Twelve Years of Transformation - For Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and Me

After more than twelve years leading the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, I have decided it is time to move on, and it has been announced that a search process is underway to identify my successor. I will stay on through the process to ensure a smooth transition. I am excited about what the future holds for the Foundation and the opportunity for new leadership.

I am extremely proud of what we have  accomplished at the Foundation since I arrived in 2013. This has been made possible by an extraordinary team of colleagues and a supportive group of current and past Board members – not to mention by an inspiring community of artists, arts organizations and philanthropic leaders. Foundations have at their disposal financial capital that they can use to make a difference, as well voice and influence. I believe that through our work–in grantmaking, impact investing, and being an advocate, ally and partner–we have made a difference these past 12 years.

It has been a pleasure to work with four different chairs in my tenure, starting with the late, great Lanny Martin, to whom I owe deep gratitude for bringing me to Denver and for his kindness and wisdom.

Some of the the Foundation’s  accomplishments over these years include:

• ‍Board evolution: Introducing term limits and expanding membership to bring in more diverse community perspectives and representation.

• Strategic direction: Overseeing two major planning processes, including a significant pivot towards prioritizing equity in our work, which involved deep self-reflection and transformation of our systems and language, staff and board training, and using our voice and resources in new ways. This work, of course, is never done and never perfect.

• Grantmaking impact: Increasing the share of grants to BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Disability groups from 2% in 2012 to about 40% today. We also introduced multi-year general operating support, technical assistance grants, and smaller, nimble staff-level grants to respond swiftly to community projects where timely modest funding can make a huge difference.

• Inclusive Communities grant program: Created to reach smaller groups serving historically marginalized communities, this program continues to grow and evolve, welcoming dozens of new groups into our community of grant partners–for many receiving their first foundation support.

• Collaborative initiatives: Launching programs like Arts in Society and Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth, with Redline and Think360 Arts for Learning as partners, respectively, distributing millions to impactful projects throughout the state while also bringing in many other funding partners.

• COVID response: Swiftly providing every grant partner 10% of their most recent grant award–no application and no process–followed by a $1 million commitment towards emergency relief for arts groups. The total more than doubled by other funders through a partnership with The Denver Foundation, distributing well over $2 million.

• Legacy gift transformation: Partnering with DU’s Korbel School to repurpose a legacy gift from May Bonfils Stanton into a new endowed cultural diplomacy program at the school.

• Leadership investments: Our commitment to leadership has also evolved in profound and impactful ways. Evolving the Livingston Fellowship program to better meet the needs of today’s leaders-especially BIPOC leaders, who have comprised a growing share of the Fellows from 20% prior to 2012 to 93% in recent years, recognizing that these leaders have much more limited access to other leadership investments. The program's commitment to meet leaders where they are, recognizing that their needs can be very different, has been a constant. To support the next generation of leaders, we created the Equity-Focused Leadership Grants program to support some of the many existing programs in the community that are nurturing diverse leaders.

• Impact investing: We shifted our approach in how we invest our assets–aligning roughly 70% of our corpus with our mission and values, incorporating impact investing principles, and using Program Related Investments to provide low interest loans for mission-aligned projects.

• Community space and real estate: We have responded to the critical real estate needs in the cultural community by supporting major capital projects at organizations like the Denver Art Museum,  Denver Botanic Gardens, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Su Teatro, Latino Cultural Arts Center, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, ArtistiCO and Access Gallery, just to name a few. This also involved supporting the creation of Community Arts Stabilization Trust Colorado to address affordable real estate throughout Denver and Colorado.

• New Home: Creating a welcoming new headquarters in the Santa Fe Arts District, incorporating work by local artists and making the space available for community use.

• Emergency response fund: Launching a fund earlier this year to support arts groups struggling with lost NEA funding and other federal impacts, quickly distributing $400,000 in relief.

• Elevating storytelling and advocacy: We have made a significant commitment over the past few years to better communicate the value of a diverse equitable cultural sector and tell the stories of our artists and arts organizations. We have also elevated our commitment to policy and advocacy as a vehicle for effecting positive change for the arts in the public sector and with other funders.

It has indeed been a very busy and fruitful 12 years–this is just a sample of the work that has taken place. I know Bonfils-Stanton Foundation will continue to thrive, evolve and respond to community needs, as it has throughout its long history. It remains in great hands-with a strong, committed board and an extremely talented and dedicated staff team. For me the work at the Foundation has been a continuation of the work throughout my career to advance arts and culture in our society, in local communities like Denver, and at the national level. This work has NEVER been more important than it is now.

I have also come to love this community of extraordinary creators, cultural organizations, philanthropic and community leaders. Despite what may seem like dark times, I believe the future is bright for the Foundation, and for this community.

I look forward to continuing to make a difference–staying true to my values–in whatever the future holds.

- Gary P. Steuer