One of the most well-established and historic philanthropic organizations in Colorado is the El Pomar Foundation, a private, general purpose foundation with broad funding interests in the state. Based in the city of Colorado Springs, this foundation is a good grantmaker to know due to its statewide focus and accessible grantmaking process.
Here is some information about the El Pomar Foundation and how it awards grants throughout Colorado.
The Penrose family
The history of the El Pomar Foundation dates back to the 1860s, when Spencer Penrose arrived in Colorado Springs and invested in a mining business. Having made a fortune in mining, ore processing and real estate, Penrose became a philanthropist alongside his wife, Julie, who was a patroness of the arts. Spencer and Julie Penrose created the El Pomar Foundation in 1937 to channel their philanthropy with an initial $21 million gift. These days, the El Pomar Foundation is run by a leadership team of over a dozen professionals and a staff of more than two dozen team members.
Broad focus areas
The El Pomar Foundation describes itself as a “general purpose foundation” and has a broad range of grantmaking interests. Top issues are arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health and human services. The foundation provides general operating support, program support and capital support to its grantees.
Lately, civic and community causes have been a major focus for the foundation, followed by human services needs. There are also several funds at the El Pomar Foundation with their own unique histories, missions and guidelines. Although many grants are focused on the Colorado Springs and the Denver metro area, El Pomar has been known to award grants across the state of Colorado.
The application process
Fortunately for local grantseekers, the El Pomar Foundation is an accessible grantmaker with a straightforward competitive process. For its general grants, it accepts applications throughout the year on a rolling basis and with no deadlines. The foundation offers videos and documents about grant guidelines, eligibility, required application materials and helpful links on its website. Some of the funds that El Pomar oversees, such as the Anna Keesling Ackerman Fund and the Freda Hambrick Fund, are also accessible and have open application periods. Other funds, such as the Regional Partnership Council Grants and Karl E. Eitel Fund, are available by invitation only.
Foundation programs
In addition to traditional grantmaking, the El Pomar Foundation operates various programs to encourage leadership and community development. These include the American Council of Young Political Leaders, awards for excellence for Colorado nonprofits, and fellowships and internships designed to get more professionals involved with nonprofit development. Some additional programs at El Pomar include the Empty Stocking Fund, the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Program and the Forum for Civic Advancement.
Today, the foundation has approximately $650 million in assets and has given away over $1.3 billion to impact the state of Colorado. To learn more about which organizations typically receive its support and how to contact the foundation team, check out IP’s full profile of the El Pomar Foundation in our Mountain States Funding Guide.