(ncafe) NORTH CAROLINA
Awards of Excellence
Based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, the North Carolina Awards of Excellence (NCAfE) 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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We customize our services to match the client’s needs.
On-site Coaching: This can take various shapes (and time lengths) but works in many ways like our ISO 9001 implementation – where I would spend one or two days with them each month.
Baldrige/NCAFE Overview Training: Usually this is a short training session to get staff (and/or senior leadership) familiar with the Baldrige basics. Typically either half day to one day course. Depending on the content.
Application writing: Help write and edit the client’s next application.
Application review: Review and edit the applicant’s next application. This can even include a scoring assessment.
Strategic Planning facilitation: Help the client conduct and document their next strategic plan.
Questions:
Contact Kevin Grayson at [email protected], or 704.751.9661.
Customized Transformations
The Baldrige Excellence Framework is the key to assessing if your organization is doing as well as it could. Organizations receive extraordinary learning opportunities through the Baldrige Excellence Framework 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. Download and apply.
Track 1
Organizational NCAfE Awards Deadlines
Awards Program Intent to Apply Due:
Assessment Applications Due:
Track 2
Examiner Program Deadlines
Board of Examiners Applications Due:
(grace period ends Friday, April 17, 2026)
Examiner Orientation:
(8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT) (held virtually)
(held in-person at address below) NC State University Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center
NCAfE is partnering with the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence to provide examiner training. Orientation is virtual; training will be held in person. More details at TNCPE.org.
Level 1: Interest
The Interest Award recognizes organizations beginning to implement improvement principles and define key priorities.
Level 2: Proficient
The Proficient Award recognizes organizations advancing through data-driven process improvements.
Level 3: Advanced
The Advanced Award honors organizations that excel in building aligned, systematic processes and fostering continuous learning.
Level 4: Excellence
The Excellence Award honors organizations achieving top performance through outstanding processes and results.
Business owners, executives and leadership teams responsible for setting direction, driving growth and allocating resources. It is also valuable for managers who support strategic planning, sales, marketing and operations execution.
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NCAfE accepts applications once a year. In order to be considered in the 2026 award cycle, your application documents must be postmarked by the dates below.
Step 1: Intent to Apply – Friday, April 3, 2026
Complete the Intent to Apply/Eligibility Form. Mail one printed copy to NCAfE along with the appropriate Intent fee. North Carolina Awards for Excellence c/o Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence 2525 Perimeter Place Drive, Suite 122 Nashville, TN 37214-3773 800.453.5474.
Step 2: Submit Application Packet by Friday, July 31, 2026
Complete the Application Form and Organizational Profile as described in the NCAfE materials. Mail one printed copy and one electronic copy of the Application Form, Organizational Profile, and Criteria Response to NCAfE along with the appropriate application fee. North Carolina Awards for Excellence c/o Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence 2525 Perimeter Place Drive, Suite 122 Nashville, TN 37214-3773 800.453.5474 ([email protected])
Step 3: Prepare for Site Visit
The team of examiners assigned to your organization will begin their evaluation a few weeks after you submit your application packet. Shortly after, the team leader will contact you to schedule a site visit. During the two-to-three day visit the examiner team will tour your facilities and interview your leadership team and employees to gain a greater understanding of your organization. Site visits typically occur during October. A site visit fee applies to this step of the process. You will receive an invoice for this fee after the examiner team has completed its site visit. Please see the fee schedule for details.
Step 4: Award Notification and Feedback Report
In November, a Panel of Judges will review the examiner team’s work and confirm your award. Following this meeting, NCAfE will call with your results. You will receive your feedback report by the first of January.
Step 5: Recognition
NCAfE will work with your organization to determine an appropriate event where your organization will officially receive its award and be recognized for your pursuit of performance excellence. In addition, after you have been notified of your award, NCAfE will publicize your accomplishments via press release, email blast to our database and posting on our website.
Level 1: Interest Award
The Interest Award is presented to organizations in the initial stages of implementing performance improvement principles and defining their key priorities and resources.
Level 2: Proficient Award
The Proficient Award is presented to organizations that have shown significant progress by identifying and implementing key process improvements directly linked to a data-driven improvement approach.
Level 3: Advanced Award
The Advanced Award is presented to organizations that have made substantial progress in developing systematic, well-implemented processes aligned organization-wide and reflecting continuous learning cycles.
Level 4: Excellence Award
The Excellence Award is presented to organizations that have showcased the highest level of performance excellence through their processes, practices, and results.
When an organization is ready to apply for the State Excellence Award, there is a fee that is due with the Intent to Apply/Eligibility Form to cover costs associated with initial processing and eligibility determination. There is also an Application Fee to be included when submitting the application to NCAfE. Both the Application Fee and the Site Visit Fee are determined based on the applicant’s number of employees, as shown below.
| Member | General | |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | <500 Employees: $3,000 >500 Employees: $5,000 | <500 Employees: $5,000 >500 Employees: $8,000 |
| Level 2 | <500 Employees: $5,000 >500 Employees: $10,000 | <500 Employees: $8,000 >500 Employees: $15,000 |
| Level 3 | <500 Employees: $8,000 >500 Employees: $13,000 | <500 Employees: $12,000 >500 Employees: $18,000 |
| Level 4 | <500 Employees: $10,000 >500 Employees: $16,000 | <500 Employees: $16,000 >500 Employees: $20,000 |
Any business/organizational unit or subsidiary is eligible to apply for the NCAfE awards. A subsidiary means an actual subsidiary, business unit, division or district office. Eligible organizations must be recognizable as discrete entities, and must be easily distinguishable from a parent and other sub-units. They must function as business or operating entities, not as activities assembled to write an award application. The business/organizational unit must be located in North Carolina.
Organizations must be self-sufficient enough to be examined in all seven criteria categories. For example, an organizational unit with its own administrative, human resources and other support functions is eligible; but a unit that is entirely dependent upon the parent organization for the majority of these functions is ineligible.
The following organizational units are expressly allowed:
Applications are reviewed and evaluated in a five-stage process by members of a Board of Examiners. Those examiners, specially trained in the Baldrige Excellence Framework, adhere to strict rules regarding confidentiality and conflict of interest during each stage of the review process.
Stage 1 – Independent review and evaluation by a team of examiners
Stage 2 – Consensus review and evaluation by a team of examiners
Stage 3 – Site visit review by a team of examiners
Stage 4 – Final Feedback Report preparation by a team of examiners
Stage 5 – Panel of judges reviews and determines award
Nine months: April through December.
Examiners are volunteers from all industry sectors who have completed extensive training in the Baldrige Excellence Framework. An examiner team of quality-driven professionals is created for each application. This team comprises both new and experienced examiners.
An independent panel of judges is selected on a clear, standardized basis. There is representation from the following industry sectors: service, manufacturing, education, government and health care. The judges are familiar with the quality improvement operations of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, small businesses and large organizations. Judges will be familiar with the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the processes of the state-level performance excellence award.
An independent panel of judges is selected on a clear, standardized basis. There is representation from the following industry sectors: service, manufacturing, education, government and health care. The judges are familiar with the quality improvement operations of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, small businesses and large organizations. Judges will be familiar with the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the processes of the state-level performance excellence award.
NCAfE has contracted with TNCPE to manage the evaluation/award process of the awards program.
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Part of our mission is to inspire and influence organizations across the state, and one way we do this is by showcasing the world-class processes of our award winners. Leaders from Excellence Awards winners may be asked to speak or participate in NCAfE programs throughout the year. We also ask applicant organizations to send us new and experienced examiners. This helps us to maintain a robust and active volunteer workforce of examiners. This helps you integrate the Baldrige Excellence Framework more quickly within the organization, accelerating your quest for excellence.
Examiners are a group of quality-driven professionals who collaborate to assess the businesses and organizations that apply to the NCAfE Award Program each year. They’re tasked with developing the valuable feedback reports that applicant organizations use to streamline their processes, empower their workforces, and achieve the results they want. Examiners come from across the state and represent all industry sectors. Most participants complete the training because they want to challenge themselves and contribute in a meaningful way to organizations where they work and the communities where they live. Serving on the NCAfE Board of Examiners is a powerful personal and professional development experience. Starting with annual training and continuing through the applicant evaluation process, networking opportunities abound. In addition, examiners are exposed to the best practices of role model companies.
Employers have found that examiner training empowers employees to apply the Baldrige framework at their own jobs, improving processes and results along the way. Applicants have also discovered that having an examiner on their team improves their own NCAfE application.
NCAfE is partnering with the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence to provide examiner training. The Examiner Training will be held both in-person (if appropriate) and virtually. Questions? Please contact Kevin Grayson at [email protected], or 704.751.9661. You can call NCAfE at 910.622.5849.
APPLY HERE
Examiner Training Fees
| Member Registration | General Registration | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | $500 | $1,000 |
| Second Year | $400 | $700 |
| Third Year | FREE | FREE |
2024
Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA)
2015
Duke Regional Hospital
Pardee Hospital
2013
Lower Cape Fear Hospice and LifeCare Center
Cherokee Indian Hospital
2012
Southeastern Regional Medical Center
CarePartners Health Services
CaroMont Health
2011
NACCO Materials Handling Group
2010
Southeastern Regional Medical Center
2009
Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Raleigh, NC
Fleet Readiness Center East, Cherry Point, NC
2008
Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC
WestCare Health System, Sylva, NC
2007
American Kennel Club
High Point Regional Health System
Iredell-Statesville Schools
NC Board of Nursing
NC Child Support Enforcement
Woodland Terrace
2006
Asheville Eye Associates
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools-Building Services
Duke University Hospital
FirstHealth of the Carolinas
High Point Regional Health System
Premier Inc.
Wake Med Health and Hospitals
2005
Asheville Eye Associates
FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Inc.
Iredell-Statesville Schools
NC Board of Nursing
Premier, Inc.
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) is a presidential award that is presented annually to organizations that demonstrate the highest levels of quality and performance excellence. Awards may be presented in six different categories:
The Baldrige Award, established by Congress in 1987, was designed to raise awareness of quality management and recognize US companies that have implemented successful quality management systems. The US Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) manages the award.
The Baldrige Excellence Framework
The Baldrige Excellence Framework is being used today by business/nonprofit, health care and education organizations as a framework for organizational performance management, assessment and excellence. They are used not only as an application for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award but as the way to run a business—even being called “A Road Map for the Future” by Quality magazine. It offers something different than Lean Six Sigma, ISO, Magnet, and other methodologies and strategies; the Baldrige Criteria offer an organization-wide perspective that optimizes an entire system rather than just focuses on pockets of excellence.
There are three versions of the Baldrige Excellence framework:
All three versions of the Baldrige Excellence Framework book may be purchased from the NIST Baldrige Performance Excellence Program for $30 per copy. You can also purchase a downloadable PDF of the Framework for $12 per copy. These are available at nist.gov/baldrige/publications/baldrige-excellence-framework. Please note, digital versions of the Framework will not include NCAfE-specific information such as the award cycle schedule and award application forms.
NCAfE is a member of the Alliance for Performance Excellence, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the growth and sustainability of Baldrige-focused programs by serving its members. Key stakeholders include Baldrige focused programs, organizations wanting to improve, and key partners including the Baldrige Foundation and the national Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The Baldrige Program administers the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Organizations that receive the top performance excellence award from NCAfE are eligible to apply for the national Baldrige Award during the following year’s awards cycle. https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/baldrige-award
The Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence includes:
- Leadership: How upper management leads the organization, and how the organization leads within the community.
- Strategy: How the organization establishes and implements its strategy.
- Customers: How the organization builds and maintains strong, lasting relationships with customers.
- Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management: How the organization uses data to support key processes and manage performance.
- Workforce: How the organization supports and engages its workforce.
- Operations: How the organization designs, manages and improves key work processes to deliver value to customers.
- Results: How the organization performs in terms of customer satisfaction with products and services, workforce engagement, leadership and governance, finances and how the organization compares to its competitors.
The process for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is very similar to the NCAfE state excellence award. Steps include:
Independent and Consensus Review
A team from the Board of Examiners is assigned to your award application.
Independent Review
Members of the team individually review your application against the Criteria for Performance Excellence to identify and document strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Consensus Review
Led by a senior examiner, the team conducts a series of reviews, first virtually through a secure website and then through focused conference calls. Through these reviews, the team reaches consensus on feedback and scores. Based on these reviews, the Judges’ Panel determines which organizations receive site visits.
Site Visit Review
Organizations receiving site visits provide updates for all results in the application. Led by a senior examiner, a team of examiners visits the organization to verify and clarify the information in the application. Site visits consist primarily of a review of pertinent records and data, as well as interviews. The team submits a report to the Judges’ Panel.
Judges’ Review
The Judges’ Panel conducts final reviews and recommends award recipients to the director of NIST, who conveys the recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce. The Commerce Secretary and the NIST Director determine whether recommended award recipients are appropriate role models and should receive the award. The purpose of this determination is to help preserve the award’s integrity. The Judges’ Panel also recommends non-award-recipient organizations that will be recognized for having one or more category best practices. In determining role models, NIST checks records on site-visited applicants and their highest-ranking officials to verify compliance with legal and various regulatory requirements. The Commerce Secretary then selects the award recipients.
Feedback Reports
Members of the Board of Examiners prepare feedback reports detailing organization-specific strengths and opportunities for improvement based on the organization’s responses to the Criteria for Performance Excellence. Each organization receives a feedback report when it exits the process: after Consensus Review, after Site Visit Review, or when it is selected as an award recipient.
Award Ceremony
The President of the United States traditionally presents the awards.
2008
Iredell-Statesville Schools
2006
Premier Inc.
NCAfE does not make any recommendations about the use of third-party advisors or award application consultants. However, we are aware that some organizations find it beneficial to work with consultants to understand and apply the Baldrige framework to their own operations.
Supplying Volunteer Examiners
The Board of Examiners works best when there is a healthy balance of new and experienced examiners, so we encourage organizations to send us examiners who have served in the past, in addition to those who are new to the program. Many examiners return year after year, because they find their service to the Baldrige Awards Program an unparalleled professional development experience, as well as an opportunity to benchmark and network. To help maintain a robust and active workforce, we rely on award applicants to provide examiners for the next award cycle. Employers find that having examiners on staff enables them to integrate the Criteria’s improvement framework more quickly and accelerate the quest for excellence.
Learn how your organization can engage with the NCAfE program to improve your organizational performance and achieve excellence.
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This webinar introduces the North Carolina Awards for Excellence (NCAfE) program and demonstrates how organizations can leverage the nationally recognized Baldrige-based framework to strengthen performance, drive continuous improvement and achieve operational excellence.
Topics covered:
Duration:
Less than one hour
Format:
On-demand webinar
Recommended For:
Organizations seeking a proven model for excellence.