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. These awards are presented at our Night of Excellence ceremony, where honorees are spotlighted for their work and receive grant dollars to support the extraordinary impact they make across the state.
Honorees are nominated. Nominations are not open to the public. We are pleased to recognize and celebrate excellent nonprofit organizations and leaders in our Colorado community.
Explore our Awards
At our Night of Excellence ceremony we honor organizations and individuals with the following awards:
Metro/Pikes Peak Award for Excellence
This award honors an organization headquartered in either the Metro or Pikes Peak regions of Colorado.
Rural Award for Excellence
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.
Wendelken Award for Excellence
This award honors an organization of excellence working within one of El Pomar’s funding areas: Arts and Culture, Civic and Community, Education, Health, and Human Services. Nominations rotate between the Foundation’s five focus areas.
*Previously known as the Spotlight Award for Excellence
Ben Wendelken was known as “one of the sharpest legal minds in the West.” Before graduating from Colorado College and receiving a law degree from the University of Michigan, he labored as a construction worker for the Broadmoor Hotel and served in World War I. In 1925, Wendelken was admitted to the Colorado Bar, starting a sixty-year career as a trial lawyer.
In 1933, Wendelken successfully won an acquittal for his client in a case in which the opposing party was Spencer Penrose. Not accustomed to losing, Penrose recognized Wendelken’s enormous talent and integrity and greatly respected him. This marked the beginning of a lasting professional relationship, and Wendelken went on to serve as general counsel and a Trustee for El Pomar.
This award recognizes an organization that demonstrates Mr. Wendelken’s exceptional character, business ethics, and commitment to service, integrity, and leadership.
Julie Penrose Award
This award honors a woman who, like Julie Penrose, is making significant contributions to her community through dedicated leadership, engagement, and service.
An astute community leader, dedicated philanthropist, and patron of the arts, Julie Penrose was one of the most influential women in the growth and development of Colorado and Colorado Springs.
In the 56 years Julie lived in Colorado Springs, she made diverse contributions across a wide range of sectors. Julie was instrumental in founding several institutions and her commitment and leadership, particularly to arts and cultural organizations, led many institutions to invite Julie to serve on their respective boards. Her tireless advocacy and compassion inspire others to follow in her footsteps, leaving a lasting legacy of transformative change.
Learn more about the contributions of Julie Penrose.
Russell T. Tutt Leadership and Service Award
This award pays tribute to El Pomar’s former board chair, Russell T. Tutt, and honors a nonprofit leader serving in an executive or board position who has demonstrated excellence in their work. Nominations rotate between the Pikes Peak and Metro Regions and our nine rural regions.
Russell T. Tutt’s legacy and impact in the Colorado Springs region can be described as transformative and profound. As a notable business leader and philanthropist, Tutt played a crucial role in shaping the development and growth of the community. Tutt served as chair of El Pomar’s board for many years. He played a key role in bringing the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the U.S. Air Force Academy, including its visitor center and stadium, to Colorado Springs. Tutt also made significant contributions to Colorado College, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, First National Bank, and Fountain Valley School through his dedicated board service.
In the words of local leaders, Tutt has influenced the growth of Colorado Springs as much as the city’s founder, Gen. William Palmer and El Pomar Foundation’s founders, Spencer and Julie Penrose. Tutt’s philanthropic endeavors were extensive and wide-ranging.
Spencer Penrose Award
This award honors an individual who has made significant strides in addressing social and/or economic challenges through innovative solutions.
Spencer Penrose’s legacy is one of visionary leadership, innovation, and profound community impact. A trailblazer in business, philanthropy, and civic affairs, Penrose saw potential in others and sought out the best talent to drive change. His ability to identify opportunities, take calculated risks, and secure resources led to the development of transformative ventures that addressed both social and economic challenges. Penrose’s commitment to creating sustainable solutions and fostering collaboration across organizations and communities continues to inspire future generations.
Learn more about the contributions of Spencer Penrose.
Ben S. Wendelken Trustee Award
*Award retired in 2024
This award, named for El Pomar Trustee Emeritus Ben S. Wendelken, honored an individual or individuals who embody the spirit of service and giving by going above and beyond to make an unprecedented impact through philanthropy.
Ben Wendelken was known as “one of the sharpest legal minds in the West.” Before graduating from Colorado College and receiving a law degree from the University of Michigan, he labored as a construction worker for the Broadmoor Hotel and served in World War I. In 1925, Wendelken was admitted to the Colorado Bar, starting a sixty-year career as a trial lawyer.
In 1933, Wendelken successfully won an acquittal for his client in a case in which the opposing party was Spencer Penrose. Not accustomed to losing, Penrose recognized Wendelken’s enormous talent and integrity and greatly respected him. This marked the beginning of a lasting professional relationship, and Wendelken went on to serve as general counsel and a Trustee for El Pomar.
Celebrated not only for his legal expertise but also for his exceptional character and business ethics, Wendelken’s commitment to service, integrity, and leadership are the principles this award sought to honor in individuals.
2024 Awards for Excellence Honorees
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.
*Award retired in 2024
Lucille A. Echohawk is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and resides in Arvada, Colorado. She has worked in the Indian child welfare, non-profit, and philanthropic fields for more than thirty years. Lucille is co-founder of Native Americans in Philanthropy, the Denver Indian Center, Inc., the Denver Indian Family Resource Center, the Pawnee Evening Star Fund, and now the Native American Housing Circle. She currently serves on the Tribal Law and Policy Institute Board of Directors, as a senior fellow for the Child Welfare League of America and advises the Common Counsel Foundation to further expand its Native Voices Rising initiative. Lucille has received many awards, including two lifetime achievement awards from the Denver Indian Center and Escuela Tlatelolco Centro de Estudios. She also received Leadership Denver’s Outstanding Alumnus Award.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Convening & Connecting
As a manifestation of El Pomar’s commitment to convening people for learning and dialogue, El Pomar operates properties such as Penrose House to serve as a nonprofit conference and education center. We welcome Colorado nonprofits and government equivalents to use the space at no charge for meetings, retreats, and trainings.