Program Officer - North

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. Our independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and invests through Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Created by Colorado voters in 1992 through a constitutional amendment, GOCO has since invested $1.7 billion in more than 5,900 projects across all 64 counties.

The Program Officer - North Central serves GOCO’s North Central region, which includes Chaffee, Eagle, Grand, Gunnison, Jackson, Routt, Summit, Lake, Park, and Pitkin counties, building trusted relationships with communities and partners to advance GOCO’s mission.

This position implements GOCO’s portfolio of grant programs and initiatives in the region, working collaboratively with regional partners on project development, building and stewarding cross-sector relationships, and developing a keen understanding of the needs and desires of communities throughout the region and around the state. The Program Officer supports partners throughout the grant cycle, fosters collaboration among diverse organizations, and helps connect communities to state and local resources.

This position also contributes to GOCO’s statewide strategies through cross-functional coordination, continuous learning, and active participation in organizational initiatives. The Program Officer applies strategic thinking and encourages in-depth community engagement to strengthen GOCO’s efforts to make Colorado’s outdoors accessible, resilient, and inclusive.

The Program Officer reports to the Assistant Director of Programs with frequent and substantive interaction with the Director of Programs, Executive Director, and the GOCO board.

Program and Grant Implementation

• Collaborate with the Director and Assistant Director of Programs and fellow Program Officers to implement GOCO’s full program portfolio, including twice-annual base programs (Land Acquisition, Community Impact, and Pathways).
• Lead or co-lead assigned annual, partner, or special programs (e.g., Generation Wild, RESTORE Colorado, Conservation Service Corps, CPW initiatives, Transaction Cost Assistance Program, tribal partnerships, and other emerging priorities).
• Support all phases of the grant cycle—from calendar development, outreach, concept, and application development, through review, recommendation, and post-award support.
• Evaluate and align partner projects with GOCO’s funding priorities and program values.
• Conduct site visits, assess proposals, and prepare grant recommendations for internal, peer, and board review.
• Prepare and present grant recommendations to the appropriate board committees and the full board.
• Work with finance and grants staff to administer awards, process modifications, and close out projects efficiently.
• Work with program staff and partners to ensure equitable access to GOCO funding and make grantmaking processes clear and efficient.

Partnership Development, Outreach, and Engagement

• Serve as GOCO’s primary contact and ambassador for partners and communities in the North Central region.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with local governments, land trusts, nonprofits, state and federal agencies, and other regional stakeholders.
• Facilitate collaboration across partners to leverage funding, technical assistance, and shared goals in conservation, recreation, and access.
• Engage partners to understand local needs and ensure GOCO’s core values—resource conservation, stewardship, community vitality, equitable access, and youth connections—are reflected in project ideas.
• Represent GOCO at regional meetings, public events, and state or national conferences; prepare and deliver presentations as needed.

Evaluation, Learning, and Program Development

• Contribute to ongoing evaluation of GOCO’s program portfolio to measure outcomes, demonstrate effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.
• Participate in developing and implementing strategies to assess program impact and alignment with GOCO’s values.
• Support portfolio analyses and gap assessments to inform future grantmaking…