Evolving HOT’s Governance Model
About the Assignment
The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is requesting proposals from March 15 to March 31, 2023. HOT is looking to engage the services of an individual with experience in global community governance, research, and consultation. We aim to build on our living strategy and support the evolution of HOT’s governance, recognizing that membership growth and the addition of the Open Mapping Hubs potentially shift our governance needs.
The Consultant will collaborate with the HOT Board and HOT Governance Working Group to explore various models of boards, including appointed and membership-voted. The research and recommendations will be used to inform potential changes to transform and meet the mission of the Living Strategy.
HOT is seeking a consultant who is passionate about putting people at the center of technology. You are driven by delivering impact to a community of diverse users. You have a passion for good governance and negotiating change with communities.
Essential Skills
- Care deeply about HOT’s mission: passionate about humanitarian & development work demonstrated through prior professional or volunteer experiences
- Extensive experience in global community consultation, open governance and research
- Extensive experience working in a dynamic community of diverse or disparate stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills and empathy for the user
- Ability to collaborate with different teams
- Fluent in written and spoken English
About Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) sits at the nexus of participatory mapping, community-led development, humanitarian response, open data and tech. With a talented and diverse team of more than 100 staff spread among 37 countries, HOT is an NGO which supports a dynamic global community of thousands of dedicated volunteers using maps and open data for humanitarian response and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Working with humanitarian and development partners like the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, UN agencies, governments and many others, the HOT community maps in solidarity with those affected by or at risk of disaster and humanitarian crises.
In 2020, the work of the HOT community was recognized by TED’s Audacious Project, a collaborative philanthropic initiative that serves as a springboard for social impact on a grand scale, leading to an exciting new phase of growth. HOT is expanding its activities with a very dedicated focus on local-led initiatives, including scaling up its support to local mapping communities, opening four regional Open Mapping Hubs around the world (Asia Pacific, East & Southern Africa, West & Northern Africa, and Latin America & the Caribbean), and finding talent that represents the communities with which we work.
Scope of Work
HOT was founded in 2010 in response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti in order to rally people all over the world to support response & recovery efforts through open mapping. The organization was founded from a global perspective, but has evolved with the adoption of its new Living Strategy. Now, HOT is still a global organization, but its focus is on centering communities and community voices in four key priority regions. While our strategy has evolved, our governance structure has not. We now recognize the need to review how our governance model will most effectively support HOT’s new role as a catalyst for communities via open mapping.
This consultancy will include a research & recommendation phase and an implementation phase, with an outcome of updating HOT’s bylaws with an evolved governance structure.
Two of HOT’s values are crucial in this effort:
- Work in the open - HOT and its board and voting membership value transparency
- Collaborate for impact - this project should be consultative in nature and should include engagement with HOT’s governance working group, voting members, board members, and relevant staff
Proposed Process
We see the process for evolving our governance structure as outlined below but we are open to recommendations for the approach and suggested outputs.
Phase 1: Getting the data
- Review HOT’s current governance structure and become familiar with the current strategic and operating blueprints for the organization;
- To support HOT’s living strategy, review and document the open governance ecosystem for models supporting global networks, the composition and legal structures;
- Consult open source/open data community leaders (including board members, past and present of HOT) on models and governance best practices (what makes a strong board). The research output includes updating existing research on open governance;
- Provide guidance, research and recommendations on governance structures and legal needs.
Phase 2: Community Engagement
- Design and host HOT governance consultation meetings to draft proposed changes with the membership
- Coordinate communications, legal and administrative tasks for bylaw adjustments
Who will you be working with on our team? Heather Leson - Chair, HOT Governance Working Group Vanessa Jones - Executive Assistant to the Board of Directors Liz Chamberlain - Senior Director, Operations The HOT Governance Working Group
Proposal & Timeline
Proposal Requirements
We are seeking to engage with consultants who can provide research and implementation support within the areas in scope across 5 months, April-August 2023. We anticipate that the project should cost approximately $10,000.
To be considered for a contract award under this request for proposals, please submit the written proposal (not exceeding 3 pages + applicable resumes) in English.
The proposal must include the following information:
- A brief overview of your background and experience with links to prior work, including global consultations, governance in open communities, and research acumen;
- A synopsis of your proposed approach to complete the scope of work laid out above;
- A basic schedule for meeting the deliverables noted above, including dates, level of effort, and associated costs.
- Your availability and overall fees
Please submit proposals to Anne Sorensen at anne.sorensen@hotosm.org by the deadline listed below.