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GAITHERSBURG,
MD—Starting in 2007, nonprofit organizations—including
charities, trade and professional associations, and government
agencies—will be eligible to apply for the Baldrige
Award.
To lay
the groundwork for the new category, NIST will conduct a pilot
application program in 2006. During the pilot, NIST will accept
applications only from nonprofit organizations that have received
a top-level award from a state or local quality award program,
and that would be eligible to apply for the new Baldrige Award
in 2007. Most of the more than 40 Baldrige-based state and
local quality award programs allow nonprofit organizations
to apply for their awards.
While
no awards will be presented to nonprofits during the pilot
phase, a private-sector team of examiners will review the
applications and all applicants will receive written feedback,
including strengths and opportunities to improve. The 2006
Baldrige performance excellence criteria for business have
been modified to be more relevant to nonprofit organizations.
The application forms and instructions for nonprofit organizations
are expected to be available early in 2006.
Nonprofit
organizations interested in participating in the pilot program
should contact Mark Shapiro at (800) 898-4506, or mark.shapiro@nist.gov.
Legislation
that authorized NIST to expand the Baldrige National Quality
Program to include nonprofit organizations was approved in
October 2004. NIST’s fiscal year 2006 appropriation
provided the Baldrige National Quality Program with $7 million,
allowing the nonprofit category to proceed.
Named
after the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987
to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. businesses.
The program was expanded in 1998 to include education and
health care organizations. The award promotes excellence in
organizational performance, recognizes the quality and performance
achievements of U.S. organizations, and publicizes successful
performance strategies. Starting in 2007, the award may be
presented to six types of organizations: manufacturers, service
companies, small businesses and education, health care and
nonprofit organizations. The award is not given for specific
products or services. Since 1988, 68 Baldrige Awards have
been presented to 64 organizations.
For more
information on the Baldrige Award, including the performance
excellence criteria, see http://baldrige.nist.gov.
As a
non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and
industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science,
standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security
and improve our quality of life.
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