CIVICUS Global Digital Action Toolkit Consultancy 2026: Apply for a USD 9,000 Global Digital Rights and Activism Consultancy

CIVICUS Global Digital Action Toolkit Consultancy 2026

CIVICUS Global Alliance is seeking an experienced consultant or consultancy team to develop a Global Digital Action Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help activists, civil society organisations, and citizens organise and participate in collective action in digital spaces safely, strategically, and effectively.

The consultancy offers a contract worth up to USD 9,000, inclusive of professional fees, taxes, and other associated costs. The selected consultant will work with CIVICUS to research, design, write, and finalise an approximately 15-page publication addressing digital organising, online mobilisation, digital protection, strategic communications, responsible digital storytelling, and impact measurement.

The consultancy is expected to run for approximately three months, from mid-September to mid-November 2026.

About CIVICUS Global Alliance

CIVICUS is a global alliance focused on defending and strengthening people power and civic action. The organisation brings together more than 17,000 members across more than 180 countries and works to protect civic freedoms, challenge violations, and strengthen the ability of people and civil society organisations to organise effectively.

CIVICUS places particular emphasis on amplifying excluded and marginalised voices, especially those from the Global South.

Through its work, CIVICUS supports efforts to create more accountable, effective, innovative, and inclusive civil society movements around the world.

Background to the Global Digital Action Toolkit

Digital platforms have become an increasingly important space for civic participation, activism, organising, advocacy, and public mobilisation.

Activists and civil society organisations can use digital platforms to communicate with large audiences, coordinate campaigns, build movements, share information, document events, and advocate for social and political change.

However, the growing importance of digital spaces has also created new challenges and risks.

Activists increasingly face threats such as:

• Digital surveillance
• Internet shutdowns
• Disinformation
• Online harassment
• Platform restrictions
• Restrictions on digital communication
• Risks associated with organising online
• Challenges related to digital security and privacy

CIVICUS already provides practical guidance for peaceful protest through its Global Protest Guide. However, there is a need for complementary guidance specifically focused on collective action that takes place in digital environments.

The Global Digital Action Toolkit is intended to address this gap.

The toolkit will provide practical guidance that helps activists and citizens understand how to plan and participate in digital assemblies and collective action while considering safety, strategy, communication, mobilisation, and impact.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The main purpose of this consultancy is to research, design, and develop a practical Global Digital Action Toolkit that provides actionable guidance for people organising collective action in digital spaces.

The final resource should be practical rather than purely theoretical. It should combine useful recommendations with real-world examples and tools that activists and civil society organisations can apply in different contexts.

The approximately 15-page publication is expected to include a combination of:

• Practical recommendations
• Case studies
• Examples
• Checklists
• Guidance
• Visual recommendations
• References
• Practical approaches to digital organising
• Information on digital protection and resilience

The toolkit should be suitable for an international audience and recognise that activists operate in very different political, legal, social, and technological environments.

Key Objectives of the Consultancy

The selected consultant or consultancy team will be responsible for achieving several important objectives.

1. Develop practical written content

The consultant will develop the main written content for the Global Digital Action Toolkit.

The content should provide practical guidance that activists and civil society organisations can use when planning or participating in digital collective action.

2. Expand on the Global Protest Guide

The toolkit should complement and expand the scope of CIVICUS’s existing Global Protest Guide.

Rather than duplicating existing guidance, the consultant should identify areas where digital collective action requires additional considerations and provide appropriate guidance.

3. Ensure global relevance

The recommendations should be relevant to activists and civil society organisations operating across different regions of the world.

The toolkit should recognise that digital organising can take place under very different conditions, including environments with:

• Strong civic freedoms
• Restricted civic space
• Internet shutdowns
• Government surveillance
• Platform restrictions
• Different legal frameworks
• Different levels of technological access
• Different levels of digital literacy

4. Make the toolkit practical and accessible

The final publication should be easy for its intended users to understand and apply.

The consultant should avoid creating a resource that is overly academic or theoretical. Instead, the toolkit should translate research and experience into clear recommendations and practical tools.

Scope of Work

The successful consultant will undertake research, writing, development, consultation, and revision activities throughout the assignment.

Identify case studies and good practices

The consultant will research relevant case studies, examples, and good practices that can strengthen the toolkit.

These examples should help demonstrate how digital collective action works in different environments and what activists can learn from previous experiences.

The research should contribute to a toolkit that is grounded in practical experience rather than general theory alone.

Develop the Global Digital Action Toolkit

The consultant will write the approximately 15-page toolkit.

The publication is expected to address areas including:

Digital organising and protection

The toolkit should provide guidance on organising in digital environments while considering the safety, security, and resilience of participants.

Online mobilisation

The resource should explain practical approaches to mobilising people through digital platforms and building effective collective action online.

Responsible digital storytelling

The toolkit should address how activists and civil society organisations can use digital storytelling responsibly and strategically.

This may include considerations around how stories are collected, presented, communicated, and shared.

Strategic communications

The consultant should provide guidance on developing effective communications strategies for digital collective action.

This should help users communicate their objectives, reach relevant audiences, and strengthen their campaigns.

Impact measurement

The toolkit should provide practical approaches for understanding and measuring the impact of digital collective action.

This could help activists and organisations assess whether their digital campaigns are achieving their intended objectives and identify areas for improvement.

Expected Deliverables

The selected consultant will be expected to produce several key deliverables during the consultancy.

1. Inception Concept Note and Toolkit Outline

The first deliverable will establish the overall approach to the assignment.

It should include:

• A proposed workplan
• The methodology that will be used
• The proposed structure of the toolkit
• An outline of the proposed content
• An approach to research and case-study identification

This stage will provide CIVICUS with an opportunity to review and provide direction before the full toolkit is developed.

2. First Draft

The consultant will prepare a complete first draft of the Global Digital Action Toolkit.

The draft will be submitted to the CIVICUS team for review and feedback.

It should demonstrate the proposed structure, content, practical recommendations, examples, and other relevant components of the final publication.

3. Final Toolkit

The final deliverable will be a publication-ready Global Digital Action Toolkit of approximately 15 pages.

The final version should incorporate feedback received from the CIVICUS team.

It should also include suggested:

• Visuals
• Graphics
• References
• Layout approaches
• Other visual elements that could improve accessibility and usability

The consultant is therefore expected not only to provide written content but also to offer recommendations that can assist a visual designer in turning the material into an engaging final publication.

Consultancy Budget

CIVICUS has allocated a total budget of up to USD 9,000 for this consultancy.

The amount is inclusive of:

• Professional fees
• Taxes
• Other associated costs

Applicants are required to submit a detailed financial proposal explaining their proposed consultancy fees and any anticipated expenses.

Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposed budget clearly reflects the complete cost of delivering the assignment.

Consultancy Duration

The consultancy is expected to run for approximately three months.

The anticipated period is:

Mid-September to Mid-November 2026

Applicants should take this timeframe into consideration when developing their proposed methodology, workplan, and budget.

How to Apply

Interested consultants or consultancy teams should submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by email to:FoPA@civicus.org

The email should use the following subject line: EOI – Development of the Global Digital Action Toolkit

The application must be received by: 28 August 2026

Applicants are encouraged to ensure that all required documents are complete and submitted before the deadline.

Required Application Documents

The application should comprise three documents.

1. Full CV

Applicants should submit a full curriculum vitae outlining their professional background, relevant experience, qualifications, skills, and previous assignments.

The CV should clearly demonstrate experience relevant to the consultancy.

2. Cover Letter

The cover letter should be a maximum of two pages.

It should:

• Introduce the applicant or consultancy team
• Describe relevant skills and experience
• Demonstrate understanding of the assignment
• Explain the proposed approach
• Describe how the assignment will be accomplished
• Highlight experience that makes the applicant or team suitable for the work

Applicants should use the cover letter to demonstrate not only their qualifications but also their understanding of digital collective action and the needs of activists and civil society organisations.

3. Proposed Budget

Applicants must provide a proposed financial budget for undertaking the assignment.

The budget should clearly outline:

• Consultancy fees
• Anticipated expenses
• Any other relevant costs

Since the maximum available budget is USD 9,000 inclusive of professional fees, taxes, and associated costs, applicants should ensure their proposal remains within the available budget.

What the Successful Consultant Will Be Expected to Deliver

The successful applicant will need to combine research, writing, strategic thinking, and an understanding of digital civic action.

The assignment requires more than simply producing a written report. The final resource should be a practical toolkit that activists and civil society organisations can actually use.

A strong approach would therefore need to consider:

1. The realities of digital activism in different regions.
2. The risks faced by activists using digital platforms.
3. The opportunities created by online organising.
4. Digital safety and resilience.
5. Online mobilisation strategies.
6. Responsible communications and storytelling.
7. Strategic campaign communications.
8. Methods for measuring digital campaign impact.
9. Differences in political, legal, and technological environments.
10. Accessibility and practical usability of the final toolkit.

Why This Consultancy Is Important

The increasing role of digital platforms in civic participation means that activists now need to understand both the opportunities and risks associated with digital collective action.

Digital spaces can help movements reach audiences that may be difficult to reach through traditional forms of organising. They can also facilitate rapid mobilisation, information sharing, storytelling, advocacy, and international solidarity.

At the same time, digital organising can expose activists and organisations to surveillance, misinformation, platform restrictions, online threats, and other challenges.

A practical Global Digital Action Toolkit can therefore help bridge the gap between traditional guidance on civic action and the realities of contemporary digital organising.

The resource will potentially provide activists and civil society organisations with practical knowledge that can be adapted to different contexts around the world.

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity is intended for qualified individual consultants or consultancy teams with relevant professional expertise and experience capable of researching and developing a global digital action resource.

Particularly relevant backgrounds may include:

• Digital organising and activism
• Civil society and civic-space work
• Digital rights and digital security
• Strategic communications
• Advocacy and campaigning
• Research and case-study development
• Digital storytelling
• Civil society capacity building
• Development of toolkits, guides, publications, or similar resources

The Terms of Reference do not specify a particular nationality, race, ethnicity, or continent as an eligibility restriction. The assignment is designed for a global audience, and applicants should demonstrate the relevant expertise and experience required to successfully undertake the consultancy.

Interested applicants should nevertheless review the complete Terms of Reference and application requirements carefully before submitting their Expression of Interest.

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How Applicants Can Strengthen Their Application

Applicants interested in this consultancy should ensure that their application directly responds to the requirements in the Terms of Reference.

A strong application should clearly demonstrate relevant experience rather than relying only on general professional qualifications.

Applicants can strengthen their submission by:

• Clearly explaining previous experience with digital organising, civic action, communications, advocacy, activism, or civil society.
• Providing relevant examples of research, publications, toolkits, guides, campaigns, or similar resources they have developed.
• Demonstrating experience working with international or geographically diverse audiences.
• Showing an understanding of digital safety and resilience.
• Explaining their methodology for identifying credible case studies and good practices.
• Presenting a realistic workplan for the three-month consultancy.
• Providing a clear and detailed financial proposal.
• Explaining how feedback from CIVICUS will be incorporated into subsequent drafts.
• Demonstrating the ability to produce accessible and practical content.
• Highlighting experience working with visual designers or preparing content that can easily be translated into visually engaging publications.

Important Dates and Application Information

Item	Details
Organisation	CIVICUS Global Alliance
Opportunity	Development of the Global Digital Action Toolkit
Opportunity type	Consultancy
Budget	Up to USD 9,000
Consultancy duration	Approximately 3 months
Expected period	Mid-September to mid-November 2026
Toolkit length	Approximately 15 pages
Application method	Expression of Interest by email
Application email	FoPA@civicus.org
Email subject	EOI – Development of the Global Digital Action Toolkit
Application deadline	28 August 2026
Required documents	Full CV, maximum two-page cover letter, proposed budget

Conclusion

The CIVICUS Global Digital Action Toolkit Consultancy 2026 presents an opportunity for an experienced consultant or consultancy team to contribute to an important global resource focused on digital civic action.

With a budget of up to USD 9,000, the assignment involves researching good practices, developing practical guidance, producing an approximately 15-page toolkit, incorporating feedback from CIVICUS, and delivering a publication-ready manuscript with recommendations for visuals and layout.

The consultancy is particularly relevant to professionals with experience in digital activism, civil society, civic space, advocacy, strategic communications, digital organising, research, digital rights, campaign development, or related fields.

Interested applicants should carefully prepare the three required application documents and submit their Expression of Interest to FoPA@civicus.org using the subject line “EOI – Development of the Global Digital Action Toolkit”.

The application deadline is 28 August 2026, with the consultancy expected to take place from mid-September to mid-November 2026.

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