What Strategic Capacity does

Strategic Capacity Group (SCG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, that delivers security sector capacity-building programs for the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the U.S. Institute of Peace, and bilateral donors such as the Canadian Global Affairs Peace and Stabilisation Operations Program. SCG works with foreign government law enforcement, defense, and justice institutions across 23+ countries in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe on security sector reform, community policing, law enforcement training, maritime and border security, counter-narcotics, forensics, and counterterrorism programming.

SCG's delivery model rests on five core service lines: strategic advising and mentoring, training and instructional design, analytic services and knowledge management, logistics and facilities support, and program management and administrative services. Programs are anchored on a proprietary Academies of Excellence design framework deployed across Liberia, Mali, CAR, Tunisia, and Colombia, and a 24/7 multilingual Global Operations Team that delivers logistics for 1,000+ ILEA training participants annually across six country locations. The organization maintains a globally deployed bench of subject matter experts spanning 65 technical areas and 52 languages, drawing heavily from retired U.S. and European military and law enforcement officers. There is no proprietary technology product; all technical capability resides in human expertise and program management processes.

SCG generates revenue exclusively through competitive U.S. federal contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants, with INL as the dominant funding partner. It does not sell commercial products or services. Pricing is determined by federal procurement processes, and revenue is reinvested into program delivery as a nonprofit entity. The company is governed by a Board of Directors and led by founding President Dr. Querine Hanlon, with recent additions including a Director of Strategic Growth and Development (2024) and a Director of Programs (2024), signaling an active push to scale program acquisition and execution capacity.

Name

Strategic Capacity

Legal name

Strategic Capacity Group

Website

https://strategiccapacity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strategic Capacity Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers security sector reform, law enforcement training, forensics, and logistics programs in 23+ countries, funded primarily through U.S. Department of State INL contracts and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development — Security Sector Capacity Building

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC), Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Special Operations & Counterterrorism (BPAIAHAH)

Keywords

• Security sector reform
• Law enforcement training
• Capacity building services
• Foreign assistance programming
• International development consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Foreign Assistance Contracts and Grants: SCG generates revenue primarily through competitive federal contracts and cooperative agreements awarded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), and other U.S. government agencies. Additional funding comes from bilateral donors such as the Canadian Global Affairs Peace and Stabilisation Operations Program (PSOP). SCG operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; revenue is reinvested into program delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Strategic Capacity Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers U.S.-government-funded foreign-assistance programs in security sector reform, law enforcement training, maritime and border security, counter-FTO/TCO initiatives, and forensic laboratory accreditation. Its work combines strategic advising, curriculum design and instruction, analytics, logistically intensive event execution, and full program management, delivered to foreign government ministries and security institutions in more than 23 countries. Programs are resourced through expert deployments from a global roster spanning 65 technical areas and 52 languages, supported by a 24/7 Global Operations Team that manages travel and event logistics for training participants.

Product overview

Strategic Capacity Group is a security sector nonprofit that offers a portfolio of programs and core services rather than a unified technology product. Its programs include Security Sector Reform, Turn-Key Logistics, Academies of Excellence, Maritime and Border Security, and FTO and TCO. These programs are supported by five core services: Strategic Advising and Mentoring, Training and Instructional Design, Analytic Services and Knowledge Management, Logistics and Facilities Support, and Program Management and Administrative Services. The organization focuses on building capacity for partner governments in security, law enforcement, and criminal justice sectors worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Security Sector Reform A program that works with security sector institutions and forces to enhance their effectiveness and accountability by building capacity strategically to strengthen partner country self-reliance.
• Turn-Key Logistics A program that provides seamless travel, event, and facility logistical services including booking travel, distributing per diem, monitoring travelers, resolving contingencies, and supporting event delivery, supporting over 1,000 participants annually across ILEA training centers in six countries.
• Academies of Excellence A program designed to assist law enforcement and military academies achieve their missions by assessing institutional effectiveness, revising learning outcomes, designing curricula, and streamlining academy management processes.
• Maritime and Border Security A multi-tiered approach to regional and national land and maritime borders utilizing threat assessments, strategic planning, operational capacity building, and inter-ministerial coordination.
• FTO and TCO Programs Programs to Counter Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) that strengthen partner institutions to disrupt threats through focused programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe.
• Strategic Advising and Mentoring Engagement of advisors and technical experts to work alongside counterparts to identify needs and develop tailored solutions for interministerial coordination, maritime CONOPs, law enforcement strategic communications, and public order management.
• Training and Instructional Design Full training cycle solutions including needs assessments, curriculum design, scenario-based training, and feedback loops to assess performance and maintain curricular relevance.
• Analytic Services and Knowledge Management Knowledge and analytical tools covering research, assessments, project design, performance monitoring, project evaluation, M&E system design, and knowledge management for criminal justice and security sector reform.
• Logistics and Facilities Support Travel and event logistics and facilities management including 24/7 global operations support, last-minute travel arrangements, and contingency resolution, supporting over 1,000 training participants annually.
• Program Management and Administrative Services Full programmatic lifecycle management including expert personnel, high-impact training materials, strategic documents, quality assurance, risk management, and compliant closeout.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,874 officers, supervisors, and executives from CAR National Police and National Gendarmerie trained (2018–2022)
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Danish Demining GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG leads a consortium with Danish Demining Group and Clingendael Institute for a U.S. Department of State-funded SSR and DDR project in Libya. The consortium works inclusively with local and national Libyan stakeholders to design a strategic approach to security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration.
• Clingendael InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG leads a consortium with Danish Demining Group and Clingendael Institute for a U.S. Department of State-funded SSR and DDR project in Libya. The consortium coordinates with UNSMIL, UNDP, EU, and DCAF to build Libyan capacity for SSR and DDR planning.
• Regional Security System (RSS) — Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the GrenadinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG has partnered with RSS and its member states across multiple multi-year programs including the Eastern Caribbean Organized Crime Investigations Project, Maritime Law Enforcement capacity building, and forensics reform. RSS serves as the primary regional institutional counterpart for Caribbean security initiatives.
• INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerINTERPOL participated in the SPIDER (Special Police Interdicting Drugs ECOWAS Region) network alongside SCG, DEA, AFRIPOL, UNODC, and IOM to improve cross-border communication and operational coordination against narcotics trafficking in West and North Africa.
• African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFRIPOL participated in the SPIDER network alongside SCG and other international partners to improve cross-border communication and disrupt trafficking networks in West and North Africa.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNODC participated in the SPIDER network alongside SCG, INTERPOL, AFRIPOL, DEA, and IOM to improve cross-border communication and disrupt trafficking networks in West and North Africa.
• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEA participated in the SPIDER network alongside SCG, INTERPOL, AFRIPOL, UNODC, and IOM to strengthen cooperation against transnational crime in West and North Africa.
• United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINUSMA participated in the SPIDER network alongside SCG and other international partners to improve cross-border communication and disrupt trafficking networks in West and North Africa.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOM participated in the SPIDER network alongside SCG and other international partners to strengthen cooperation against transnational crime in West and North Africa.
• United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG coordinated with UNSMIL as part of its Libya SSR/DDR consortium, using UNSMIL insights to help build the capacity of local networks and Libyan stakeholders.
• European Union (EU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG coordinated with the EU as part of its Libya SSR/DDR consortium to build local networks and develop a strategic guidance document for SSR and DDR in Libya.
• Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCAF participated in the Libya SSR/DDR consortium alongside SCG to support the development of a comprehensive strategy and action plan for security sector reform in Libya.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) / International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)supportingOthersSCG's forensics programs in the Caribbean support partner forensic laboratories in achieving ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation standards, working with laboratories in St. Lucia, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with a large International Development Services Division that competes directly against SCG on INL, USAID, and foreign assistance task orders in security sector reform, law enforcement capacity building, and rule of law. Tetra Tech is one of the largest primes in the same procurement arena.
• Chemonics International: Large international development contractor and frequent INL/State Department implementing partner with deep bench in justice sector, security, and law enforcement programming. Competes with SCG on overlapping RFPs and recruits from the same SME pool; multiple SCG staff came from Chemonics.
• Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI): Global development company with a long-standing practice in governance, security, and justice sector reform funded by State Department, USAID, and FCDO. Direct competitor on INL rule-of-law and security-sector capacity-building task orders.
• International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX): Nonprofit implementing partner with a dedicated global security portfolio, including law enforcement training and ILEA-related programming. SCG's ILEA Program Manager previously served as Senior Program Director at IREX, evidencing direct competitive and talent overlap.
• Abt Global: Research and program implementation firm with significant international security and justice sector work funded by INL, USAID, and DoD. Competes with SCG on counter-trafficking, rule of law, and capacity building task orders; several SCG finance personnel came from Abt.
• Creative Associates International: International development firm with a security and justice practice area that implements INL- and USAID-funded community policing, CVE, and youth violence prevention programs. Directly comparable in target customer (INL) and capability.
• Winrock International: Nonprofit international development organization with security and rule-of-law programming funded through State Department and USAID. SCG's Senior Finance Manager came from Winrock, evidencing direct talent flow and programmatic overlap.
• Dexis Consulting Group: International development and stabilization consulting firm implementing USAID and State Department programs in conflict-affected countries. SCG's incoming Caribbean Program Manager (Feb 2026) was Deputy Chief of Party at Dexis, evidencing close programmatic overlap and competition for the same federal task orders.

Broad incumbents

• ICF International: Large advisory and digital services firm with international development, security, and public-sector practices that competes for INL and broader federal task orders. Broader portfolio than SCG but overlaps in capacity building, M&E, and analytics.
• International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) — DOJ: U.S. Department of Justice program that builds foreign law enforcement capacity overseas, often in coordination with INL. Multiple SCG senior police advisors came from ICITAP, evidencing direct programmatic overlap and partnership opportunity in the same geography and customer set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strategic-capacity-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Strategic Capacity