Operational Performance

GLC delivers advanced organizational assessments tailored for current and prospective US Federal grantees. Our services move beyond simple compliance, providing the systems and clear roadmap necessary to achieve high performance while ensuring full adherence to the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). We specialize in equipping organizations with the tools, systems, and focused training to consistently translate internal administrative capacity into superior programmatic results.

The Challenge

Are You Ready for Federal Funding and Do Your Systems Protect You from Risk While Driving Performanc

For organizations implementing or pursuing federal awards, the sheer volume of compliance requirements can feel overwhelming. The first and most critical step in securing and managing federal funds is the establishment of compliant internal administrative systems and tools. However, failure to correctly set up, monitor, and link these systems to program delivery creates immediate, high-stakes operational risk and hinders mission impact.

Common challenges that prevent organizations from converting investments in compliant systems into high-impact operational performance include:

Pre-Award Readiness Blind Spots: No clear compliance roadmap or mechanism to confirm pre-award readiness against key 2 CFR 200 standards, leading to applications that contain underlying risk or awards that are accepted without the necessary institutional framework.

Immediate Post-Award Risk: Organizations struggle to quickly identify and close high-risk compliance vulnerabilities (e.g., internal controls, procurement, time & effort tracking) immediately after the award, leading to errors and compounding non-compliance issues before the first audit.

Capacity Erosion: Teams view mandatory compliance measures (like internal controls) as bureaucratic burdens rather than tools for management. This leads to friction, slows down program delivery, and diminishes overall efficiency.

Unclear Return on Investment (ROI): Leadership lacks a proven methodology to connect investments in mandatory systems (e.g., new finance procedures) directly to a measurable improvement in programmatic reach, quality, or sustainability.

Our Approach

Systems to Success: The Organizational Capacity-to-Performance Index

We don't just assess compliance; we facilitate a mindset shift. We position federal requirements — such as established procurement policies, cost allocation, and strong internal controls — not as bureaucratic overhead, but as essential best practices for managing any high-performing organization. This perspective transforms your mandatory compliance investments into the reliable engine of external performance.

The Organizational Capacity-to-Performance Index (CPI) is a unique, two-part assessment model that drives a multi-year, evidence-based improvement cycle.

The Integrated CPI

We facilitate a participatory self-assessment, validated through ground-truthing and evidence review, to deliver two linked scores for every organizational domain:

Internal Capacity Score: Measures the existence, quality, and compliance of your internal policies, systems, and controls. Is the compliant framework in place?

External Performance Score: Measures the actual outcomes and impacts derived from those systems, focusing on client relevance, reach, efficiency, and effectiveness. Is the framework actually working to drive results?

The Action Plan

We translate score gaps into a prioritized and targeted Action Plan for the next 6-12 months. Our plans focus on interventions that close the critical gap where strong Internal Capacity is compromising Compliance and not yet yielding a commensurate External Performance. The CPI is carried out at least twice to measure growth and any remaining gaps.

Targeted Systems, Training & Tools

We don't just assess; we build the infrastructure required for top performance. Our services are tailored to address identified gaps and include:

Uniform Guidance Compliance Tools: Policy manuals, internal controls documentation, and audit-ready templates aligned with 2 CFR Part 200.

Results-Based Training: Focused training for program and finance managers on integrating required systems (like M&E and Financial Management) to directly improve measured outcomes (Efficiency, Relevance, and Sustainability).

Reassessment & Verification: Annual CPI reassessment to verify that capacity interventions have successfully led to sustained, measurable performance improvement and organizational growth.

The Results

The Measurable Value of Systematized Operations

Assured Compliance & Audit Readiness
Confident and verifiable adherence to 2 CFR Part 200 requirements, ensuring systems are consistently implemented and ready for Single Audits.

Data-Driven Investment
Capacity strengthening funds are directed only to areas where systems are failing to translate into performance, maximizing ROI and reducing wasted effort.

High Performance Culture
Operational teams stop viewing compliance as a burden and start viewing robust systems as the critical enabler for achieving ambitious programmatic results.

Sustained Grant Competitiveness
A complete, integrated record of capacity-to-performance excellence that strengthens federal proposals, builds grantor trust, and positions your organization for complex, long-term awards.