NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT. ADVANCING IMPACT.
Compete more effectively in the SLED market.
Practical insight from more than 40 years of pursuing, winning and growing state, local and education business.
Led by Kelly Sekulich
What Changes?
-
You know how to navigate state and local government
-
You spot opportunities early
-
You analyze incumbents, contracts and pricing
-
You engage stakeholders strategically
-
You pursue the right opportunities — and decline the wrong ones
How You Can Engage
NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT. ADVANCING IMPACT.
The Civic Acumen Navigation Map
The Civic Acumen Navigation Map is the organizing framework behind Civic Acumen. It brings together Pursuit Stages and Success Drivers to show what matters throughout the SLED business development lifecycle.
SLED business development encompasses a broad range of activities, and what matters changes depending on where you are in the lifecycle. Each Pursuit Stage and Success Driver intersect to create a focus area, with its own considerations, activities and potential pitfalls.
The Navigation Map helps identify what you may be overlooking and where you may need to shift your attention.
Know the market. Understand the opportunity. Make better pursuit decisions.
Who Civic Acumen Is For
Civic Acumen is for professionals and organizations pursuing business in the SLED market, whether you're learning the terrain, building a public-sector practice or have been doing this for years.
You may be:
-
Entering the SLED market for the first time
-
Building or expanding a SLED practice
-
Responsible for business development, capture or proposals
-
Leading a public-sector business and looking for another experienced perspective
How You Can Engage
You can engage with Civic Acumen in different ways, depending on what you need:
-
Learn through clear explanations and foundational guidance
-
Use practical tools and resources to support real decisions
-
Engage more deeply through advisory participation and discussion
Each option is designed to support confident engagement and better outcomes.
Making Government Make Sense
After nearly 40 years advising state and local government leaders, Kelly Sekulich saw a consistent pattern: capable, mission-driven professionals were often held back not by lack of expertise, but by lack of clarity about how governments function.
Civic Acumen was created to close that gap.
Through practical frameworks, plain-language explanations and applied tools, Civic Acumen helps individuals and organizations move from confusion to confidence and from readiness to real, sustained impact in the public sector.
Kelly Sekulich
Founder and Managing Director, Civic Acumen
About the Founder
Kelly Sekulich
Founder and Managing Director, Civic Acumen
Kelly Sekulich brings more than four decades of experience pursuing and growing business in the state, local and education market. Her career has spanned multiple sides of the SLED business development landscape: consultant, founder of a women-owned business, Capture Director, software vendor executive and, most recently, Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company.
This rare combination gives her deep, practical insight into what actually matters in SLED business development, from understanding the market and positioning before an opportunity exists to capture, proposal strategy and long-term client relationships. She founded Civic Acumen to share what she's learned and help organizations make better pursuit decisions.
What You'll Learn
Understand how government systems and decision processes really work
Decode registrations, certifications and key requirements - without the jargon
Build trust and communicate your organization's value in the public arena
Recognize and pursue the right opportunities to advance your civic impact
Each module translates complex regulations and procedures into practical steps you can apply right away
Explore Your Path to Readiness
Start Here: Assess Your Public Sector Readiness
Before engaging with government,
know where you stand.
Download the
Civic Acumen Readiness Checklist
a free two page guide to evaluate your clarity, compliance and confidence levels.