Starting this year, qualifying quality-minded nonprofit organizations will be
eligible to participate in a pilot Baldrige Award program. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which administers the Baldrige National Quality Program, will accept applications from nonprofit organizations that have received a top-level award from a state or local quality-award program. Applicants must also be eligible to apply for the new Baldrige Award, which will be awarded for the first time in 2007. Most of the 40 Baldrige-based state and local quality-award programs have nonprofit categories.

While no awards will be presented to nonprofits in the pilot phase, a private-sector team of examiners will review the applications and all applicants will receive written feedback that will include strengths and improvement opportunities. Congress approved the addition of a nonprofit category for the Baldrige Award program in 2004, and President Bush signed it into law in late 2005.

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