Interim Executive Director; Submit Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE SEARCH LEADERSHIP

Avenues for Youth is seeking a candidate for a contract position of Interim Executive Director. This is an opportunity to lead a growing youth-centered organization partnering with young people experiencing homelessness and to facilitate an inclusive and values-focused search for a new permanent Executive Director.

For 30 years, Avenues has supported youth ages 16-24 in Hennepin County. Whether a young person needs a place to stay for just one night, or a year and a half, Avenues partners with youth to find their path out of homelessness. We do that by providing a stable home, building trusting relationships, and supporting the youth’s education, career, health and wellness and housing goals.

Avenues operates two shelter/transitional living programs for young people, one in North Minneapolis and one in Brooklyn Park, temporary supportive housing for young families, outreach and drop-in services, and affordable housing for young people exiting homelessness.

Avenues also operates two community-based programs, our ConneQT Host Home Program and our scattered site, apartment-based Avenues for Youth Families program. 2026 has been a year of significant growth for our organization – we closed on a capacity campaign, built a new building in North Minneapolis, and expanded programming.

Avenues partners with youth experiencing homelessness to achieve their dreams.

A community where all youth flourish.

Avenues work is guided by the 9 Evidence-based, Guiding Principles to Help Youth Overcome Homelessness and our core values:
Equity, Community, Respect + Dignity, Trust, Liberation, and Anti-oppression.

At Avenues, we believe:

• Homelessness does not define a person. It is just one part of a journey that we are here to help young people navigate.

• Nearing all youth experiencing homelessness have or are experiencing trauma. Therefore, mental health is at the center of all our work.

• There is no one reason why youth experience homelessness – it’s intersectional. Systems of oppression, racism and poverty are some of the root causes of homelessness. Without addressing these systems, homelessness will persist.

• Youth are resilient, inspiring, and the drivers of their own journey. With stability, trust and youth-centered supports, their dreams can become reality.

With support from the Associate Executive Director, Director of Advancement, and the Director of Finance, the selected applicant will provide administrative, financial, personnel, and program management for the organization. They will oversee the day-to-day operations of the work, guide a diverse and talented staff, ensure the financial stability of the organization in a time of growth, and represent Avenues within the community and, to a more limited extent, with funders.

They will also work with the Board of Directors to conduct a search for a permanent director. Avenues is a values-guided organization – the 9 Guiding Principles and the 6 organizational values are key to who we are and how we do our work. It’s important that the contracted Interim Executive Director understand and live in those values as they provide leadership for the organization and the search for the next permanent Executive Director.

• Work with program team to ensure excellent inclusive programming continues to support young people in finding and maintaining housing and exiting into safe and stable housing
• Work with the Director of Finance to maintain the fiscal health of the organization and plan resources according to programming and administrative needs
• Support the Director of Advancement in raising funds from…