CALL FOR TENDER

27/07/2026

External Evaluation and Research Expert

Formative evaluation of the Facing Facts Network and impact evaluation of multistakeholder online learning on hate crime and hate speech

Facing Facts | July 2026

Background

Facing Facts, coordinated by CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, is a multi-stakeholder Network of civil society organisations and public authorities working to better understand and address hate crime and hate speech through research, training and advocacy. The Network brings together over 40 member organisations across 20 countries. Our online learning programmes, hosted by Facing Facts Online, have been running since 2015 and draw on the latest research and policy developments in the field. This work is funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme of the European Commission, under a Framework Partnership Agreement covering 2026–2028.

Research and evaluation are central to the Facing Facts Network action plan. A formative evaluation has accompanied the Network’s activities since 2022 and a new three-year cycle is now underway for 2026–2028. Running alongside it is an empirical study of the impact of our multistakeholder online learning, centred on the Fair Policing in the Context of Hate Crime course.

In 2024 we published Learning about Hate Crime & Hate Speech Online: Needs & Motivations of a Multi-Stakeholder Community of Practice, a research report examining the evidence and policy gaps regarding digital learning for police, criminal justice and civil society professionals in the context of hate crime and hate speech. Among its central recommendations was the need for robust evaluation frameworks, gathering and sharing empirical data on what works in online learning for this community of practice. To date, no major provider of training on hate crime and hate speech has published comprehensive evaluations of the impact of their programmes, and no other provider takes an explicitly multistakeholder approach to capacity building. Addressing this gap is a strategic priority.

The role

We are looking for an external evaluation and research expert to work alongside the Facing Facts team across both areas of work. The two are closely connected. The formative evaluation asks whether the Network is doing the right things for its members and whether we can evidence the difference we make at national level. The research asks what multistakeholder online learning actually changes for the people who take part in it. Both are ways of answering the same underlying question, which is what the Network contributes to strengthening hate crime and hate speech response systems in Europe, and the findings of each should inform the other.

Focus of the work

Formative evaluation of the Network

Four focus areas have been agreed for the 2026–2028 cycle, building on the findings of the 2022–2025 evaluation and on the objectives set out in the Framework Partnership Agreement.

Relevance. Whether the Network’s activities and tools are well matched to members’ evolving needs given the changing political context across Europe, how members engage with them, whether the multistakeholder approach is visible and valued, and progress on diversity and representativeness within the Network.

Impact at national level. The area where we most want to strengthen our evidence base. The cycle includes an in-depth focus on three to four member organisations, chosen to reflect different national contexts and membership profiles, tracking over the three years what has changed in their work, capabilities and relationships, and whether influence on national policy, practice or stakeholder relationships can be traced.

Effectiveness of online learning. How far our cohorts and resources reach our learner personas and serve members’ learning needs, what barriers prevent members from engaging with Facing Facts Online, and whether shared learning experiences lead participants from the same country to work together afterwards.

Organisational development. A lighter-touch annual check-in on team capacity, clarity of roles, and whether internal processes support the quality of our outputs.

Impact evaluation of multistakeholder online learning

The research aims to evidence the impact of the Facing Facts Online programmes, with a particular focus on the impact of multistakeholder learning and collaboration. Our 2024 research identified this as an area of both strategic importance and significant evidence gap. While guidelines from the European Commission, the UN and other international bodies encourage collaboration between law enforcement and civil society, there remains very little empirical data on how this collaboration can best be supported in an online learning environment, or what outcomes it produces.

The study centres on the Fair Policing in the Context of Hate Crime course, which runs from 8 September to 8 October 2026, and measures change across four areas of interest agreed in a design workshop with the Facing Facts team in May 2026. It employs a pre and post design survey, measuring participants’ perceptions across those dimensions before and after the course, with a six-month follow-up in March 2027. Psychologically validated measurement tools have been identified and are being adapted to the Facing Facts context. The research also draws on existing LMS data from our cohorts, including course completion rates, tutorial attendance, weekly assignment submissions and forum participation.

Work on the measurement tools is already underway. The selected expert joins at the point of finalisation and carries the work through data collection, analysis and publication.

The two areas of work are complementary and should not duplicate one another. The evaluation tracks how Facing Facts Online serves the Network and its members. The research investigates the impact of multistakeholder learning on participants. Coordinating that division of focus and maximising complementarity is part of the role.

Scope of work

The expert works with the Facing Facts team across the following tasks.

Design of measures and tools for the Network External Evaluation

Review and refine the evaluation questions, indicators and data collection tools at the start of each annual cycle, and maintain the ongoing monitoring process.
Contribute to the finalisation of the survey instruments for the online learning study, the interview design, and the documentation of the ethics approach.
Design the in-depth national-level strand with three to four member organisations, to be tracked across the cycle.

Data collection and monitoring tool development, testing and implementation

Carry out data collection with members and stakeholders, including member surveys, interviews and, where relevant, observation at Network events.
Support the administration of the pre-course and post-course surveys with the September 2026 cohort and the six-month follow-up in March 2027.
Carry out follow-up interviews with course participants.

Analysis

Analyse the evaluation and research data, integrating survey, interview and LMS data.
Integrate gender-responsive and intersectional analysis across the tools, disaggregating data by professional profile and, where participants consent, by gender.

Reporting and dissemination

Produce an annual evaluation report at the end of each year, and a comprehensive report covering the full cycle in 2028.
Contribute to the interim reporting on the research in late 2026.
Support the final write-up and publication of the research findings in 2027.
Feed findings back into the Network’s strategic planning, including short presentations to the team and, where useful, to members, and contribute to the dissemination of findings.

Facing Facts is responsible for recruiting participants and providing access to relevant platform data.

Working arrangements

The selected expert works closely with Joanna Perry, Senior Research and Policy Advisor, and Arletta Perez, Junior Researcher, and reports to the Network Director. The work is carried out remotely, with regular check-ins throughout the contract and participation in Network meetings and events where relevant and agreed in advance. Applications are welcome from individuals and from institutions, and applicants may propose a small team where this strengthens the offer.

Timeline

End of August 2026: Contract signed and work begins.
September 2026: Draft the Network monitoring and evaluation plan for 2026–2028, setting out evaluation questions, indicators, data collection tools and reporting points for the full cycle. Review of existing evaluation data for 2026.
8 September to 8 October 2026: Fair Policing in the Context of Hate Crime course runs. Pre-course survey with registered participants at the start of the cohort, post-course data collection at the end.
October 2026: Monitoring and evaluation plan finalised and agreed with the Facing Facts team. Three to four member organisations selected for the in-depth national-level strand.
October to December 2026: Annual member survey and interviews. First round of data collection with the selected member organisations. Preliminary analysis of course data and contribution to the interim report.
End of 2026: Year 1 Network evaluation report.
January 2027: Evaluation questions and indicators reviewed and refined for the second year.
March 2027: Six-month follow-up with the September 2026 cohort, including follow-up interviews.
May to July 2027: Data cleansing and analysis across the four areas of interest, report writing and preparation of findings for publication.
September 2027: Research findings published and disseminated.
Autumn 2027: Annual member survey and interviews. Second round of data collection with the selected member organisations.
End of 2027: Year 2 evaluation report.
January 2028: Evaluation questions and indicators reviewed and refined for the final year.
2028: Closing round of data collection with the selected member organisations, culminating in a comprehensive report on the full three-year period.

The research runs until December 2027. The formative evaluation runs to the end of 2028.

Profile sought

Essential

Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering formative or developmental evaluation of networks, programmes or organisations, ideally in the human rights, criminal justice or civil society field.
Experience in designing and implementing pre and post research studies.
Experience in identifying and adapting psychologically validated measurement tools, such as attitude scales and self-efficacy measures.
Strong qualitative research skills, in particular semi-structured interviewing and analysis.
Experience with online learning research and evaluation, including the use of learning analytics and LMS data.
Ability to work collaboratively and responsively within a small team, and to turn findings into practical recommendations.
Excellent written English and ability to communicate findings to non-specialist audiences.
Availability to start at the beginning of September 2026.

Highly desirable

Expertise in learning sciences, educational psychology or a closely related field.
Familiarity with online learning evaluation frameworks such as the Kirkpatrick Model, and instructional design approaches such as ADDIE.
Experience researching professional communities of practice, particularly in a human rights, law enforcement or civil society context.
Knowledge of the hate crime and hate speech policy and training landscape in Europe.
Experience working with EU-funded projects.
Understanding of gender-responsive and intersectional approaches to evaluation.

Budget

The budget available for this assignment is set annually, in line with the Network’s operating grant. It amounts to a maximum of €13,000 including VAT in each of 2026 and 2027, and €8,000 including VAT in 2028, when the research is complete and the formative evaluation alone continues.

2026: €8,000 for the formative evaluation and €5,000 for research support, €13,000 in total.
2027: €8,000 for the formative evaluation and €5,000 for research support, €13,000 in total.
2028: €8,000 for the formative evaluation.

At an indicative daily fee of €350 VAT included, this corresponds to approximately 37 days of work in each of 2026 and 2027, and approximately 23 days in 2028. Applicants are invited to submit a detailed cost breakdown as part of their proposal, setting out their daily fee and how they would distribute the days across the assignment. The contract will be issued on an annual basis. Renewal for 2027 and 2028 is subject to the approval of the Network’s annual operating grant, to satisfactory performance, and to the continued needs of the assignment, at the discretion of Facing Facts.

Application process and deadline

Interested evaluators, researchers and research institutes are invited to submit the following:

A CV or institutional profile, maximum four pages.
A motivation letter outlining your suitability and your approach to the assignment, maximum three pages.
A detailed budget breakdown, including daily fee and estimated days.
A maximum of two relevant written samples, for example publications or evaluation reports.

Applications should be submitted to melissa.sonnino@ceji.org by 17 August 2026. Following a review of all submissions, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview between 18 and 22 August 2026, which will include a short presentation of fifteen to twenty minutes outlining the proposed approach. We aim to notify all applicants of the outcome by the end of August, with the contract signed and work starting at the beginning of September.

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

Quality and clarity of the written proposal.
Demonstrated expertise and relevant experience of the applicant or institution across evaluation and research.
Suitability and rigour of the proposed approach.
Understanding of the Facing Facts context and the specific challenges of evaluating a multistakeholder network and multistakeholder online learning.
Value for money.

Facing Facts is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from individuals and institutions of all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from researchers with lived experience of the issues addressed in our programmes.

Facing Facts is coordinated by CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe

Facing Facts is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (2021–2027) of the European Union

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