Baldrige Community

A unique aspect of the Baldrige Program is our successful public-private partnership. Countless volunteers from the private sector are essential in helping us do what we do. The annual government investment is leveraged by an impressive tenfold contribution from private-sector, state, and locally based organizations. The private sector provides administrative support (currently through a contract with the American Society for Quality), oversight, Examiners, and additional funding.

• The Baldrige Foundation, composed of leaders from U.S. organizations, raises funds to endow the Baldrige Program.

• The Board of Overseers consists of distinguished leaders from all sectors of the U.S. economy. Appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, these leaders evaluate the Baldrige Program, provide policy guidance, and assess how the Award serves the national interest.

• More than 600 experts from all sectors of the U.S. economy volunteer countless hours to serve on the Board of Examiners each year. They review applications for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, conduct site visits for selected organizations, and write extensive feedback reports citing applicants’ strengths and opportunities for improvement. Within the board, a separate Panel of Judges, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, recommends Award recipients for approval by the Secretary of Commerce. Baldrige Examiners have given thousands of presentations on quality management, performance improvement, and the Baldrige Award.

• Baldrige Award recipients also carry out their charge to be role models for quality and organizational performance excellence. To date, recipients have presented to tens of thousands of organizations.

• The success of the Baldrige Program has sparked a grassroots performance excellence effort. Baldrige-based state and local programs are a tremendous resource for organizations in more than 35 states across the country. Organizations frequently participate in a state program and then apply to the national Baldrige Program. The Alliance for Performance Excellence, another key Program partner, is a consortium of state and local programs.