Former legislator and political aide Renny Fagan has been chosen to lead the trade group representing Colorado's roughly 19,000 nonprofit organizations.

Fagan, 52, will take the reins of the Colorado Nonprofit Association as the charitable sector struggles to cope with soaring demand for its services and a downturn in donations and grant money.

Fagan said the economic challenges call for nonprofit agencies to work more closely to share scarce resources. He also hopes to work closely with businesses and state and local governments to increase the sector's reach in communities across the state.

"These times for us are ones of opportunity," Fagan said. "They call for nonprofits to continue to do the great work they've been doing."

Among the other challenges Fagan has overcome in his career in politics and government: convincing voters in conservative Colorado Springs to send a Democrat to the statehouse in 1986.

"That was quite an accomplishment," recalled Denver Foundation President David Miller. "He's respected among all different types of people on both sides of the aisle."

Fagan served as the state director for former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar before Salazar was named Interior secretary, and for Salazar's replacement, Sen. Michael Bennet. In his role as director, Fagan had responsibility for eight offices in various regions of Colorado.

He has worked as a deputy attorney general under Salazar and led the Colorado Department of Revenue in Gov. Roy Romer's administration.

"It was definitely his statewide experience that stood out," said Children's Museum President Tom Downey, who chairs the association's board and worked for Fagan in the attorney general's office under Salazar.

Fagan received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a law degree from Northwestern.

"Renny has struck me as one of these talents who's ready for a new challenge," said political consultant Eric Sondermann. "He could have been a hotshot attorney, but he chose a different route. He's always been motivated by public service, and now, community service."