Meaningful Connectivity Research Consultant

The Opportunity

This research examines how emergency connectivity support is structured today and what gaps remain for frontline responders. Using a literature review and case study methodology, it will generate evidence on what "meaningful connectivity" looks like across emergency response contexts, and provide recommendations for more effective support structures. This work recognizes that meaningful connectivity spans the full humanitarian-development continuum, before, during, and after a crisis, not just its acute phase.

Scope of Work

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Document how connectivity in emergency response has evolved and what it means in practice today across international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), local and national organizations, and affected communities, including the evolution of NetHope's work in this area.
• Examine the roles of the private sector in shaping connectivity resourcing models, and the ethical and technical implications associated with their adoption in the humanitarian sector.
• Document the connectivity technology needs of the frontline responders across international NGOs, local and national organizations, and affected communities and their change over the years.
• Document how the frontline responders across international NGOs, local and national organizations, and affected communities are currently covering their connectivity technology needs, and the existing gaps remaining.
• Assess existing funding models (e.g., pre-positioned equipment, cash grants, pre-approved procurement windows), including NetHope's models, and how they align with the needs of frontline responders.
• Analyze evidence from NetHope's emergency response program as embedded case studies of varying types and contexts of emergency connectivity resourcing.
• Produce actionable recommendations and evidence products for future emergency response programming at NetHope, and the broader humanitarian connectivity sector.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The central research question is:

How has connectivity in humanitarian emergency response evolved, and where does the sector stand in terms of achieving "meaningful connectivity" today?

Supporting questions:

• How do connectivity needs and constraints compare across international NGOs, local/national/regional NGOs, and community-based organizations?
• To what extent have preparedness and response investments reduced the duration and severity of connectivity loss during recent emergencies, compared to prior years?
• What specific technical, logistical, or funding barriers explain the persistence of last-mile gaps, even where broader country-level connectivity has improved?
• What funding and procurement models exist to support the work of frontline responders and the communities they serve, and what are the observed results?
• How do different support models (on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants) perform across the preparedness, response, and recovery phases? Across conflict and post-conflict emergencies?
• What evidence from NetHope's own programming shows which support models (on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants) are most effective in which contexts, and where models may need to be combined rather than used in isolation?
• What role do private sector actors (donors and vendors) play in enabling or constraining this mix of models, and what tradeoffs come with relying on them?
• How can connectivity investment and technology be structured to better serve communities across the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of an emergency?
• How are internet shutdowns and restrictive government policies in the selected disaster-prone or at-risk case study locations reshaping connectivity strategies, and do locally driven models navigate these constraints more effectively than traditional approaches? (Case study locations will be selected jointly by the candidate and NetHope)

ACTIVITIES

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

Research work plan and protocol
Building upon the existing research plan, the consultant will develop a research work plan and protocol, in agreement with the NetHope team.

Literature Review

• Conduct a structured review of existing research on connectivity technology in humanitarian work, digital infrastructure in crisis settings, and anticipatory humanitarian action.
• Analyze different support models, such as on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants (e.g., OCHA, Start Network, IFRC Forecast-based Financing), as potential frameworks for emergency connectivity support.
• Review humanitarian-development nexus literature relevant to resilience-based connectivity investment.
• Review program documents from NetHope's emergency response program.
• Analyze relevant policy documents (international and from the selected case-study countries), donor frameworks for emergency response and connectivity, and/or standard/most used MOU structures.

Stakeholder Mapping and Key Informant Interviews

• Map relevant stakeholders across six categories: international NGOs; local, national, and regional NGOs and CBOs; foundation/philanthropic organizations; private sector connectivity providers and donors; affected communities and local first responders; and relevant UN agencies and coordination bodies.
• Design and conduct semi-structured key informant interviews with representatives from each stakeholder group, with particular attention to lived experience of connectivity gaps, procurement barriers, successful experiences, and the meaning of "meaningful connectivity" in practice.
• Analyze and synthesize the qualitative data from the interviews.

Survey

• Design, pilot and deploy a quantitative survey (it can include qualitative sections to clarify quantitative results) for the NetHope Member network and NetHope Connected organizations, capturing data on connectivity needs, equipment procurement experiences, and effective support models.
• Analyze and report survey results as part of the overall research synthesis.

Data analysis and reporting
Once the data collection and literature review is completed, the consultant will draft the final report, in close communication with the research committee.

Engagement with the NetHope research committee
NetHope will establish a Research Committee to provide oversight, methodological guidance, and quality assurance throughout this assignment. The Research Committee will include representatives from NetHope's emergency response team and the MEAL Specialist. The consultant will engage with this committee at three stages:

• Inception meeting: joint review of the finalized research workplan, data collection tools, and ethical considerations.
• Mid-point review: review of interim findings, and confirmation of workshop design and formats.
• Draft review: structured feedback on the draft research report and evidence brief prior to finalization (a workshop might be necessary for this review).

Workshops

• Facilitate workshops with NetHope Member and Connected organizations and select local NGO partners to complement information from interviews and surveys and validate findings.
• Develop presentation and other supporting documents for a donor-facing workshop to present preliminary findings.

Case Studies
Examine four NetHope emergency response initiatives as embedded case studies, documenting outcomes and evidence on the effectiveness of our implemented support models against specific emergency response contexts.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated experience conducting applied or policy-oriented research in humanitarian response, international development, or related fields.
• Strong qualitative research skills, including case studies, interview design, facilitation, and analysis; mixed-methods experience is an asset.
• Experience with survey design and quantitative data analysis.
• Familiarity with humanitarian connectivity, telecommunications infrastructure, or digital access in crisis settings.
• Familiarity with private sector connectivity providers and satellite communications technologies.
• Experience engaging with multi-stakeholder environments, including NGOs, private sector actors, and/or UN coordination bodies.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce accessible, evidence-based products for non-academic audiences.

Preferred

• Knowledge of anticipatory action frameworks and humanitarian funding architecture.
• Prior engagement with the NetHope Member network.

Project Timeline

Engagement period: September 2026 – January 2027
Estimated hours: 40 hours per month

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on: relevant experience; clarity of proposed methodology; qualifications and capacity; proposed rate and value for investment; and references.

Selection Timeline

Proposal deadline: September 9th, 2026 (midnight ET); proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Review period: September 10th – September 14th, 2026
Engagement start: September 25th, 2026

Use of Artificial Intelligence

NetHope takes the responsible use of AI seriously. Selected candidates will be required to comply with NetHope's AI Policy, which governs the use of AI tools in the development of all deliverables, and to complete a brief AI Disclosure Form as part of the onboarding process prior to commencing work.

The Opportunity

This research examines how emergency connectivity support is structured today and what gaps remain for frontline responders. Using a literature review and case study methodology, it will generate evidence on what "meaningful connectivity" looks like across emergency response contexts, and provide recommendations for more effective support structures. This work recognizes that meaningful connectivity spans the full humanitarian-development continuum, before, during, and after a crisis, not just its acute phase.

Scope of Work

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Document how connectivity in emergency response has evolved and what it means in practice today across international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), local and national organizations, and affected communities, including the evolution of NetHope's work in this area.
• Examine the roles of the private sector in shaping connectivity resourcing models, and the ethical and technical implications associated with their adoption in the humanitarian sector.
• Document the connectivity technology needs of the frontline responders across international NGOs, local and national organizations, and affected communities and their change over the years.
• Document how the frontline responders across international NGOs, local and national organizations, and affected communities are currently covering their connectivity technology needs, and the existing gaps remaining.
• Assess existing funding models (e.g., pre-positioned equipment, cash grants, pre-approved procurement windows), including NetHope's models, and how they align with the needs of frontline responders.
• Analyze evidence from NetHope's emergency response program as embedded case studies of varying types and contexts of emergency connectivity resourcing.
• Produce actionable recommendations and evidence products for future emergency response programming at NetHope, and the broader humanitarian connectivity sector.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The central research question is:

How has connectivity in humanitarian emergency response evolved, and where does the sector stand in terms of achieving "meaningful connectivity" today?

Supporting questions:

• How do connectivity needs and constraints compare across international NGOs, local/national/regional NGOs, and community-based organizations?
• To what extent have preparedness and response investments reduced the duration and severity of connectivity loss during recent emergencies, compared to prior years?
• What specific technical, logistical, or funding barriers explain the persistence of last-mile gaps, even where broader country-level connectivity has improved?
• What funding and procurement models exist to support the work of frontline responders and the communities they serve, and what are the observed results?
• How do different support models (on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants) perform across the preparedness, response, and recovery phases? Across conflict and post-conflict emergencies?
• What evidence from NetHope's own programming shows which support models (on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants) are most effective in which contexts, and where models may need to be combined rather than used in isolation?
• What role do private sector actors (donors and vendors) play in enabling or constraining this mix of models, and what tradeoffs come with relying on them?
• How can connectivity investment and technology be structured to better serve communities across the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of an emergency?
• How are internet shutdowns and restrictive government policies in the selected disaster-prone or at-risk case study locations reshaping connectivity strategies, and do locally driven models navigate these constraints more effectively than traditional approaches? (Case study locations will be selected jointly by the candidate and NetHope)

ACTIVITIES

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

Research work plan and protocol
Building upon the existing research plan, the consultant will develop a research work plan and protocol, in agreement with the NetHope team.

Literature Review

• Conduct a structured review of existing research on connectivity technology in humanitarian work, digital infrastructure in crisis settings, and anticipatory humanitarian action.
• Analyze different support models, such as on-site technical support, in-kind donations, preparedness grants, response grants (e.g., OCHA, Start Network, IFRC Forecast-based Financing), as potential frameworks for emergency connectivity support.
• Review humanitarian-development nexus literature relevant to resilience-based connectivity investment.
• Review program documents from NetHope's emergency response program.
• Analyze relevant policy documents (international and from the selected case-study countries), donor frameworks for emergency response and connectivity, and/or standard/most used MOU structures.

Stakeholder Mapping and Key Informant Interviews

• Map relevant stakeholders across six categories: international NGOs; local, national, and regional NGOs and CBOs; foundation/philanthropic organizations; private sector connectivity providers and donors; affected communities and local first responders; and relevant UN agencies and coordination bodies.
• Design and conduct semi-structured key informant interviews with representatives from each stakeholder group, with particular attention to lived experience of connectivity gaps, procurement barriers, successful experiences, and the meaning of "meaningful connectivity" in practice.
• Analyze and synthesize the qualitative data from the interviews.

Survey

• Design, pilot and deploy a quantitative survey (it can include qualitative sections to clarify quantitative results) for the NetHope Member network and NetHope Connected organizations, capturing data on connectivity needs, equipment procurement experiences, and effective support models.
• Analyze and report survey results as part of the overall research synthesis.

Data analysis and reporting
Once the data collection and literature review is completed, the consultant will draft the final report, in close communication with the research committee.

Engagement with the NetHope research committee
NetHope will establish a Research Committee to provide oversight, methodological guidance, and quality assurance throughout this assignment. The Research Committee will include representatives from NetHope's emergency response team and the MEAL Specialist. The consultant will engage with this committee at three stages:

• Inception meeting: joint review of the finalized research workplan, data collection tools, and ethical considerations.
• Mid-point review: review of interim findings, and confirmation of workshop design and formats.
• Draft review: structured feedback on the draft research report and evidence brief prior to finalization (a workshop might be necessary for this review).

Workshops

• Facilitate workshops with NetHope Member and Connected organizations and select local NGO partners to complement information from interviews and surveys and validate findings.
• Develop presentation and other supporting documents for a donor-facing workshop to present preliminary findings.

Case Studies
Examine four NetHope emergency response initiatives as embedded case studies, documenting outcomes and evidence on the effectiveness of our implemented support models against specific emergency response contexts.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated experience conducting applied or policy-oriented research in humanitarian response, international development, or related fields.
• Strong qualitative research skills, including case studies, interview design, facilitation, and analysis; mixed-methods experience is an asset.
• Experience with survey design and quantitative data analysis.
• Familiarity with humanitarian connectivity, telecommunications infrastructure, or digital access in crisis settings.
• Familiarity with private sector connectivity providers and satellite communications technologies.
• Experience engaging with multi-stakeholder environments, including NGOs, private sector actors, and/or UN coordination bodies.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce accessible, evidence-based products for non-academic audiences.

Preferred

• Knowledge of anticipatory action frameworks and humanitarian funding architecture.
• Prior engagement with the NetHope Member network.

Project Timeline

Engagement period: September 2026 – January 2027
Estimated hours: 40 hours per month

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on: relevant experience; clarity of proposed methodology; qualifications and capacity; proposed rate and value for investment; and references.

Selection Timeline

Proposal deadline: September 9th, 2026 (midnight ET); proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Review period: September 10th – September 14th, 2026
Engagement start: September 25th, 2026

Use of Artificial Intelligence

NetHope takes the responsible use of AI seriously. Selected candidates will be required to comply with NetHope's AI Policy, which governs the use of AI tools in the development of all deliverables, and to complete a brief AI Disclosure Form as part of the onboarding process prior to commencing work.