Open Call: Consultant (Germany)

1. Background and Context

Founded in Bangladesh in 1972, BRAC has grown from a post-war relief operation into one of the world's largest and most respected development organisations. Today it works across Bangladesh and 16 countries in Asia and Africa, reaching the lives of over 100 million people each year. What distinguishes BRAC is its integrated model: it combines investment, grant financing, service delivery and institution-building, using a commercially rigorous, private-sector mindset to drive lasting economic mobility rather than aid dependency.

Women are at the centre of that model. BRAC deliberately works with women as economic actors: entrepreneurs, farmers, workers and students combining access to capital, skills, markets and services so they can build livelihoods, accumulate assets and participate fully in local economies. BRAC's social enterprises, among them BRAC Bank, Microfinance and Aarong, generate revenue, recycle capital and strengthen local markets, giving the organisation a degree of resilience and independence uncommon in the sector.

As part of its partnerships strategy, BRAC has been building income and partnerships in a small number of international markets, including the UK and the Nordics, and periodically assesses new markets that may warrant investment. Germany, as Europe's largest economy, with a substantial corporate base and a distinctive philanthropic and foundation landscape is a prospective new market. Before committing resources, BRAC wishes to understand, on the basis of evidence rather than assumption, whether and how German corporate and corporate-foundation income in the form of grant financing can realistically be raised for its international programmes, and what it would take to do so.

2. Purpose

This assignment is not an end in itself. Its purpose is to give BRAC's leadership the evidence needed to make a clear, well-sequenced decision: whether to invest in the German market, at what minimum level, through what model, and over what horizon or not to.

A strong output will therefore go beyond describing the market. It will take a candid, reasoned position on viability and fit, quantify the likely cost-to-raise and realistic return, and set out a practical entry pathway (or a well-argued case against entry). Central to this is a clear-eyed view of gift size: BRAC is looking for a smaller number of larger gifts that can justify the investment, not a high volume of small donations. A generic landscape of large German companies with CSR budgets will not meet this need.

3. Scope and Boundaries

In scope: German private-sector companies, corporates and corporate foundations (Unternehmensstiftungen), and independent grant making foundations, together with corporate giving / CSR / strategic-philanthropy vehicles, as sources of funding for BRAC's international programmes.

Out of scope: high-net-worth individuals and individual giving. Where the consultant identifies material overlap or hand-off points with these audiences, they should flag them, but should not profile them in depth.

Priority themes for alignment (to be confirmed at inception): BRAC's current strategic priorities building resilient food systems by supporting small holder farmers (notably women smallholder farmers); education from 0 to 18; financial inclusion; Sexual and Reproductive health and Right (SRHR), ultra poor graduation etc.

4. Objectives

The consultant will:

1. Establish whether, to what extent and under what conditions German corporates, private-sector companies and independent foundations fund international (non-German/non-EU) programmes including typical and average grant size for each source type, private-sector company, corporate, corporate foundation and independent foundation and the range from the smallest to the largest gift, so BRAC can judge whether the market offers the smaller number of larger gifts needed to justify investment, rather than a high volume of small donations, alongside themes, geographies and the appetite for a Bangladesh-origin, women-focused development organisation.
2. Map how such funding is channelled and which recipient models are preferred e.g. direct grants, corporate foundations, grant making foundations, intermediaries, matching/employee giving, pooled funds or in-country vehicles and why.
3. Assess the legal, fiscal and operational infrastructure BRAC would require to receive German corporate funding credibly and tax-efficiently, including whether a German or EU/EEA gemeinnützig-equivalent vehicle, fiscal sponsor, or existing BRAC Bangladesh registered or UK registered entity is advised.
4. Identify and prioritise a realistic pipeline of prospects aligned to BRAC's priority themes, with tailored engagement approaches, an indicative gift range for each, and an honest read on warmth, timing and probability.
5. Provide an evidence-based view on minimum viable investment, cost-to-raise, return on investment and sequencing, sufficient to support a go / no-go decision and, if positive, a phased entry plan.

5. Key Questions to be Answered

The assessment should be organised around the following themes. Depth on the Germany-specific and relational dimensions (B, C, D and F) is what will distinguish a decision-grade report from a desk summary.

A. Market and giving landscape

• Scale, structure and maturity of German corporate giving and corporate-foundation and wider foundation activity; how much is directed internationally (vs locally - Germany and EU), and to what themes and regions.
• Typical and average grant/ gift size by source type (private-sector company, corporate, corporate foundation and independent foundation), and the spread from smallest to largest gift so BRAC can assess whether the market can deliver the smaller number of larger gifts needed to justify the investment, rather than many small donations.
• Trends shaping corporate giving (ESG and supply-chain regulation, e.g. the German Supply Chain Act; sustainability commitments; economic climate) and their implications for BRAC.

B. Fiscal and legal architecture for cross-border corporate and foundation giving

• The conditions under which German corporates and foundations can make tax-effective contributions to programmes delivered outside Germany and the EU.
• The role of gemeinnützigkeit (charitable/tax-privileged status) and EU/EEA tax-equivalence, and whether BRAC needs a German or EU-based vehicle, fiscal sponsor or partner to be a credible and tax-effective recipient.
• Whether BRAC's existing European structures (including registrations in the UK and the Netherlands) already satisfy these requirements, or what specific 'infrastructure' would need to be established.

C. Motivations, decision-making culture and relationship norms

• What motivates German corporate and foundation funders (strategic alignment, employee engagement, brand, regulation, personal conviction), and how decisions are actually made and over what timescales.
• Relationship-building norms and expectations, including the role of trust, formality, local presence and language.

D. Channels, intermediaries and preferred recipient models

• The intermediaries, networks, advisers and platforms through which German corporate funding typically reaches international causes and which BRAC could realistically access.

E. Peer and competitor benchmarking and positioning

• How comparable international NGOs successfully raise corporate and foundation income in Germany through their models, positioning, entry costs and lessons and what this implies for BRAC's realistic share and approach.
• A candid assessment of how credibly BRAC as a Bangladesh-origin, women-focused organisation can attract German corporate funding, the proof points and messaging required, and any reputational or due-diligence considerations.

F. Investment, cost-to-raise and return

• The minimum viable investment to enter and operate (presence, staffing, legal/fiscal set-up, time-to-first-income), with realistic multi-year income projections and risk-adjusted ROI under two or three scenarios (e.g. light-touch vs. dedicated in-market presence).

6. Methodology and Approach

This assignment calls for insider intelligence and seasoned market judgement rather than a large new research programme. BRAC is deliberately seeking a consultant who is already active in the German corporate and philanthropic market and can draw on existing knowledge, relationships and live intelligence, sharpened through a focused set of targeted conversations. A desk-based or AI-generated synthesis of publicly available information will not be accepted as sufficient.

The consultant is expected to combine focused desk review with:

• Their own existing intelligence and relationships in the market, brought to bear directly on BRAC's questions rather than assembled from scratch;
• A small number of targeted ‘stress-testing’ conversations with carefully chosen key targets i.e. German corporates and corporate foundations that are demonstrably giving internationally to test genuine appetite for an organisation like BRAC, as opposed to stated policy;
• Clear, verifiable sourcing for material claims, and a transparent basis for prospect prioritisation and financial projections.

In the inception note, the consultant should set out the existing intelligence and access they already bring, and propose the handful of key targets they would approach to stress-test it.

7. Key Activities

• Market & giving landscape analysis: the context, drivers, themes, geographies and barriers set out in Section 5 (A–D), including the grant-size analysis by source type.
• Fiscal/legal architecture assessment: a practical answer to what BRAC would need in place to receive German corporate and private sector funds credibly and tax-effectively.
• Pipeline development: a tiered pipeline: a longer list of qualified prospects, and a shortlist of priority prospects (in the order of 6–10) prospects profiled in depth, each with a tailored engagement approach, indicative gift range, and an honest read on warmth, timing and probability.
• Investment & ROI modelling: minimum viable investment, cost-to-raise and risk-adjusted return under two or three scenarios.
• Recommendations: a clear, sequenced 'so-what': go/ no-go, and if positive, the model, phasing and first steps.

8. Deliverables

Three products are required:

1. Inception note (short): refined methodology, key questions, interview/target list and workplan, confirming priority themes and scope.
2. Draft report (maximum 20 pages): executive summary, the analysis in Section 5, the prioritised pipeline, investment and ROI scenarios, and recommendations.
3. Final report: the final report addressing BRAC's feedback. A short validation session with BRAC leadership may be requested.

9. Timeline and Milestones

The assignment is expected to require approximately 20 working days, delivered against the following milestones:

10. Consultant Profile and Qualifications

This assignment is open to both individual consultants and consultancy firms. In these Terms of Reference, 'the Consultant' means the successful applicant, whether a natural person (an individual consultant) or a legal entity (a firm, company or other organisation).

Applications may also be submitted by a team or association of individuals, provided that one lead consultant or entity is named as responsible for delivery and as BRAC's primary point of contact and contracting party.

• Germany-based, with a demonstrable and current network among German corporates and corporate foundations and foundations, and the standing to secure candid conversations with decision-makers.
• A strong grasp of German corporate giving, CSR and the foundation landscape, and a working understanding of the German charitable/fiscal framework for cross-border giving.
• A track record of delivering comparable market-entry, fundraising or partnership assessments, ideally in an international development or INGO context.
• The ability to work independently, think strategically and give an honest, evidence-based view - including where that view is 'no'.
• No conflicts of interest with BRAC or its prospective funders; any potential conflicts to be declared.

11. Budget and Fees

Applicants should propose a fee for the assignment, presented on a daily-rate basis with the estimated number of days, and inclusive of any expenses. Proposals will be assessed on value for money rather than lowest cost. Any assumptions on additional costs (e.g. travel for interviews) should be stated separately.

Applicants must be legally entitled to provide advisory services and to invoice for them in their jurisdiction.

Fee proposals should state whether the applicant is registered for VAT and whether the quoted fee is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.

12. Proposal Requirements and Evaluation

Interested applicants should submit, by 14 September 2026:

1. A proposal (max. 4 pages) setting out proposed methodology including the primary-research approach and indicative interviewees timeline and fee.
2. A CV highlighting at least three recent, relevant results or achievements in the German market, with contact details for three references.

Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

13. Confidentiality, Data Protection, and Ownership

• All information shared by BRAC, and all findings, contacts and analysis produced under this assignment, are confidential to BRAC.
• The consultant must handle any personal data in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• All deliverables and underlying materials (including the prospect pipeline and interview notes) are the property of BRAC on completion.

14. How to Apply

Applications should be sent by email to Stephanie Hughes at opportunitieseurope@braceurope.org with the subject line ‘Private Sector and Corporate Market Assessment - Germany’, by 14 September 2026.