Phase I · Minimum Viable Product
What CHF 700,000 buys, and in what order
A focused 48-week programme with a single objective: demonstrate that a structured annual survey of environmental field organisations generates a unique, credible and decision-relevant signal on the state of natural capital.
01 · Scope
What is in, and what is deliberately out
| Dimension | MVP target |
|---|---|
| Geographic coverage | 15–20 countries across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania, prioritising biodiversity hotspots |
| NGO respondent panel | More than 200 vetted organisations, recruited through open call and network partnerships; a 30-NGO pilot sub-panel for methodology testing |
| Index outputs | EVI Global Score, Earth Voice Threat Ranking, Earth Voice Setback & Progress Monitor, country-level snapshots |
| Academic methodology partner | North–South consortium selected through competitive RFP; responsible for questionnaire co-design, scoring model review and bias certification |
| Institutional partners | Two to three NGO networks for respondent access; one to two institutional validators |
| Media partner | One primary media partner for launch and dissemination |
| Launch | Hybrid event in Geneva, 100–150 participants; digital-first dissemination |
| Duration | 48 weeks from funding confirmation to publication, within a twelve-month programme year |
Three deliverables drive 80% of the value
A validated methodology handbook; a first EVI Global Score and Threat Ranking; and a documented respondent panel with a demonstrated 60%+ response rate — proof that the participation model works. Global roll-out, the full Expertise Marketplace and prediction-market features are Year 2 objectives, contingent on MVP success.
02 · Accountability
Success criteria co-funders can hold us to
- A vetted panel of more than 200 NGOs with at least a 60% survey response rate
- Coverage of 15 or more countries with balanced regional representation
- Academic consortium contracted and methodology handbook completed
- A published inaugural EVI report with full methodology documentation
- At least one confirmed foundation co-funder for EVI 2.0
- Media coverage in at least two tier-one international outlets
- Business model options paper delivered and preferred model selected
- A Geneva launch event with at least 100 participants
03 · Sequence
Eight phases over 48 weeks
The programme front-loads credibility. The academic RFP is issued in week 1 and the consortium is contracted before the technology build begins — so that no survey instrument is written without independent methodological oversight in place.
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Weeks 1–8 · Phase 1
Design & foundation
Strategy and institutional design; academic RFP issued; initial fundraising.
Milestone: EVI mission and theory of change finalised; academic RFP published.
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Weeks 6–18 · Phase 2
Credibility building
Academic RFP evaluation and contracting; NGO mapping and vetting; governance setup.
Milestone: academic consortium contracted; Advisory Board constituted; NGO panel confirmed.
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Weeks 12–24 · Phase 3
Platform build
Technology infrastructure — survey platform plus the NGO Internal Consensus Tool; legal and compliance.
Milestone: survey platform and NGO consensus portal live; legal structure established.
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Weeks 24–32 · Phase 4
Pilot
Pilot survey with 30 NGOs across 5 countries; academic methodology review.
Milestone: methodology validated; scoring model stress-tested.
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Weeks 32–40 · Phase 5
Official survey
Full NGO survey campaign across 200+ organisations and 15–20 countries.
Milestone: 60%+ response rate achieved; academic bias review completed.
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Weeks 40–46 · Phase 6
Reporting
Report production; country snapshots; press package.
Milestone: inaugural EVI report completed and approved by the academic consortium.
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Weeks 46–48 · Phase 7
Launch
Geneva launch event; global media campaign.
Milestone: EVI publicly launched; media coverage secured.
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Weeks 20–44 · Phase 8 (parallel)
Business model
Business model and monetisation study; Expertise Marketplace scoping.
Milestone: options paper delivered; preferred model selected for Year 2.
04 · Budget
CHF 700,000 — where it goes
CHF 482,500 in personnel and CHF 217,500 in external hard costs. The academic methodology partnership is budgeted as a hard cash cost — not as in-kind — ensuring contractual clarity and timeline accountability.
By category
| Category | CHF | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Methodology & design | 219,908 | 31.4% |
| Communication | 192,142 | 27.4% |
| Implementation | 123,814 | 17.7% |
| AI & technology | 101,975 | 14.6% |
| Compliance & admin | 62,160 | 8.9% |
| Total | 700,000 | 100% |
Category and work-package figures are rounded to the nearest franc; totals are stated at the programme level.
Principal external hard costs
| Item | CHF |
|---|---|
| Academic RFP process & consortium fees | 85,000 |
| Report, design, media materials, digital promotion | 60,000 |
| Geneva launch event & media outreach | 35,000 |
| Website, portal, survey platform, consensus tool, hosting | 15,000 |
| Advisory Board setup & governance | 10,000 |
| Travel & stakeholder engagement | 7,500 |
| Legal counsel & data protection | 5,000 |
| External costs subtotal | 217,500 |
Personnel subtotal of CHF 482,500 covers the Project Director, Methodology Lead, Methodology Analyst, NGO & Partners Lead, Tech & AI Lead, Tech Senior Expert, Communications Lead and Legal & Compliance Lead. A full work-package breakdown is in the grant dossier.
By work package
| Work package | Description | CHF |
|---|---|---|
| WP1 · Strategy & design | Mission, theory of change, governance concept | 36,568 |
| WP2 · Academic RFP & methodology | RFP management; consortium fees (CHF 85,000 hard cost); survey design; weighting model; scoring certification | 157,170 |
| WP3 · NGO mapping & vetting | Global NGO database, eligibility assessment, vetting process | 57,133 |
| WP4 · Governance | Advisory Board, Scientific Committee, independence charter | 25,462 |
| WP5 · Partnerships | Stakeholder engagement, travel, partnership agreements | 47,122 |
| WP6 · Fundraising support | Grant writing, donor relations | 21,647 |
| WP7 · Legal & compliance | Legal structure, data protection, terms of participation | 15,050 |
| WP8 · Technology | Website; NGO portal & survey platform; internal consensus tool; scoring engine; analytics dashboard | 101,975 |
| WP9 · Survey operations | Pilot survey, official survey campaign, data validation | 66,681 |
| WP10 · Reporting & comms | Report production, design, media materials, digital promotion | 95,177 |
| WP11 · Business model & monetisation | Options study; revenue modelling; independence risk assessment | 26,170 |
| WP12 · Launch event | Geneva hybrid event, media outreach | 49,844 |
05 · Beyond the MVP
The path to EVI 2.0 and the Earth Voice Pulse
A successful MVP positions EVI to raise CHF 1.5–2.0 million for a full global roll-out in Year 2. Each phase is contingent on the evidence produced by the phase before it.
| Phase | Timeline | Scope | Budget estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP · EVI 1.0 | Year 1 (12 months) | 15–20 countries · 200+ NGOs · proof of concept · business model design | CHF 700K |
| EVI 2.0 · Full | Years 2–3 | 60–80 countries · 800–1,200 NGOs · full methodology · Earth Voice Map · Expertise Marketplace launch | CHF 1.5M–2.0M |
| EVI 3.0 + Earth Voice Pulse | Years 3–5 | Full global coverage · citizen and prediction-market layer · institutional embedding in major international processes | CHF 2.5M–3.5M |
Financial sustainability is designed in, not deferred
A dedicated work package evaluates four monetisation options during the MVP itself — data licensing to financial institutions and ESG providers; strategic consultancy partnerships; media and content licensing; and the EVI Expertise Marketplace, which matches corporations and public authorities with vetted NGO field expertise for a transaction fee.
No revenues are assumed within the MVP budget. Phase I is entirely a public good. The options paper is delivered by week 44 — well before the EVI 2.0 fundraise — so that MVP funders are co-investing in a durable institution rather than a perpetually grant-dependent one.
06 · Governance
Four independence structures, established during the MVP
Governing Board
Independent, responsible for strategic oversight and accountability.
Scientific Advisory Committee
Anchored by the academic consortium; validates and periodically reviews the index methodology.
Civil Society Advisory Panel
Ensures legitimacy and diversity of respondent representation.
Ethics & Independence Charter
Published, governing funding safeguards and conflict-of-interest policy.
Assumptions the MVP is built to test
That NGO perceptions generate a meaningful and distinct signal. Mitigated by academic co-design using controlled taxonomy, structured scales and rigorous weighting.
That sufficient NGOs will participate. Mitigated by network partnerships activating bulk engagement, and by direct participant benefits — amplification, peer benchmarking, revenue sharing — creating positive incentives.
That key decision-makers will engage with the results. Mitigated by academic endorsement, strategic media partnerships, and a Geneva launch event designed to secure uptake among policy, investment and media audiences.
Three to five co-funders
The MVP starts when the consortium closes
The 48-week clock runs from funding confirmation. We would welcome a conversation about where your foundation's priorities intersect with this programme.