Executive Director

Center for the Arts Evergreen (CAE) | Evergreen, Colorado

Reports to:

Board of Directors

Founded in 1975, CAE is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to enrich and serve our mountain community by promoting and cultivating the arts through quality educational programming, exhibitions, and events. Our guiding idea:
Bringing the Arts and Community Together.

CAE serves artists, students, children, families, teens, seniors, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and residents throughout Evergreen and the surrounding mountain metro area. Our debt-free campus includes galleries, classrooms, artist studios, a ceramics facility, offices, flexible event spaces, a heated courtyard, and outdoor sculpture. With an annual operating budget of approximately $1.2 million, strong reserves, an engaged Board, and a growing network of donors, artists, members, and partners, CAE is ready for its next stage of impact.

Center for the Arts Evergreen seeks an experienced, collaborative, community-minded Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter.

The Executive Director is CAE’s chief executive, accountable for strategy, financial sustainability, fundraising, organizational health, community relationships, and risk management. You will partner closely with the Board of Directors and lead a talented professional staff across exhibitions, education and outreach, development and marketing, operations and facilities, finance, events, ceramics, artist programs, and visitor experience.

CAE has grown significantly in recent years, with an expanded facility, staff, programming, and contributed revenue. The next Executive Director inherits a strong organization with real momentum and will protect what makes CAE special while building the systems and discipline needed for long-term sustainability.

Fundraising is central to this role. You will lead CAE’s fundraising strategy and major donor relationships, supported by staff and outside resources. The Executive Director is accountable for the organization’s success but is not expected to personally perform every function. Effective delegation, clear accountability, and the ability to lead through others are essential.

• Set strategic direction with the Board and staff, translating mission into annual goals, budgets, staffing plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead annual and long-range planning; assess capacity, community needs, financial realities, and risks.
• Make timely executive-level decisions, balancing innovation with financial and organizational discipline.
• Serve as CAE’s chief fundraiser: develop the fundraising strategy and personally lead major donor relationships and solicitations.
• Cultivate and steward individual donors, foundations, corporations, and sponsors, and engage Board members in that work.
• Work with development and marketing staff to maintain a donor pipeline, stewardship program, and accurate donor records.
• Lead grant strategy, with enough grant-writing experience to contribute substantively and evaluate proposals; staff handle day-to-day preparation and reporting.

• Maintain relationships with public funders, agencies, and elected and appointed officials.
• Ensure CAE meets public funding requirements and remains in good standing.
• Hold overall responsibility for financial health: budgeting, cash flow, reserves, restricted funds, audits, and internal controls, in partnership with the Finance Manager, Treasurer, and Finance Committee.
• Build a diversified revenue model across contributed, earned, grant, sponsorship, membership, and event income.

• Serve as the Board’s primary staff partner: keep members…