Peter Palmer
Freetown,W
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Grants and Partner Communications Review Officer
World Vision International Sierra Leone
08.2025 - Current
- Reviewed and refined 50+ field office and donor reports, ensuring full compliance with organizational and donor standards, reinforcing donor confidence.
- Developed and implemented standardized proposal and reporting templates, reducing review turnaround by 25% and ensuring all submissions met donor compliance and quality standards.
- Collaborated with program and finance teams to align narrative and financial reports with donor requirements, supporting multi-million-dollar grant approvals with zero revisions.
- Strengthened partner communications by producing clear, professional, and donor-ready reports, enhancing collaboration with local and international stakeholders and supporting the localization agenda.
Research Documentation and Learning Manager
World Vision International Sierra Leone
01.2023 - Current
- Drove evidence-based resource mobilization by designing and supervising 10+ operational research studies across 16 districts; findings directly shaped winning proposals and contributed to securing USD $28 million in multi-donor grants.
- Boosted global visibility and partner engagement by producing 100+ compelling field impact stories, showcased on WVISL’s global platforms, strengthening donor retention, and sustaining a USD $10 million annual sponsorship portfolio.
- Standardized grant information management by integrating documentation across RDM, Finance, Program's, and Supply Chain, reducing data retrieval time by 30%, and ensuring full audit compliance through Box, MS Teams, Horizon, and IMPAQ.
- Developed and institutionalized a centralized filing and reporting system, streamlining grant tracking, and enabling real-time collaboration between program and finance teams during donor reporting cycles.
- Built staff capacity and improved reporting efficiency through training 200+ field staff in data quality assurance and reporting; this led to a 10% increase in donor report approval rates and strengthened WVISL’s accountability standards.
- Fostered cross-sectoral collaboration to align research documentation with WVISL’s localization and partnership agenda, improving partner reporting quality, and knowledge sharing across Area Programs.
Grants Development & Resource Acquisition Support
World Vision International Sierra Leone
01.2023 - Current
- Developed and institutionalized a Grant and PNS RACI Matrix adopted across RDM, Finance, Program, and Supply Chain units, establishing clear accountability pathways that enhanced cross-functional coordination, shortened grant approval processes by 20%, and strengthened donor compliance and audit readiness.
- Contributed to the development of World Vision Sierra Leone’s FY26–FY30 Field Office Resource Business Plan, providing data-driven insights that shaped donor engagement strategies and funding priorities, supporting a pipeline of over USD $20 million in potential multi-year grants.
- Contributed to the successful mobilization of over USD $38 million in grants and Private Non-Sponsorship (PNS) funding, including key wins such as the Global Fund grant (USD $26 million), Salone WASH Project (USD $200,000), M-Pox Response Alert Fund (£150,000), UNPBF Peacebuilding Project (USD $2 million), and John Templeton Foundation Grant (USD $1.5 million)—strengthening World Vision Sierra Leone’s national resource base and donor portfolio diversification.
Research and Grant Manager
University of Makeni- Public Health Society
03.2020 - 03.2021
- Secured World Bank funding for the Antiserum Blood Grouping project, directly improving blood screening services in local clinics in Bombali District.
- Led cross-functional teams at UNIMAK to produce accurate, donor-ready reports, resulting in zero revisions and faster funding disbursement.
- Designed and implemented streamlined grant reporting and compliance processes, boosting stakeholder confidence and ensuring timely project execution.
- Developed a system for knowledge capture and reporting, increasing program visibility and strengthening donor communication.
Education
Master of Public Health - Biostatistics And Health Informatics
University of Makeni
Azzolini High-way, Makeni City, Bombali District09-2024
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
University of Makeni
Azzolini High-way, Makeni City03-2021
Skills
Grants & Donor Management: Managed full grant cycles for multiple donors (EU, USAID, UN, FCDO, IrishAid), ensuring 100% compliance with donor regulations and timely submission of narrative and financial reports
Proposal & Business Development: Coordinated multi-sectoral proposal development, producing 10 high-quality donor submissions annually, successfully securing $28,402,155 in grants funding and expanding program reach across 16 districts
Partnership & Localization Management: Led partnership assessments, due diligence, and capacity-building sessions for 10 local NGOs and community groups, enhancing compliance, accountability, and local ownership of development programs
Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting: Implemented grant tracking systems and facilitated 10 Project Cycle Meetings (PCM) and Budget vs Actual reviews, improving reporting timeliness by 30% and strengthening program performance monitoring
Records & Information Management: Maintained comprehensive soft and hard copy documentation for all grants, agreements, and reports in Box and Teams repository systems, ensuring easy retrieval, institutional learning, and audit readiness
Capacity Building & Compliance: Designed and delivered targeted training for program and partner staff on grants management and donor compliance, improving report quality and adherence to donor regulations by 25%
Communication & Coordination: Collaborated with program, finance, and supply chain teams to align grant deliverables with donor expectations, ensuring clear communication and successful implementation of multi-sector projects
ICT & Analytical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) for budget tracking, data analysis, and reporting; developed dashboards to monitor grant performance and inform strategic decision-making
Safeguarding & Accountability: Integrated gender, child protection, and safeguarding principles into program operations, ensuring full compliance with organizational policies and reinforcing ethical, accountable program delivery
Certification
Actively participating in weekly 30-minute Grants Refresher Course (World Vision USA & UK, since January 2023), focused on strengthening expertise in grants and partnership management. Key areas: Donor regulations (EU, IrishAid, USAID, UN, WFP, FCDO), proposal and budget development, reporting cycles, partner performance review, and localization best practices — contributing to improved donor compliance and reporting quality.
Writing Winning Grant Proposals: An Immersive Flipped Course
Research4Life Publishing & Research Communications Short Course Two
Organized by the Research4Life Capacity Development Committee and the Information Training and Outreach Centre for Africa (ITOCA)
Duration: 4 October – 30 November 2023
- Advanced, immersive course on designing and writing competitive, fundable grant proposals.
- Strengthened expertise in proposal structuring, persuasive writing, donor alignment, and developing winning research funding applications.
- Included practical exercises, peer review, and expert mentoring sessions.
Mastering Grant Proposal Writing: Pathways to Successful Research Funding
INASP (AuthorAID Project), United Kingdom
Duration: 24 October – 27 November 2023 (5 weeks) | Completed: 6 December 2023
- Comprehensive professional course covering proposal development, collaborative grant writing, and strategies for securing international research funding.
- Covered four core modules: proposal writing basics, proposal design, collaborative grants, and winning strategies for research partnerships.
- Achieved a passing grade after completing quizzes and a final post-course assessment.
Basics of Grant Proposal Writing
INASP, United Kingdom
Completed: 22 November 2023
- Introductory tutorial on essential preparatory steps before writing a grant proposal.
- Focused on identifying funding opportunities, preparing research CVs, structuring proposals, and applying clear and persuasive writing styles.
- Provided a foundational understanding of grant proposal components and donor expectations.
These certifications collectively enhanced my grant writing competencies—from foundational skills to advanced, collaborative proposal development—reinforcing my capacity to secure and manage donor-funded projects effectively.
Additional Information
Adaeze (Ada) Umolu-Okeke
Resource Development & Management (RDM) Director, World Vision International Sierra Leone
Supervisor during grants and partnership projects
Email: adaeze_umolu-okeke@wvi.org
Phone: +232 75 916906
Mary Patricia Baindu Kobba
Advocacy, Communication, External Engagement & Partnering (ACEEP) Director, World Vision International Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Email: mary-patricia_kobba@wvi.org
Phone: +232 78 224396
Dr. Ethel Ubert Ukaegbu
Project Lead, UNIMAK Anteserum Blood Grouping Project
Mentor and research collaborator during the UNIMAK Haema Anteserum Blood grouping reagent
Email: drethelukaegbu@gmail.com
Phone: +234 803 207 9035
Timeline
Grants and Partner Communications Review Officer
World Vision International Sierra Leone
08.2025 - Current
Research Documentation and Learning Manager
World Vision International Sierra Leone
01.2023 - Current
Grants Development & Resource Acquisition Support
World Vision International Sierra Leone
01.2023 - Current
Research and Grant Manager
University of Makeni- Public Health Society
03.2020 - 03.2021
Master of Public Health - Biostatistics And Health Informatics
University of Makeni
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
University of Makeni
Hobbies and Personal Interest
- Volunteering & Community Engagement: Led local development initiatives, contributing to capacity-building for 50+ community members and improving project implementation outcomes.
- Reading & Research: Regularly analyze funding trends, donor regulations, and grant writing best practices, applying insights to strengthen proposal quality and program design.
- Networking & Professional Groups: Actively participated in grants writing refresher through webinars, and workshops, resulting in expanded partnerships and access to collaborative funding opportunities.
- Data Analysis & Problem-Solving Projects: Applied analytical skills to optimize program interventions, improving decision-making and reporting accuracy at World Vision Sierra Leone.
- Mentoring & Coaching: Provided guidance to over 150+ UNIMAK students on dissertation writing, proposal development, enhancing team performance and successful grant submissions.