California Awards for
Performance Excellence Program

Organizational Profile Application

The Organizational Profile Assessment is for organizations that are just starting out on their performance excellence journey or would benefit from receiving a feedback report for their organizational profile. Completing an Organizational Profile is the foundation for all Baldrige-based assessments. The Organizational Profile is a snapshot of your organization and its strategic environment and can be used in the following ways:

• Sets the context for your organization and how you operate. It serves as the background for all you do and what is important to your organization.

• Identify gaps in key information and focus on key performance requirements and results.

• An initial self-assessment to identify topics for which conflicting, little, or no information is available.

• Sets the foundation for your responses to the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence questions in categories 1-7.

Organizational Profile Application Resources:

• Organizational Profile One-Page Overview (PDF)

• Intent to Apply Form (Web Form)

• Organizational Profile Instructions, Information, and Criteria

  • Business (Manufacturing, Service, Small Business, Nonprofit & Government) (Word)

  • Health Care (Word)

  • Education (Word)

Prospector Recognition

This is an excellent stepping stone for organizations that plan to apply for the Eureka Award, but want to practice application writing. The Prospector uses the criteria of the Baldrige Builder, which is an abbreviated version of the full Baldrige Framework.​

Prospector Application Resources:

• Prospector One-Page Overview (PDF)

• Criteria Used: Baldrige Excellence Builder (Free download)

• Prospector Application Information/Instructions (PDF)

• Intent to Apply Form (Web Form)

• Prospector Application Form (word)

Explorer
Recognition

Organizations beginning their excellence journey can take advantage of this assessment of a single​ Baldrige Criteria item. These items include Leadership; Strategic Planning; Customers; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Workforce; and Operations.

Explorer Application Resources:

• Explorer Recognition One-Page Overview (PDF)

• Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence (Link to Purchase)

• Explorer Application Information/Instructions (PDF)

• Intent to Apply Form (Web Form)

• Explorer Application Form (Word)

Eureka Award for
Performance Excellence

This assessment follows the same application and evaluation process as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), the nation's highest presidential recognition for performance excellence. Applicants respond to the full Baldrige Criteria and host the examination team for a week-long site visit. Organizations that receive the Eureka Gold-Level Award are eligible to compete for the national MBNQA.​

Eureka Application Resources:

• Eureka Award One-Page Overview (PDF)

• Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence (Link to Purchase)

• Eureka Application Information/Instructions (PDF)

• Intent to Apply Form (Web Form)

• Eureka Application Form (Word)