Why Spark Microgrants
FY2024 · Form 990Its mission and biggest programs, as filed- Spark believes in the collective power of people. Yet too often, communities facing poverty are sidelined by the very programs meant to uplift them. Spark updates the development model, from prescriptive to community-led, so that every village can define their…$5.5M spent in FY2024
Before you apply
FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the orgAbout the role
The org's own posting, as writtenABOUT SPARK MICROGRANTS Spark MicroGrants believes in a world where everyone lives with dignity and determines their own positive future. Spark has worked in 1000+ villages in 6 countries and has pioneered a community-driven development model in sub-Saharan Africa. Spark works with NGO and Government partners to scale the model's adoption and impact on rural communities - on their own terms. Our model combines facilitated community meetings with a small, discretionary grant to catalyze local action and institution building. Read more about our Approach , Impact and Values on our website .
ABOUT THE RESEARCH TEAM The Research team at Spark Microgrants works to generate and support the uptake of evidence on approaches that channel resources and decision-making to the village level.
Spark’s own research focuses on four key areas: Rigorous research to assess the impact of Spark’s village grants and planning approach and its core components Pilots to test adaptations to Spark’s approach to strengthen key outcomes of interest Operational research to identify key components for national scale Community engagement in defining research questions and understanding the results from research In addition, the Research team at Spark seeks to influence evidence generation and uptake by key external stakeholders.
WHO YOU ARE
Spark seeks a Senior Research Associate to work closely with the Senior Research Director and the Evidence and Strategy Manager as a part of the Research team. The Senior Research Associate will play a key role in designing, managing, and delivering high quality research that supports Spark’s research and learning priorities. This is a hands-on research role for someone who combines strong quantitative and analytical skills with the ability to independently own each stage of a research project, from assessing operational feasibility and research design through analysis and dissemination.
The role will contribute to rigorous evaluations and applied research, develop and maintain reproducible data management and analytical workflows, and translate findings into actionable insights for a diverse set of audiences.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Ownership & Research Management Own assigned research projects or workstreams from initiation through delivery, including developing work plans and budgets, managing timelines, coordinating inputs and research activities, and ensuring timely completion of deliverables. Lead quantitative research activities for assigned projects, from research design and measurement approaches through analysis and dissemination. Some experience with qualitative research is preferred. Ensure that research activities and outputs meet organizational standards for rigor, quality, and research ethics.
Data Collection, Analysis, and Management Develop and maintain reproducible analytical workflows, including organized and well-documented code, version control, and research documentation, including records of key analytical decisions…
About Spark Microgrants
From its Form 990- Budget $7.7M · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
- Staff 4 · founded 2011
- Pays its leaders $103K–$200K (5 reported)
- Open jobs 12 · Jobs at Spark Microgrants · Full 990 report