Program Officer

Job Description

Department:
Community Impact

Location:

Arvada, CO
Date Updated:
September 29, 2026

Who is Colorado Gives Foundation?

Colorado Gives Foundation connects people, ideas, and Colorado nonprofits to make good happen. We are a Jefferson County grantmaker and statewide we invest to build the capacity of nonprofits and donors through Colorado Gives.org, nonprofit endowments and donor services. We make it easy for people to donate to the causes they care about, enabling meaningful change to help our neighbors thrive.

Our work is rooted in attentive listening and a firm commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Together, we strive to build resilient, connected, and thriving communities. Colorado Gives Foundation is where donors find and discover the community impact that matters most to them, which is good for everyone.

What is the Job?

As a program officer, you will serve as a trusted connector across Jefferson County (Jeffco), building strong community relationships, listening to local needs and aspirations, and turning those insights into opportunities for impact. As a collaborative and community-focused professional, you will use a range of philanthropic tools, including impact investing, policy and advocacy, data and research, convening and storytelling, to strengthen partnerships and advance a more connected, responsive and equitable Jeffco where all communities can thrive.

Your essential duties and responsibilities will include:

Community Relationships and Listening:
You will develop and sustain strong relationships with nonprofits, community members and other stakeholders across Jeffco. You will use community listening strategies to understand needs and aspirations, identify opportunities and inform programs and philanthropic efforts aligned with our Community Impact Strategy. You will also serve as a spokesperson for assigned opportunities, host office hours and respond to community questions and requests.

Philanthropic Strategy and Grantmaking:
You will implement philanthropic tools, including grantmaking, that advance our Community Impact Strategy. This includes developing and managing directed, responsive and emergent philanthropic efforts, conducting due diligence, reviewing grant applications and recommending awards and declinations. You will also identify opportunities to use Foundation resources, including marketing, communications and Colorado Gives.org, to support community impact efforts.

Grant Review and Community Support:
You will recruit, organize and coordinate community review processes for open and competitive grant opportunities, as assigned. You will provide nonprofits and community partners with guidance, connections and support related to ideas, projects and applications.

Learning, Evaluation and Improvement:
You will assess grants and other philanthropic efforts to understand progress, identify common themes and inform our strategy. This includes reviewing grantee impact reports, tracking performance against Community Impact Strategy metrics and gathering feedback from community partners. You will use these insights to help refine operational processes, philanthropic efforts and our Community Impact Strategy.

Collaboration and Customer Service:
You will provide exceptional service to employees, donors, nonprofits, community members and other partners across the Foundation’s offerings. You will work across departments to coordinate philanthropic tools and help ensure successful implementation.

Culture and Organizational Support:
You will model Colorado Gives Foundation’s organizational values and contribute to a positive, collaborative work culture. You will also support other duties and organizational priorities as assigned.

To succeed, you should have:

Knowledge,…