 Polis was named Outstanding Philanthropist for the 2006 National Philanthropy Day in Colorado.He has received many awards, including the Boulder Daily Camera's 2007 Pacesetter Award in Education; the Kauffman Foundation Community Award; the Denver consul general of Mexico "Ohtli"; the Martin Luther King Jr. Colorado Humanitarian Award; and the Anti-Defamation League's inaugural Boulder Community Builder Award.At the time of his first election to Congress, Polis had founded a number of companies and was one of the 10 richest members of Congress.