Gary Steuer to Step Down after 12 Years as President and CEO of Bonfils-Stanton Foundation

Denver, CO - Oct. 13, 2025 - Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Board of Trustees announced today that President and CEO Gary Steuer will conclude his tenure in early 2026, following twelve years of leadership marked by transformative vision, partnership, and a deepened commitment to equity in the arts. A national search for his successor, led by a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Trustee Search Committee, in partnership with Campbell.HR, will begin immediately.

Since joining Bonfils-Stanton Foundation in 2013, Steuer has guided the organization through a period of significant growth and evolution. Under Steuer’s leadership, the Foundation meaningfully prioritized its focus on equity, launched major collaborative funding initiatives, and redefined its role as both a grantmaker and an advocate for Denver’s creative community.

“After more than a decade of Gary’s leadership, and with the help of our trusted staff, the Foundation has made extraordinary progress,” said Board Chair Mike Bock. “We have built a strong financial base that continues to serve Denver’s arts and culture organizations, implemented a forward-looking strategic plan, and embedded our mission and values more deeply into everything we do, especially in our investments. The Board and greater Bonfils community are grateful for Gary’s countless contributions and wish him well in his next endeavors.”

Throughout Steuer’s tenure, the Foundation championed policies and practices that advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Foundation’s work. The share of grants directed to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability-led organizations grew from just 2% in 2012 to roughly 40% today. Bonfils-Stanton also introduced multi-year general operating grants and nimble funding opportunities that enabled timely support for emerging community needs.

Other advancements include the launch of hallmark collaborative programs such as Arts in Society and Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth, both of which united statewide funders and distributed millions to arts initiatives across Colorado. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation created a $1 million emergency relief fund that leveraged additional investments from peer foundations and individual donors to distribute more than $2 million in total aid. And earlier this year, Bonfils-Stanton launched a Rapid Response Arts Fund to help Denver organizations navigate sudden federal funding cuts—quickly deploying $400,000 to sustain local creativity and resilience. 

The Foundation also embraced a new era of impact-aligned investing, with roughly 70% of its corpus now directed toward mission-driven funds and community-based initiatives. In 2022, Bonfils-Stanton relocated its headquarters to the Santa Fe Arts District to become more accessible to arts and culture organizations. Shortly after, through Steuer’s vision, storytelling and communication became central to the Foundation’s work rather than a peripheral arm, contributing to the visibility of arts and culture locally and nationally. 

“I am extremely grateful for what has been accomplished at Bonfils-Stanton Foundation since I arrived in 2013,” said Steuer. “So much of this progress is possible because of an extraordinary staff team and a thoughtful and dedicated Board. I know the Foundation will continue to thrive and evolve in the years ahead as it serves the people and organizations who make Denver’s cultural life so vibrant.”

To read Gary Steuer’s personal reflection on his tenure at Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, visit our blog at https://www.bonfils-stantonfoundation.org/stories/twelve-years-of-transformation--for-bonfils-stanton-foundation-and-me.