FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2026

Phoenix, AZ — The Alliance for Performance Excellence (The Alliance) and Communities of Resilience & Excellence (C.O.R.E.) today announced that both boards have approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to merge by December 31, bringing together two nationally recognized nonprofits dedicated to helping organizations and communities achieve stronger performance, greater resilience, and lasting results. The merger creates a broader national platform for advancing performance excellence across organizations and communities—and for strengthening the connection between the two.

“Organizations and communities are facing increasingly complex challenges that cannot be solved by working in isolation,” said Margot Hoffman, Chair of The Alliance’s board of directors. “By bringing together the strengths, expertise, networks, and resources of The Alliance and C.O.R.E., we can help leaders move beyond simple improvement to create sustainable, measurable impact where they work and where they live.”

The Alliance is a national network of Baldrige-based performance excellence programs dedicated to helping businesses, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies improve results through proven performance excellence practices. Its mission is focused on helping leaders identify and prioritize improvement opportunities through the lens of the evidence-based Baldrige Excellence Framework®, so that leaders focus and optimize resources on the right areas of their enterprises to improve.

The Alliance also recognizes best practices and high performance by administering the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award® on behalf of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as through its 24 independent state, regional, and industry-wide Baldrige-based award programs. Most Alliance members also provide complementary services that support continuous improvement, such as webinars, leadership development workshops, conferences, peer-to-peer cohort learning groups, and other forums and resources.

C.O.R.E., the operating name of Communities of Excellence 2026, helps communities move from fragmented efforts to aligned action and measurable impact. Its Baldrige-based C.O.R.E. Guide and Impact Pathway training curriculum provide communities with a systematic approach for bringing leaders and residents across sectors together, understanding community needs and assets, setting shared priorities, and turning those priorities into coordinated action and measurable results. Through its programs, assessment and recognition process, and community-focused resources, C.O.R.E. reports that its work has reached more than 450 organizations and 35 communities, impacting an estimated 15 million people since 2017.

“The merger reflects a shared belief between the two organizations,” said Angela Brandt, C.O.R.E. board chair. “Sustainable performance and meaningful impact are strongest when organizations and communities develop the capacity to learn, adapt, collaborate, and continuously improve.”

Together, the organizations will be positioned to:

• Expand access to performance excellence practices for organizations and communities across the country.
• Connect organizational excellence with community performance and outcomes, recognizing that strong organizations and thriving communities are mutually reinforcing.
• Strengthen organizational and community resilience in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment.
• Provide practical tools, training, assessment and learning opportunities for leaders at multiple levels.
• Build stronger networks of practitioners and leaders who can share knowledge, experiences and proven practices.
• Advance a culture of continuous improvement and measurable impact across sectors and communities.

“This merger represents an important evolution in how we think about excellence,” said Stephanie Norling, President and CEO of C.O.R.E. “Strong organizations don't exist in isolation. They depend on strong communities—and communities depend on organizations that are willing to work across sectors toward shared goals. By combining our capabilities, we can help leaders strengthen both: building high-performing organizations while creating the conditions for more resilient communities and better quality of life for the people who live in them.”

“The merger comes at a time when leaders across the country are confronting unprecedented complexity, including workforce challenges, changing customer and community expectations, economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and the growing need for both organizations and communities to become more adaptable and resilient,” said Brian Lassiter, President and CEO of The Alliance. “The combined organization will build upon the strengths of both organizations while preserving the expertise, relationships, and approaches that have made each successful independently.”

The combination brings together The Alliance's national network and deep expertise in organizational performance excellence with C.O.R.E.'s community-focused approach to cross-sector collaboration, resident engagement, resilience, and measurable community impact.

What This Means for Members, Partners and Communities

Existing members, partners, volunteers, customers, and stakeholders of both organizations will continue to have access to the programs, resources, and relationships they value, while gaining access to an expanded portfolio of services and opportunities.

Over the coming months, the combined organization will announce additional details regarding its organizational structure, programs, membership opportunities, events, and other offerings.

The combined organization will be named the Alliance for Performance Excellence, and the Communities of Resilience & Excellence brand and service portfolio will be retained and expanded. Both boards have agreed to a December 31, 2026, closing date, with the merger officially executed January 1, 2027.

About the Alliance for Performance Excellence

The Alliance for Performance Excellence is the national network of Baldrige-based programs across the United States, providing resources, training, assessment, recognition, and other services to help organizations and communities improve performance and results. The Alliance also administers the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award on behalf of NIST. For more information, visit baldrigealliance.org.

About Communities of Resilience & Excellence (C.O.R.E.)

Communities of Resilience & Excellence (C.O.R.E.), the operating name of Communities of Excellence 2026, helps communities move from fragmented efforts to aligned action and measurable impact. Through the Baldrige-based C.O.R.E. Guide, Impact Pathway, assessment and recognition program, and other tools and learning opportunities, C.O.R.E. helps leaders and residents work across sectors to understand their communities, establish shared priorities, coordinate action, strengthen resilience, and improve quality of life. Learn more at connectwithcore.org.

Alliance + C.O.R.E. Merger – Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is happening?
   The Alliance for Performance Excellence and Communities of Resilience & Excellence (C.O.R.E.) have agreed to merge, bringing together two nonprofit organizations committed to advancing performance excellence and creating stronger organizations and communities.

   As part of the merger, C.O.R.E. will merge into the Alliance for Performance Excellence. The Alliance will be the surviving nonprofit organization, and C.O.R.E. will no longer operate as a separate legal entity. C.O.R.E.'s programming, tools, intellectual property, community-focused work, and brand will become part of the Alliance and continue within the combined organization.

   The boards of both organizations have unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the terms of the merger. The organizations expect to complete the final legal agreement in December, with the merger becoming effective January 1, 2027.

2. Why are the Alliance and C.O.R.E. merging?
   The two organizations share a common foundation in the principles of performance excellence and the Baldrige Excellence Framework but apply those principles in complementary ways.

   The Alliance supports organizations and a national network of state and regional performance excellence programs. C.O.R.E. helps communities apply systems thinking and performance excellence principles across sectors to address complex community challenges and improve quality of life.

   Bringing the organizations together creates a stronger national platform for advancing excellence within organizations and across the communities in which they operate.

3. Why now?
   The challenges facing organizations and communities are increasingly interconnected. Issues such as workforce, health, housing, education, economic vitality, trust, and resilience cannot be addressed effectively by any one organization or sector working alone.

   At the same time, both the Alliance and C.O.R.E. are positioned for growth. Combining their networks, expertise, infrastructure, and relationships creates opportunities to expand their reach and impact while operating more efficiently as one organization.

4. What will happen to C.O.R.E.?
   C.O.R.E. will no longer exist as a separate nonprofit organization after the merger becomes effective. Instead, its work will become part of the Alliance for Performance Excellence.

   While the legal entity is going away, the work is not. C.O.R.E.'s programming, tools, intellectual property, brand, and commitment to helping communities improve quality of life will be preserved within the Alliance. The intent is not simply to maintain this work, but to create opportunities to expand its reach through the Alliance's national network, infrastructure, and partnerships.

   Bringing C.O.R.E. into the Alliance also creates a stronger connection between two complementary ideas: helping organizations achieve performance excellence and helping entire communities apply those principles across organizations and sectors to create better outcomes for residents.

5. Will C.O.R.E.'s programs continue?
   Yes. C.O.R.E.'s community programming, including the Impact Pathway, Community Scorecard, C.O.R.E. Guide, community engagement, education and training, and related resources will continue within the Alliance.

   The merger provides an opportunity not only to preserve these programs but also to expand their reach by connecting C.O.R.E.'s community expertise with the Alliance's national network and infrastructure.

6. How will C.O.R.E.'s work be delivered within the Alliance?
   One of the opportunities created by the merger is to connect C.O.R.E.'s community-focused work with the Alliance's national network of state and regional member programs.

   C.O.R.E.'s community Assessment and Recognition activities will be delivered through the Alliance's state and regional member programs, expanding the infrastructure available to support communities across the country.

   For other C.O.R.E. programming, including the Impact Pathway, education and training, and community support, the organizations are developing a model that draws on both C.O.R.E.'s expertise and the capabilities and reach of the Alliance and its member programs. The goal is to preserve what makes C.O.R.E.'s work effective while creating new opportunities to make it available to more communities.

   Additional details about how programs will be delivered will be shared as the integration work progresses.

7. What does this mean for communities currently working with C.O.R.E.?
   Current communities can expect continuity in their programs, relationships, and support. Existing commitments will continue through the transition.

   As the organizations integrate, participating communities may also gain access to a broader network of expertise, resources, learning opportunities, and connections across the national performance excellence community.

   Any changes that directly affect participating communities will be communicated well in advance.

8. What does this mean for Alliance state and regional member programs?
   The merger creates new opportunities for Alliance member programs to expand their role in advancing performance excellence beyond individual organizations and into communities.

   State and regional member programs will play an important role in C.O.R.E.'s community Assessment and Recognition activities. The Alliance and C.O.R.E. will also explore how member programs can participate in and support other aspects of C.O.R.E.'s community-focused work as the integration model is developed.

   More information about these opportunities will be shared as planning continues.

9. What does this mean for the Baldrige Award and the broader Baldrige community?
   The merger does not change the Alliance's commitment to supporting and advancing the Baldrige and performance excellence movement.

   Bringing organizational and community excellence together creates additional opportunities to extend the reach and relevance of performance excellence principles across businesses, healthcare, education, government, nonprofits, communities, and other sectors in the United States and internationally.

10. What will the leadership of the combined organization look like?
    Brian Lassiter will continue to serve as President and CEO of the Alliance for Performance Excellence.

    Beginning January 1, Stephanie Norling, currently President and CEO of C.O.R.E., will become Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Alliance, working alongside Brian to support the combined organization's operations, strategy, programs, and growth.

    C.O.R.E. will also continue to benefit from the involvement and expertise of leaders, volunteers, and partners who have helped build the organization and its work.

11. Will the C.O.R.E. name and brand continue?
    Yes. Although C.O.R.E. will no longer operate as a separate nonprofit organization, the C.O.R.E. brand will continue within the Alliance as the identity for its community-focused work.

    C.O.R.E.'s programs, including the Impact Pathway, Community Scorecard, C.O.R.E. Guide, and related community resources and learning opportunities, will continue under the C.O.R.E. identity within the Alliance.

    The organizations are currently planning how C.O.R.E. will be represented within the Alliance's broader website, communications, and organizational structure. Any changes affecting websites, email addresses, program materials, or other points of contact will be communicated as the transition progresses.

12. When will the merger be final?
    Both boards have approved the Memorandum of Understanding and authorized the organizations to move forward with the merger.

    The final legal merger agreement is expected to be completed in December 2026, with the merger becoming effective January 1, 2027. At that time, C.O.R.E. will merge into the Alliance, the Alliance will continue as the surviving nonprofit organization, and C.O.R.E.'s programming, assets, intellectual property, and community-focused work will become part of the Alliance.

    Until the effective date, the Alliance and C.O.R.E. remain separate nonprofit organizations and will continue operating normally while preparing for the transition.

13. What happens next?
    Between now and January 1, the Alliance and C.O.R.E. will work together on the legal, operational, governance, financial, programmatic, and communications activities necessary to bring the organizations together.

    Just as importantly, the organizations will continue planning for what comes next: how the combined organization can strengthen the national performance excellence ecosystem, expand community-focused work, support Alliance members and partners, and reach more organizations and communities.

    Updates will be shared throughout the transition.
     

Where can I learn more or ask questions?
Additional information and updates will be available through the Alliance and C.O.R.E. websites and regular communications.

Questions may also be directed to the organizations' leadership teams.