Product.
13. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Heifer International values diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (“DEIB”), and believe that effectively accessing and managing diverse talent leads to improved outcomes. HPI takes a broad view of diversity, and inclusive of varied backgrounds including, but not limited to, age, experience, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability status, national origin, and culture. HPI expect third-party providers to respect and reflect HPI’s value of DEIB. HPI’s ongoing monitoring of third-party service providers incorporates an assessment of vendors’ commitment to, adherence with, and track record of accessing and retaining diverse and inclusive workforces.
How to apply
The proposal (duly signed) should comprise both the technical and financial proposals. Applications will be accepted in soft copy via email, with the subject line “BOARD GOVERNANCE TRAINING”, and should be sent to [email protected] on or before Monday, 2nd March 2026.
Bidders may submit questions or seek clarification regarding this proposal. The deadline for all enquiries is Friday, 27th February 2026.
For additional information about this RFP, please visit: https://www.heifer.org/about-us/inside-heifer/procurement-and-contracting-services