El Pomar Foundation is a private general-purpose foundation committed to enhancing, encouraging and promoting the current and future well-being of the people of Colorado. As a grant making foundation based in Colorado Springs, El Pomar accepts applications from 501(c)(3) organizations serving the state of Colorado in the areas of arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health and human services. When grant dollars alone are not the solution, El Pomar operates programs that encourage leadership and promote community development.
As El Pomar’s flagship program, the Fellowship is a two-year paid opportunity that develops high-achieving, service-minded, recent college graduates and early career professionals into dynamic community leaders primed to make an impact across multiple sectors. Approximately 80 percent of the time in the Fellowship is dedicated towards operating the Foundation’s community stewardship, leadership development and administrative programs while the other 20 percent is allocated towards a rigorous professional development curriculum.
One of the many programs Fellows support is Regional Partnerships: an innovative outreach program that engages more than 70 local community leaders from across Colorado who serve on El Pomar’s 11 regional councils. Each regional council recommends up to $200,000 in grants annually to address local needs. Another program that Fellows support is the Elevating Leadership Development program, which helps cultivate diverse leadership potential in Southern Colorado. The program convenes leaders of color from Colorado Springs to Pueblo, empowering them to engage in professional development opportunities and enhance their community leadership.
Other programs that Fellows direct include, but are not limited to:
• American Council for Young Political Leaders
• Awards for Excellence
• Forum for Civic Advancement
• Julie Penrose Award
• Penrose Organizational and Professional Leadership Experience
• Pikes Peak Heritage Series
If you are not graduating just yet, El Pomar Foundation’s summer Internship may be the right choice for you! The internship is a paid professional summer opportunity that introduces current undergraduate students to the philanthropic sector, program administration experience and leadership development opportunities. In addition to supporting El Pomar’s programs, Interns meet every week to participate in additional trainings through a professional development series, covering topics ranging from grant making to leadership theory.
To learn more about the Fellowship and Internship, please contact us. For prospective Fellows, please reach out to recruiting@elpomar.org and for prospective Interns, please reach out to internship@elpomar.org
