Sterling Collaborative

When Your Team Needs Direct Feedback — Not Another Workbook

A four to five day expert-led assessment that gives senior leaders direct, actionable feedback on their management system. No written application required.

Start the Application of Intent What the Process Looks Like

The difference

Direct feedback, delivered fast.

Most assessment processes ask you to document everything before anyone looks at it. Sterling Collaborative flips that. A trained examination team comes onsite for four to five days, works directly with your senior leadership, and delivers feedback you can act on immediately.

You submit an Application of Intent and an Organizational Profile — no page limits, just an honest snapshot — then two virtual prep sessions and a site visit designed around what you actually need to learn.

Pricing

Two Versions

Same team, same site visit, same Feedback Report. The difference is whether the assessment evaluates your outcomes as well as your processes.

Sterling Collaborative

$12,000

Best for organizations that want a clear read on how they operate.

The six Process Categories of the Sterling Framework: Leadership, Strategy, Customers, Measurement/Analysis/Knowledge Management, Workforce, and Operations

Full four to five day site visit with the Assessment Team

Feedback Report with executive summary, cross-cutting recommendations, strengths, and opportunities for improvement

Sterling Collaborative + Results

$15,000

Best for organizations preparing for a Governor's Sterling or Georgia Oglethorpe Award application, where Results are evaluated.

Everything in Sterling Collaborative

The seventh Category — Results — evaluating the outcomes your processes actually produce across leadership, strategy, customers, workforce, operations, and financial performance

Both include a $1,000 Application of Intent fee.

Step by step

What the Process Looks Like

Submit an Application of Intent. Sterling team confirms fit and timing.

Submit an Organizational Profile. No page limits — just an honest snapshot.

Two virtual prep sessions — two hours each, with your team and the Assessment Team.

Four to five day site visit. The assessment team works directly with your senior leadership, interviews staff, and observes processes.

Feedback Report. Executive summary, cross-cutting recommendations, strengths, and specific opportunities for improvement.

Recognition at the Governor's Sterling Award Banquet at the Sterling Leadership Conference.

The outcome

What You Walk Away With

An external expert view of how well your goals, plans, processes, and measures align

High-level plans to address the highest-leverage opportunities

Leaders inside your organization trained to become Sterling framework resources

A clear read on whether you're ready to pursue the Governor's Sterling or Georgia Oglethorpe Award

The Sterling Collaborative process provided meaningful, directed feedback and helped us accelerate the development of our organizational framework.

— Gonzalo S. La Cava Ed.D., Chief Human Resources Officer, Fulton County Schools

The right fit

Who This Is For

Organizations new to the Sterling framework that want a baseline

Teams preparing for a Governor's Sterling or Georgia Oglethorpe Award application

Senior leaders who need direct, actionable feedback — not a long report

Get started

Application of Intent

The $1,000 fee is arranged by the Sterling office after you submit — no payment is taken here.

Fields marked * are required. Have your organizational chart ready to upload.

1. Applicant Organization

Including division name, as you want it listed on the Feedback Report and award, as appropriate.

Organization Name*

Full legal name of the applicant organization (including division name, if applicable), exactly as you want it listed on the Feedback Report and award.

Address*

City*

State*

ZIP*

2. Highest Ranking Official

First Name*

Last Name*

Title*

Address *

City *

State *

ZIP *

Official Representative for Correspondence

First Name*

Last Name*

Title*

Telephone*

Fax

Email Address*

Organization Profile

Sector Category*

Number of sites included in the application*

Total full-time employees for the application*

Assessment Option

Please choose which Assessment applies to your organization*

Supporting Documents

Attach the charts and letter the checklist on the paper application asks for.

Line-and-box organizational chart*

Showing all components of the Applicant organization. PDF, Word, or image, 10 MB maximum.

Parent organization chart

If the Applicant is a sub-unit of a larger organization: charts showing the relationship to the highest management level of the parent organization, including all intervening levels.

Cover letter

A letter on the organization's stationery signed by the authorizing official or designee.

Processing Fee

The Application of Intent carries a $1,000 non-refundable processing fee payable to The Sterling Council. Submitting this form does not charge you — the Sterling office will contact your representative to arrange payment.

I understand the Application of Intent carries a $1,000 non-refundable processing fee payable to The Sterling Council, and that the Sterling office will contact us to arrange payment.*

Statement of Authorization

We understand that this Application of Intent Form and subsequent Sterling Collaborative Assessment Profile will be reviewed by the Sterling office and members of the Board of Examiners. We agree to host a three to five-day Site Visit. We plan to submit our Collaborative Assessment Organizational Profile within 60 days of the Application of Intent.

Authorized signature — type your full name*

Title*

Telephone Number*

Questions before you start? Contact the Sterling Office