About Awards for Excellence
In 1989, El Pomar created our first program, Awards for Excellence, to celebrate outstanding nonprofit organizations and individuals in Colorado for their contributions. Each year, these awards are presented at our Night of Excellence ceremony, where honorees are spotlighted for their work and receive grant dollars to continue the extraordinary impact they make across the state.
2024 Awards for Excellence Honorees
Kathleen Merritt is a local expert on early childhood development and has worked tirelessly to better her community for decades. Over the last 10 years, Kathleen has worked at Bright Futures, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in the San Juan Region. In her role as executive director, she has increased the organization’s support programming by 160 percent thus allowing them to serve seven counties in differing capacities. Prior to Bright Futures, Kathleen directed a childcare center and preschool program for 21 years. Kathleen is an avid skier and outdoorswoman. She enjoys these activities with her husband, Jason, and their two children, Townes and Caroline. Her professional success is inspired and supported by her family.
Paul Major has been an active member of the greater Telluride community since 2000 when he helped establish the Telluride Foundation. While serving as CEO for 22 years, the foundation offered generous support to 501(c)3 organizations in the area. In 2021, Paul’s final year leading the foundation, they distributed over $3 million in awards and grants to charitable organizations. Paul currently serves as a Board Member for Paradox Community Trust and Manager of Rural Homes, LLC. Both organizations work to address the needs of rural communities who lack the necessary resources to thrive. Aside from philanthropic work, Paul is a dedicated skier and was highly involved with the US Ski Team both as an athlete and coach between 1984 and 1994. Paul and his wife, Lois, have three children, Victor, Naomi, and Malcolm.
Food Bank of the Rockies (FBR) works to address hunger across Colorado and Wyoming. With one in 11 Coloradans facing food insecurity, FBR has created more than 800 hunger relief partnerships and helped introduce over 70 mobile pantries within Colorado suited to meet the varying needs of the communities they serve with an emphasis placed on nutrition and sustainability. Thanks to FBR’s robust volunteer base and dedicated staff, they dramatically improve the lives of Coloradans each year. In 2023, they distributed 66 million meals which ensured that over 367,000 individuals across Colorado and Wyoming received food daily. Now in their 46th year of service, Food Bank of the Rockies is continuing to look ahead with one guiding aspiration: “Ensuring all of our neighbors have enough nutritious and familiar food to thrive.”
In 2006, Jay Cimino and his wife, Emily, repurposed a vacant church in Trinidad and created Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center before expanding the operation to more properties. They founded Mt. Carmel with two main goals: offering healthcare in the form of behavioral health, primary care, and wellness education, and offering wellness services, prevention, education, and youth programming to those in need in Southern Colorado. Today, Mt. Carmel hosts a variety of community enrichment programs to improve citizen health both mentally and physically. These programs include but are not limited to yoga, youth choirs and orchestras, cooking classes, exercise classes, health education classes, and leadership programs. Staying true to the original church’s mission, Mt. Carmel serves as a central meeting place for gatherings and community building. The Wellness Center has become an integral part of Trinidad by addressing some of the most urgent threats to the health of the community.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of the 7th Judicial District (CASA 7JD) was created to advocate for children who have been adversely affected by the legal system. Since 2000, staff and volunteers have been acting as the “voice for the child” to amplify the needs of the children. CASA 7JD felt that while advocacy services are essential, they do not address all the needs of the community at hand. With programs unique to CASA 7JD such as Supervised Exchange and Parenting Time (SEPT) and the Youth Services Program, they are continuously growing their impact. CASA did not stop there. Today, they are finalizing their new housing project, Village of the San Juans, which will provide affordable housing and community for at risk youth who have aged out of the foster care system as well as for senior citizens. By acknowledging and supporting the children who have been impacted by the child welfare system, CASA 7JD is working to break the cycle of abuse and neglect.
Explore our Awards
At our Night of Excellence ceremony each year, we honor organizations and individuals with a series of awards. Explore the categories below.
This award honors an individual(s) who embodies the spirit of service and giving by going above and beyond to make an unprecedented impact through philanthropy.
This award honors an organization headquartered in either the Metro or Pikes Peak regions of Colorado.
This award honors an organization of excellence headquartered in one of our nine rural regions: Central Peaks, High Country, North, Northeast, Northwest, San Juan, San Luis Valley, Southeast, and Southwest.
This award honors a Colorado Nonprofit Executive Director or Board Chair. The award recognizes individuals across the state. Nominations will rotate annually between the Pikes Peak and Metro Regions and our nine rural regions. This year we will be recognizing an individual from the Pikes Peak or Metro regions.
This award honors an organization working within one of El Pomar's priority funding areas: Arts and Culture, Civic and Community, Education, Health and Human Services. Nominations rotate annually between the Foundation's five focus areas, with this year's focus on Education. The organization improves its community with direct involvement from its members or focuses on volunteerism, recreation, public affairs, or bettering the environment.
Learn more about El Pomar's work
Over thirty years ago, El Pomar’s Trustees realized we could contribute more than grant dollars to support the success and vitality of communities and nonprofits throughout Colorado. Discover more of El Pomar’s grant making process and programs.
Julie Penrose Award
Our co-founder, Julie Penrose, was a trailblazing woman in Colorado through her dedication to community and leadership of the state’s philanthropic sector. In honor of what would have been her 150th birthday, El Pomar created the Julie Penrose Award to celebrate outstanding women who, like Julie, are making or have made significant contributions through their leadership and dedication to their communities.
Grant Making
Rooting into our deep legacy in Colorado, we make grants all over the state and invest in organizations, people, and partnerships that help people live better lives. Following in the footsteps of our founders, Spencer and Julie Penrose, we have a broad grant making scope with greatest focus in the areas of arts & culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health, and human services.
Community Engagement Programs
When grant dollars alone can’t solve the issues facing the people of Colorado, sometimes bringing people together to learn and dialogue about them can unlock possibility. Our community engagement programming convenes Coloradans to learn about, connect and tackle each community’s challenges head-on.