Status of the Baldrige Excellence Framework®

The Baldrige Excellence Framework® is in the public domain within the United States and is not subject to U.S. copyright protection. However, the framework and its Criteria for Performance Excellence® include trademarks and service marks that are protected by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Outside of the United States, the Baldrige Excellence Framework® is copyrighted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, as represented by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Living Framework Model

The Baldrige Excellence Framework® is maintained as a living framework. Rather than being issued solely as a fixed, biennial edition, the Framework may be periodically refined to reflect evolving leadership practices, management insights, and emerging organizational challenges while preserving its core principles and nonprescriptive nature.

As a result:

• The Framework may not rely on edition numbers (e.g., “2023–2024”) in its title.

• Citations should reference the year of the version accessed or used, consistent with modern standards practices (e.g., NIST, ISO, OECD).

Authors, educators, and partners are responsible for citing the most current version available at the time of use.

Role of the Baldrige Foundation

The Baldrige Foundation serves as a steward and operational partner of the Baldrige Excellence Framework®, working in coordination with the U.S. Department of Commerce and NIST.

Under a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Baldrige Foundation supports the ongoing refinement, modernization, education, and dissemination of the Framework while preserving its integrity, public-domain status, and nonprescriptive design. This stewardship includes editorial coordination, educational guidance, and delivery infrastructure through the Institute for Performance Excellence.

The Baldrige Foundation does not own the Baldrige Excellence Framework® and does not replace the authority of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program or NIST. All citations of the Framework must continue to reference the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and NIST as the authoritative source.

Approved Use for Educational Purposes

In most cases, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program approves the use and reprinting of framework content for educational purposes at no charge, particularly when the use:

• Educates others about the Framework, and
• Encourages informed and appropriate application of its principles.

Educational use may include training materials, articles, presentations, research, and publications, provided the conditions below are met.

Required Citation for the Baldrige Excellence Framework®

Standard Citation (Living Framework)

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. Year. Baldrige Excellence Framework®: Proven Leadership and Management Practices for High Performance. Gaithersburg, MD: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
https://www.nist.gov/baldrige or https://www.baldrigefoundation.org/baldrige-framework 

Example:

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. 2025. Baldrige Excellence Framework®: Proven Leadership and Management Practices for High Performance. Gaithersburg, MD: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Citing Specific Content or Figures

When quoting text or referencing figures:

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (Year), p. X.

If page numbers are not stable (e.g., digital formats), use:

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (Year), Category X, Item X.X.

Use in Books, Articles, and Educational Materials

When framework content is used in books, articles, or other publications:

• Clearly state that the material is designed to educate readers about the Baldrige Excellence Framework® and serves as a supplemental resource, not a replacement for the official framework.
• Instruct readers to obtain the official Framework at:
  https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/baldrige-excellence-framework
  (For books, this notice is typically placed in the preface or on the front or back cover.)

The Framework may not be reproduced in its entirety. Framework content must be interspersed with original material developed by the author and may not be included intact (e.g., as an appendix or standalone reproduction).

Use of Framework Graphics

The most common permission request is for the Baldrige Framework model graphic.

For educational use, the following attribution statement may be used:

This figure is used with permission of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. Year. Baldrige Excellence Framework®: Proven Leadership and Management Practices for High Performance. Gaithersburg, MD: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Purchase a copy of the Baldrige Excellence Framework®.

The Chronicle of Leadership and Management

The Chronicle of Leadership and Management is an official publication of the Baldrige Foundation. It serves as a forum for research, applied practice, and thought leadership related to organizational excellence, leadership systems, and performance management.

Articles published in the Chronicle may reference and quote the Baldrige Excellence Framework® for educational and thought-leadership purposes, provided that:

• Framework content is properly cited
• Excerpts and figures are used selectively
• Content is integrated with original analysis or commentary
• The Framework is not reproduced in full or presented as proprietary content of the author

How to Cite the Chronicle of Leadership and Management

General Citation

Chronicle of Leadership and Management. Year. Article Title. Baldrige Foundation. URL.

Example:

Chronicle of Leadership and Management. 2026. “Leadership Systems That Enable Long-Term Performance.” Baldrige Foundation. https://www.baldrigefoundation.org/chronicle

Academic / APA-Style Citation

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Article title. Chronicle of Leadership and Management. Baldrige Foundation. URL