TCL Highlights: A Track Record of Federal Funding Results

By the TCL Staff

Who we are

The Consulting Lead LLC (TCL) has written federal funding proposals seeking more than $400 million for public, nonprofit and healthcare clients in Puerto Rico. More than $145 million of that has been awarded, including one of the largest Hazard Mitigation Grant Program awards in Puerto Rico's post-María recovery.

Founded in 2014, TCL is a WOSB-, and MBE- certified firm that works across the full funding lifecycle. We find the opportunity, write the application, and then manage the award through reimbursement, compliance and closeout.

Our principal, a Certified Research Administrator, is a former Associate VP for Sponsored Progams for the Ana G. Mendez University, and former FEMA Grants Management Specialist who led a team managing a FEMA Public Assistance portfolio of more than $1 billion. That depth shows in the results below.

Proposals we have written

Twelve proposals written by TCL sought $400.1 million in federal funding. Nine were awarded, for $145.4 million; one was highly rated but not funded; two await a decision.

Client type	Program	Year	Amount sought (USD)	Outcome
Territorial emergency management agency	FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: island-wide emergency siren notification system	2021	$117,000,000	Awarded
Public university campus	U.S. EDA Disaster Supplemental Program	2019	$13,000,000	Awarded
Nonprofit community hospital	HUD CDBG-MIT Healthcare Set-Aside: energy and medical gas improvements	2024	$9,278,955	Awarded
Regional workforce consortium	HUD CDBG-DR Workforce Training Program	2021	$2,300,000	Awarded
Business incubator	HUD CDBG-DR Small Business Incubators and Accelerators	2021	$2,200,000	Awarded
Community health center	HRSA American Rescue Plan construction and capital improvements	2023	$691,213	Awarded
Regional workforce consortium	U.S. DOL Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program	2022	$499,999	Awarded
Municipal police department	U.S. DOJ COPS Hiring Program	2017	$300,000	Awarded
Municipal police department	U.S. DOJ body-worn camera program	2019	$99,876	Awarded
Financial district redevelopment corporation	FEMA HMGP: combined heat and power for resiliency	2022	$250,000,000	Highly rated, not funded

Every application with a final decision was either awarded or, in one case, rated highly by FEMA reviewers. Award records for most of these grants are public on USASpending.gov.

Engagement highlights

Winning the grant is half the job. These engagements show what happens after the award, when every dollar has to be documented, reimbursed and closed out.

FEMA reimbursement for a cardiovascular hospital

Since August 2023, TCL has managed FEMA Public Assistance recovery for a specialized cardiovascular hospital damaged by Hurricane María. We prepare and validate Requests for Reimbursement against a $42 million FEMA portfolio, within a $48.9 million active portfolio under management.

To date, $14 million in reimbursements has been validated with zero audit findings. In June 2026, the U.S. Government Accountability Office selected this program for its Puerto Rico site review.

Implementing the Weatherization Assistance Program

Since January 2025, TCL has supported the program administrator of the U.S. Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program in Puerto Rico, funded by an annual DOE grant of $4.6 million. The program lowers energy costs for low-income households, especially elderly residents, people with disabilities and families with children.

TCL built the case tracking system for the full field-inspection lifecycle, wrote the case management statements of work, and designed the reporting formats used for DOE. We deliver weekly progress metrics to program management and lead outreach to eligible households.

Closing out a resilience installation program

From January 2022 to November 2025, TCL case managers supported a CDBG-DR program installing renewable energy and standby water systems in homes rebuilt after the hurricanes. Our team verified contracts, prepared progress reports, reviewed duplication of benefits and coordinated auditor visits.

TCL completed every eligibility and dwelling-level milestone for its participants, and the program closed in November 2025.

Largest Non-Federal Match reimbursement on record

For Puerto Rico's electric utility, TCL analysts reviewed about 400 FEMA Project Worksheets totaling $90 million. The result was a $13 million Non-Federal Match Request for Reimbursement, the largest ever approved under the Puerto Rico Department of Housing's program.

Other engagements

• Water utility: reimbursement document verification under a $650,000 subcontract.  TCL has assisted in recovering approximately $10 million in FEMA Public Assistance funds.

• State education agency: FEMA-compliant benefit-cost analyses for hazard mitigation applications, under a $160,000 subcontract since June 2026.

• Broadband program: member of the team, with two national firms, selected in April 2024 to provide grants management for Puerto Rico's BEAD program.

• Municipal governments: federal programs advisory for municipalities across Puerto Rico, including an eight-year engagement with one of the island's largest cities.

• Water infrastructure project: As a subcontractor for an international engineering firm, TCL will be the grant subject matter expert in the construction of new water infrastructure using CDBG-MIT and FEMA funding.

Work with TCL

One team carries a project from proposal to closeout, so the commitments made in the application are the ones we deliver on. Agencies, municipalities, hospitals and nonprofits trust TCL to bring that discipline to their federal funding.

To discuss your next opportunity, contact The Consulting Lead LLC at gloria.fernandez@theconsultinglead.com or (787) 529-3871.