Elevating local community members to lead and excel.

The Elevar Program

Elevar, a program of Eagle Valley Community Foundation, is designed to elevate local entrepreneurs and community leaders by helping them grow both personally and professionally. At its core, Elevar focuses on empowering people of color, immigrants, and individuals from low-income backgrounds who are developing business ideas, growing small businesses, launching social enterprises, or leading community-centered projects that benefit Eagle County.

Elevar provides a pathway of support for entrepreneurs at different stages of growth. Through training, mentorship, networking, leadership development, and access to capital, the program helps participants strengthen their business ideas, build confidence, communicate their vision, and grow as leaders in the community.

Startup Elevar: The First Step in the Elevar Journey

New this year, Elevar launched Startup Elevar, a 4-week preparation program designed to help entrepreneurs clarify and strengthen their ideas before the full launch of the ALUNA course and official Elevar cohort selection.

Startup Elevar is ideal for entrepreneurs and small business owners who have a business idea, are just getting started, or want to grow their business but need support organizing and communicating their vision. This introductory program helps participants better understand their business purpose, audience, goals, and community impact while also strengthening their future Elevar application.

The Elevar Cohort

Following Startup Elevar, participants may move into the next steps of the Elevar process, including interviews, evaluation, and potential selection for the official Elevar cohort and ALUNA course.

Each year, Elevar selects a cohort of entrepreneurs for a more intensive experience that includes mentorship, specialized curriculum, leadership development, and capital support to help advance their ventures. The cohort model is designed not only to support business success, but also to cultivate entrepreneurs as community leaders who contribute to a more inclusive and thriving local economy.

Community-Led Leadership

Elevar is guided by a diverse Steering Committee that plays a central role in shaping leadership development, supporting cohort selection, and guiding community investments. This community-led approach ensures that Elevar remains grounded in lived experience, local knowledge, and the real needs of entrepreneurs in Eagle County.

Join the Elevar Steering Committee

Elevar is recruiting new Steering Committee members to help shape opportunities for entrepreneurs and emerging leaders in Eagle County. We welcome applicants with different backgrounds, experiences, and complementary strengths.

Steering Committee members bring community perspective to Elevar’s strategy, curriculum, mentorship, and outreach. They also support committee projects and events, help build community connections, and may review applications and participate in candidate interviews when authorized.

Commitment and compensation: Members contribute approximately 10 hours per month, including preparation, generally two committee meetings, and relevant activities. Meetings are scheduled by the Elevar Program Manager and may be attended in person or remotely when appropriate. Members receive a flat $400 monthly contractor stipend, subject to the member agreement and EVCF’s payment procedures. This is not an employee position or an hourly rate.

We’re looking for people with collaborative leadership, sound judgment, knowledge of the Eagle County communities Elevar serves, and experience in entrepreneurship, business development, mentorship, or community leadership. Spanish and English skills are valuable, but no specific language background is required.

Interested in joining? Complete the Elevar Steering Committee Candidate Application. The application is available in English and Spanish.

2026 Elevar Steering Committee

Cecilia Galardo

Dayana Garcia

Dayana brings a strong background in finance, with a career focused on expanding access to financial knowledge and opportunity. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs navigate systems that can often feel complex or out of reach. Through her role on the Steering Committee, she looks forward to mentoring cohort members and helping bridge the gap between financial institutions and community-based businesses—ensuring resources are not only available, but approachable and empowering.

Monica Gonzalez

As both a business owner and a graduate of Elevar’s second cohort, Monica brings a powerful full-circle perspective to the Steering Committee. She built her business from the ground up and understands firsthand the resilience required to succeed as an entrepreneur. Her experience in Elevar is what inspired her to give back—she is passionate about mentoring others as they launch and grow their businesses, and believes that resilience, community, and a positive mindset are key to long-term success.

Rocio Martinez

Rocio Martinez is an Ayurveda consultant, local yoga instructor, and owner of Gula Wellness. Rocio holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ayurveda Wellness and Integrative Medicine and became a certified Maharishi Ayurveda Happy Healthy Mother Baby Practitioner. As the owner of a health apothecary, she believes in the power of plant-based medicine, harmony with nature, our bodies, and our minds to be the core of healing.

Luz Parra

Cindy Ramos

Ricardo Salazar

As a graduate of Elevar’s second cohort, Ricardo also brings a full-circle perspective to the Steering Committee. Having experienced the program as an entrepreneur, he is passionate about giving back and supporting others on a similar path. As a local business owner, he understands the importance of trust, consistency, and relationship-building, and is excited to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Deisy Vazquez

Our Partners

Thank you to our partners who are committed to supporting entrepreneurs building sustainable and impactful businesses in the Eagle Valley community.

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See all of our Partners

👐 Today is #GivingTuesday – a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. Your acts of generosity, care, kindness, and understanding extend outward, like the threads of a beautiful tapestry and inspires each of us. Join the movement and give, whether it’s some of your time, a donation, or the power of your voice in your local community. The impact of your gifts are felt daily on the nearly 4,000 people we serve each week through The Community Market, MIRA Bus - Camión MIRA, and Elevar.
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👐 Hoy es #GivingTuesday – un movimiento global de generosidad que desata el poder de la generosidad radical. Tus actos de generosidad, cuidado, amabilidad y comprensión se extienden hacia afuera, como los hilos de un hermoso tapiz, e inspiran a cada uno de nosotros. Únete al movimiento y da, ya sea un poco de tu tiempo, una donación o el poder de tu voz en tu comunidad local. El impacto de tus regalos se siente a diario en las casi 4,000 personas que servimos cada semana a través del Mercado Comunitario, el Camión MIRA y Elevar.

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🤘 A huge thank you to Heaven Hill Brands for volunteering your time and energy at EVCF`s food pantry, 🍎The Community Market🍎 in the Vail Valley! 🙏 Your team`s support helps us provide much-needed resources to our neighbors in need. CHEERS!

@heavenhillbrands #GiveBack #VolunteerNow @Eagle Valley Community Foundation @eaglevalleycf #TCM #EVCF
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🤘 ¡Un enorme agradecimiento a Heaven Hill Brands por ofrecer su tiempo y energía como voluntarios en la despensa de alimentos de EVCF, 🍎 The Community Market 🍎 en el Valle de Vail! 🙏 El apoyo de su equipo nos ayuda a proporcionar recursos muy necesarios a nuestros vecinos. ¡SALUD!

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📅 Mark your Calendar!

We`re celebrating Eagle County Gives Non-Profits and counting down to Colorado Gives Day with an unforgettable evening full of connection, fun, and all the gratitude! 🌟

🌟 A huge THANK YOU to Colorado Mountain College Vail Valley, Little Bird Creative Community, and FirstBank for their generous support in making this event possible.

🗓️ When: Thursday, December 5 from 5-8 PM
📍 Where: Colorado Mountain College

🎶 What’s in store?
🍹 1 FREE Drink Ticket
🍴 Delicious Dinner Buffet from Little Bird Creative Kitchen
🎵 Live Music
✨ Learn about the amazing work of Eagle County Non-Profits and how you can get involved!

Bring your family, friends, and neighbors—let’s celebrate our community! 💚#EagleCountyGives #ColoradoGivesDay #supportlocalnonprofits @littlebirdcommissarykitchen #EVCF #TCM #MIRA @eaglevalleycf
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📅 ¡Marca tu calendario!

¡Estamos celebrando a las organizaciones sin fines de lucro de Eagle County y contando los días para el Colorado Gives Day con una noche inolvidable llena de conexión, diversión y mucha gratitud! 🌟

🌟 ¡Un enorme GRACIAS a Colorado Mountain College Vail Valley, Little Bird Creative Community y FirstBank por su generoso apoyo para hacer posible este evento!

🗓️ Cuándo: Jueves, 5 de diciembre, de 5 a 8 p.m.
📍 Dónde: Colorado Mountain College

🎶 ¿Qué te espera?
🍹 1 BOLETO DE BEBIDA GRATIS
🍴 Delicioso bufé de cena de Little Bird Creative Kitchen
🎵 Música en vivo
✨ ¡Conoce el increíble trabajo de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro de Eagle County y cómo puedes involucrarte!

¡Trae a tu familia, amigos y vecinos—celebremos nuestra comunidad! 💚

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🙏 Our endless appreciation to our dear friends at Eagle River Presbyterian Church for your ongoing commitment to nourishing our neighbors in need❣️ Bless your hearts❤️🍎❤️
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🙏Nuestro agradecimiento infinito a nuestros queridos amigos de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Eagle River por su compromiso continuo de nutrir a nuestros vecinos necesitados❣️ Bendice tus corazones❤️🍎❤️

@eagleriverpresbyterianchurch #EagleRiveerPResbyterianChurch #TCM #TheCommunityMarketCO #GiveBack #VolunteerToday

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🛒🛍🛒 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY!!!! Please please please support our local wonders who inspire life and originality and uniqueness in our valley. Good people doing good work and we admire your tenacity and creativity beyond words!

TODAY - until 3pm - there is still time to join All The Good Stuff and Berit Books for their food and toy drive to help support the work of EVCF programs, The Community Market and MIRA Bus - Camión MIRA and Elevar. Together, we helping nourish all our neighbors.💚❤️

🎄BONUS -🎅🏾SANTA🎅🏾 on site until 2pm! Bring the kids.

#smallbusinesssaturday2024 #allthegoodstuff #beritbooks #TCM #MIRA #EVCF #Elevar #shoplocal #supportcommunity
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¡🛒🛍🛒 SÁBADO DE NEGOCIOS PEQUEÑOS!!!! ¡Por favor, por favor, por favor, apoyen a nuestras maravillas locales que inspiran vida, originalidad y singularidad en nuestro valle! ¡Gente buena haciendo un buen trabajo y admiramos su tenacidad y creatividad más allá de las palabras!

HOY - hasta las 3 p.m. - ¡aún hay tiempo para unirte a All The Good Stuff y Berit Books en su colecta de alimentos y juguetes para apoyar el trabajo de los programas de EVCF, el Mercado Comunitario y el Camión MIRA - MIRA Bus y Elevar. Juntos, ayudamos a nutrir a todos nuestros vecinos.💚❤️

🎄BONUS -🎅🏾¡SANTA🎅🏾 estará en el lugar hasta las 2 p.m.! ¡Traigan a los niños!

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