QF Pledges $500,000 to Social Enterprise Fellowship

The Barton Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at the University of Denver today announces that Quarterly Forum (QF Group), which provided funding to launch the Social Enterprise Fellowship program in 2017, has pledged $500,000 to support the next five years of the program. In recognition of this generous support, the program will be named the QF Social Enterprise Fellowship through the 2022-23 academic year.

The QF Social Enterprise Fellows are an annual cohort of 12 graduate students selected from programs throughout the University of Denver who study and apply the principles of social enterprise to improving the lives of people in Colorado’s communities. The 2017-18 Fellows represent seven different academic programs and are deployed to six different social enterprises, including the Women’s Bean Project, Access Gallery, and Groundwork Denver.

“We have been inspired by the first year of the Social Enterprise Fellows program,” said Ashley Buderus, CEO of QF Group, a Colorado-based, non-partisan leadership organization that connects, educates, and inspires the state’s best emerging community leaders. “As QF continues to grow its McKinsey and Governor’s fellowships in the private and public sectors, we are delighted to partner with the University of Denver to educate the next generation of social sector leaders.”

Ryan Heckman, co-chairman of QF Group, expanded on this sentiment, explaining the impetus behind the five-year pledge. “By making this long-term commitment, QF is honored to cement our belief in the Social Enterprise Fellowship as a pipeline for leadership talent in Colorado, and to solidify our partnership with the Barton Institute and the University of Denver. The Fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for our QF members to serve in mentoring roles and to connect with these promising young leaders at the start of their careers.”

“We are honored that Quarterly Forum has such confidence in the Social Enterprise Fellowship,” said DU Chancellor Rebecca Chopp. “The Fellowship addresses a deep interest among University of Denver students in opportunities to transform the world using their skills and knowledge.” 

“We’re only two-thirds of the way through the first year of the Fellowship, and already our Fellows are making a difference in a number of communities,” said David Miller, Executive Director of the Barton Institute. “It is gratifying to work with QF Group to build out the program over the next five years, expanding its reach and impact.”

Recruitment for the 2018-19 Cohort of the QF Social Enterprise Fellows is now underway. Learn more about Social Enterprise Fellowship program.