Josie Heath to step down as president of The Community Foundation

BOULDER — Josie Heath announced on Wednesday that she will step down as president of The Community Foundation, a position she has held for the past 20 years.

Heath, a longtime public servant, said she will leave the foundation at the end of this year.

Leading the foundation was only the most recent in a long list of community-service oriented jobs held by Heath. She served as a Boulder County commissioner from l982 to 1990. During that time, she was the chairwoman of the Consortium of Cities and the Urban Caucus for Colorado Counties.

SPONSORED CONTENT

People Powered: Preparing Longmont Businesses for Economic Success

Longmont Chamber and FNBO present People Powered on April 24, 2024, aiming to inform business owners about workforce development, housing, and transportation issues.

Heath served in the Carter Administration as the regional director of ACTION, the federal agency for national service. Her responsibilities included Peace Corps recruitment, and supervision of other national service programs involving 18,000 volunteers in six western states. She was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Community Foundation, which connects resources to nonprofit organizations primarily in Boulder County, granted $68.9 million and built an endowment of more than $50 million during Heath’s time as president.

The Community Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Heath is working on a 25th Anniversary Fund. In a letter announcing her resignation, she said the latest fund is being raised so that “the foundation can continue its leadership work and endow its early childhood commitment to better the lives of all children in this community.”

Under Heath’s leadership, the foundation has responded to fires and floods, and built and put to work permanent endowments such as the Community Trust, Millennium Trust, Arts Trust, Open Door Fund, BRAVO Fund and Veterans Fund.

“It was no accident that I included the word “trust” in the name for some of these funds,” she said. “Trust implies one party can rely on the actions of another, especially in anticipation of the future.”

Heath said The Community Foundation is in great shape.

“I’ve never been more positive about its future. Our talented staff and board (current and past), our wonderful donors, the hundreds of volunteers who help us do our work each year and great nonprofit and civic leaders have worked together to make a big difference in this community.”

A job posting for Heath’s replacement at The Community Foundation can be found here.