The North Carolina Award for Excellence Program
Based upon the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the North Carolina Award for Excellence (NCAfE) is the top state-level recognition presented to an organization that has demonstrated, through its practices and achievements, the highest level of performance excellence by applying the principles of the Baldrige Excellence Framework.
Baldrige Criteria Crafts the Framework
The Baldrige Excellence Framework provides the tools to examine and improve each aspect of your organization’s performance while keeping the whole organization in mind. The management framework enables leaders at businesses, hospitals, factories, schools and government bodies to examine every layer of the organization and devise strategies to reach goals, improve results and become more competitive by aligning people, plans and processes.
The framework consists of the Criteria for Performance Excellence and offers a recognized way to achieve the following benefits:
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- Innovation
- World-class results
- Integrated processes that enhance effectiveness and efficiency
- Organizational learning
- Sustainable success
Why Apply?
The Baldrige Excellence Framework is the key to accessing if your organization is doing as well as it could. Organizations receive extraordinary learning associated with applying the Baldrige Excellence Framework through the award application process. Receiving the NCAfE Award is recognition of being among the best performing organizations in North Carolina. The NCAfE award also satisfies a preliminary requirement for an organization that is interested in seeking recognition from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Application Timeframe
| Board of Examiners Applications Due | April 15, 2023 |
| Award Program Intent to Apply Due | May 31, 2023 |
| Online Examiner Orientation | May 9,11, or 17 2023 |
| NC Examiner Training | June 27-29, 2023 |
| Award Program Applications Due | July 15, 2023 |
Quick FAQs
What is the NCAfE Program?
The NCAfE program is the top state-level recognition presented to an organization that has demonstrated, through its practices and achievements, the highest level of performance excellence by applying the principles of the Baldrige Excellence Framework – the Criteria for Performance Excellence.
Why Participate?
The Baldrige Excellence Framework is the key to assessing if your organization is doing as well as it could. The management framework enables leaders at businesses, hospitals, factories, schools and government bodies to examine every layer of the organization and devise strategies to reach goals, improve results, and become more competitive by aligning people, plans and processes.
Recipients of the NCAfE state-level recognition are outstanding examples of high-performance organizations. They exhibit role model processes, with some being at or near “best-in-class.”
The NCAfE award also satisfies a preliminary requirement for an organization that is interested in seeking recognition from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
How To Apply
Interested organizations must adhere to the NCAfE awards cycle requirements, which begins with the Intent to Apply/Eligibility Form, followed by an Organizational Profile and Application.
Program Fees
In addition to the $250 Intent to Apply fee, there is also an application fee and site visit fees. These are based on the applicant’s number of employees, and range from a total fee of $5,450 for organizations with less 100 employees to $17,450 with organizations of more than 1,500 employees.
For more details and frequently asked questions review these links:
Contact
If you have questions about the NCAfE Program, or need more information about any aspect of the application process, contact Kevin Grayson at kevin_grayson@ncsu.edu, or (704) 751-9661