ABOUT PATHWAYS TO EXCELLENCE

America’s communities need and deserve excellent Community Action Agencies. Every organization can improve, and should continuously strive to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and to exceed expectations. The Pathways to Excellence program empowers CAAs in their pursuit of excellence through an intentional process of assessment, planning, and capacity building to institutionalize known best-in-class practices from the Community Action network and outlined in the 35 Standards of Excellence.   

The Community Action Partnership’s Standards of Excellence are based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and specifically adapted for the Community Action Network. They represent the very best practices for agencies as implemented by top-performing CAAs across our national network.

BENCHMARKS OF EXCELLENCE

Interested in learning more? NCAP offers an online, 10-module training program detailing important aspects of NCAP’s 35 Standards of Excellence and Excellence concepts. Familiarize a larger portion of your team with the Standards before, during and even after your Excellence Journey.

Click here to learn about subscribing to the 2022 Standards of Excellence eCourse.

THE TIERED APPROACH TO EXCELLENCE

The Pathways to Excellence program follows similar approaches utilized by state-based Baldrige Award application methodologies, beginning with an entry-level or “commitment” level with additional levels of progressive engagement and required agency/staff work. The final level is the Award for Excellence. This “tiered approach” is designed to permit entry by a CAA at any point; there is no requirement to formally complete one level of achievement to access another. However, it is strongly recommended that agencies consider proceeding through the levels, as they build on one another. Furthermore, successful completion of some levels will require the completion of some requirements of previous levels.

• At the Bronze Level, the agency takes the initial step toward excellence by learning more deeply about the Standards of Excellence and beginning to move beyond the threshold levels of the Organizational Standards.
• At the Silver Level, the agency invests in training staff in the standards and their documentation. The CAAs participating in the Silver Level form a cohort to experience the level together with fellow excellence peers. Sliver Level CAA staff participate in Pathways Implementer training and T/TA activities primarily within this cohort setting.
• At the Gold Level, the agency invests in a thorough assessment of its achievement of each of the Standards of Excellence. The CAAs participating in the Gold Level form a cohort to experience the tier together with fellow excellence peers. Gold Level CAA staff participate in the Agency Self-Study e-course training and T/TA activities primarily within this cohort setting.
• At the Platinum Level, the agency demonstrates its achievement of the Standards of Excellence, onsite, before a team of experienced peer reviewers who confirm the CAA’s achievement of Excellence. Successful completion of the level results in achieving the Award for Excellence.

You can learn more about what is required for each level by clicking here. The Tiered Approach to Excellence 2023 Price List can be found here.

READY TO PURSUE PATHWAYS TO EXCELLENCE?

Enrollment for the Bronze and Platinum Tiers are accepted on a rolling basis. Enrollment is now open for the 2024 Winter Silver and Gold Cohorts through February 23, 2024. Please note that to enroll in any tier of Excellence, you must be a current NCAP member.

To begin your agency’s pursuit of excellence, fill out this enrollment form.

PEER REVIEWER OPPORTUNITY

Become qualified as a Pathways to Excellence peer-expert reviewer in Community Action’s initiative to recognize and promote excellence and continuous improvement among CAAs nationwide. This training will qualify you as an eligible reviewer of agency self-studies completed under the Award for Excellence in Community Action and the Pathways to Excellence initiatives.

Click here for registration details.