During the past six years, the Harrington Institute and its business partners have been involved in community improvement efforts that have produced significant results within the organizations involved. The thrust of the effort in the Orlando, Florida, community involved 25 projects and the certification of more than 300 Six Sigma Black Belts and Green Belts who worked on improvement projects involving a wide variety of community-based organizations—governmental, social services, and for-profits. The main focus of the projects has been on community improvement involving the at-risk population, such as children and families, seniors, and student outreach and participation organizations. All of the projects were performed on a pro bono basis with no cost to the organizations involved. The certifications were offered free of charge, and the cost of the materials was covered by local businesses and sponsors.

There were 10 different meta-themes involving the 25 projects in service organizations and government agencies that have been successfully completed since 2003: