Climate Finance and Policy Consultancy

GiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving – and millions of lives – by providing cash grants directly to the world’s poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid – as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry – and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty.

GD has raised over $1B since launching in 2011 and delivered cash to more than 2 million people in 15 different countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

Our culture is candid, analytical, agile, and non-hierarchical. Our global team of ~150, and country operations teams of ~650, span 21 different countries and 69 languages. From software engineers to seasoned humanitarian workers, management consultants to public servants, researchers to field operations -- it’s an incredible group of people.

Our values are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision-making, and strive to build an ambitious, dynamic and high-performing environment. We strongly encourage you to read through our values carefully, if they reflect how you like to work and energize you, this could be a great fit.

We work hard to create an environment in which all our team members can thrive, succeed, and grow. We support high ownership, flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.

Bidding Template for Pre-Qualification

Bidding No.: GD/GLOBAL/2025/001

Issuance Date: 2nd March 2026

Description: Climate Finance and Policy Consultancy – Strategic Retainer (12 Months)

Point of Contact: isabelle.pelly@givedirectly.org

Deadline for Quotes: 27th March 2026 at [23:59 PM] [GMT]

1. Introduction & General Conditions

GiveDirectly (GD) invites competent and reputable firms to submit their quotations for the provision of consultancy services as described in this Request for Quotations (RFQ).

About GiveDirectly and this consultancy

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that lets donors send money directly to the world's poorest, with no strings attached. GD has delivered over $1B since launching in 2011, to more than 2 million people in 15 different countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that demonstrates the strong recipient impact of our programs.

GiveDirectly’s core programme delivers large lumpsum cash transfers (around $1,000 per household) that are highly cost-efficient, simple, and effective. These enable households to address basic needs and invest in household assets and in their livelihoods, resulting in sustained outcomes over time including on consumption, income, health and education. Increasingly we are optimising the design and sequencing of these transfers for different outcomes and populations, including layering ‘plus’ components and tailoring the timing and tranche structures of the payments.

For Climate Adaptation specifically, we are A/B testing features to maximise climate adaptation impact-for-dollar, building on programming to date in Karamoja (Uganda) and Turkana (Kenya). This programme, targeting 6,000+ highly climate vulnerable recipients in Uganda, is funded by the Quadrature Climate Foundation (QCF).

This climate finance and policy consultancy complements this ongoing programme to assess whether and how direct cash transfers, particularly when delivered as lumpsums, can become a recognised and fundable delivery modality at scale within the global climate finance architecture.

Purpose of this Bidding Template:

The purpose of this Bidding Template is to solicit competitive quotations for a long-term consultancy partnership with a specialised Climate Finance firm, inclusive of all applicable taxes and expenses, to ensure Best Value for Money for GiveDirectly.

Guiding Principles:

All procurements at GiveDirectly are conducted fairly, transparently, with strong competition, and clear segregation of duties, prioritizing Best Value for Money (BVM). BVM considers competitive price, quality, timeliness, safety, sustainability, and compliance with donor requirements.

2. Scope of Work / Description of Items

The overall strategic objective guiding this consultancy is to assess whether and how direct cash transfers, particularly when delivered as large lumpsums, can become a recognised and fundable delivery modality at scale within the global climate finance architecture - alongside other evidence-based interventions.

To address this question, GiveDirectly is seeking a long-term consultancy partnership with a specialised Climate Finance firm to address 2 high-level outcomes, with indicative outputs detailed below under each:

• Outcome 1: Build GiveDirectly’s understanding of the Climate Finance landscape and entry points for direct cash transfers
• Outcome 2: Position Large Lump Sum cash transfers credibly in relevant climate policy spaces (with a primary focus on adaptation/resilience)

The intention is for these outputs to be iterative and adaptive, based on GiveDirectly’s evolving positioning in relevant policy and finance spaces, and emerging evidence from the programme described above. A third ongoing outcome is to support GiveDirectly’s ongoing engagement and external representation through strategic advisory support. The consultancy team would report to GiveDirectly’s Senior Policy Director, working in close collaboration with key colleagues from the Fundraising and Product teams. The consultancy is fully remote.

The consultancy builds on GiveDirectly’s policy work on Climate to date, particularly on Loss and Damage. It also builds on a high-level analysis of the applicability of innovative finance mechanisms to GiveDirectly’s work, including a specific market sizing on unconditional cash transfers in the carbon credits market.

The work will be based on a hybrid model of milestone-based payments and a light monthly retainer. The consultancy will be managed by GiveDirectly’s Senior Policy Director, with close engagement from the Product and Research teams working on Climate Adaptation, and the country teams implementing Climate Adaptation programmes - in particular Uganda.

Outcome 1: Build GiveDirectly’s understanding of the Climate Finance landscape and entry points for direct cash transfers

• Output A: An evidence-backed framework for integrating GD’s model of direct LLS cash transfers (and relevant ‘plus’ components) into financing mechanisms for climate adaptation and (as relevant) for conservation/nature. To include:
  • A Practical articulation of potential market size and entry points across
    • Global Climate Funds (Adaptation Fund, GCF, GEF/GBFF)
    • Public-private mechanisms (e.g., TFFF)
    • Other multilateral mechanisms (CAFI, FCPF, AFDB adaptation benefit mechanisms)
    • Major philanthropies
    • Private sector investors including carbon credits (building on GiveDirectly’s existing analysis) and biodiversity credits
  • Specific analysis of potential entry points at the intersection of Climate & Health
• Output B: A clear Go / No-Go framework and engagement strategy for prioritised climate finance vehicles including:

Outcome 2: Position Large Lump Sum cash transfers credibly in relevant climate policy spaces (with a primary focus on adaptation/resilience)

• Output A: Recommendations on framing LLS cash transfers (and relevant ‘plus components') as a viable component of locally-led adaptation (LLA), considering:
  • How GD’s evidence contributes to LLA principles and outcomes
  • Recommendations for GD’s research team on key metrics to measure, and priority research questions to deepen understanding of cash, and engage with key LLA funders and policy makers
  • Analysis of if/how LLS differ from the climate-linked value proposition of humanitarian cash and/or Government-led social protection programmes
  • Which key LLA partners and allies (e.g. IIED, LIFE-AR, WRI, CAN) GD should be collaborating with and how
• Output B: A small suite (2–4 pieces) of high-credibility policy outputs aimed at e.g:

Output C: A Uganda-specific climate adaptation engagement strategy, including