About Us

Our name, VQ Volunteer Strategies, reflects our core belief that organizations already have a natural VQ – Volunteer Quotient – when it comes to leveraging volunteer skills and talent to change the world. We believe that volunteer engagement isn’t a program. It’s a mindset, a culture, and a core organizational strategy for success. Since 2003 we have provided high-impact volunteer engagement solutions to hundreds of organizations across the US, Canada, and beyond including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and for-profit healthcare institutions. As a result, organizations are able to:

  • Increase capacity, sustainability, and impact
  • Deliver more programs and serve more clients
  • Strengthen partnerships between staff and volunteers
  • Raise their return on volunteer investment
  • Attract and retain more volunteers and members

The VQ Team

Beth Steinhorn, President

Beth partners with organizations and their leadership to increase impact through strategic and innovative engagement. As a thought leader, Beth regularly participates in the national dialogue about volunteerism and engagement and is co-editor of the book, Transforming Disruption to Impact: Rethinking Volunteer Engagement for a Rapidly Changing World. She provides consulting and training to organizations across the US and Canada including supporting dozens of organizations to become accredited Service Enterprises. Prior to becoming a consultant, Beth worked as an executive director and marketing director for education and faith-based organizations and spent years working with museums as an educator, manager, and anthropologist. She draws upon her anthropology experience still, helping organizations through the culture-shift process—from viewing volunteer management as a program to embracing engagement as a strategy to fulfill mission. Beth has an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and attended the University of Washington for anthropology and museology. 

Photo of Polly Andrews, a woman with red hair, wearing a black and white dress, smiling

Polly Andrews, Associate

Polly leverages her experience and organizational skills to support client relations and operations of the team. Polly has been in the field of informal science education and volunteer program management for over thirty years, gaining experience across sectors including government, non-profit, and for-profit environments. Throughout her career, Polly has been a volunteer, educator, Program Manager, Program Director, and Vice President of Programs within national and state parks, a large natural history museum, an invertebrate zoo, and a non-profit supporting engineering projects throughout the world. Her experience includes working with individuals and teams of volunteers. Polly graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Environmental Interpretation.

Linda Puckett, Administrative Associate

Linda harnesses her project management and planning skills to manage the firm’s operations. For a decade, she served as VQ’s Vice President, managing communications, client relations, and assessments, along with business operations. Prior to consulting, Linda served as an executive director, deputy director, development director, and education director for a number of animal welfare and human service agencies. She attended the University of Wisconsin prior to embarking on her career in the nonprofit sector.

Our Clients

VQ Volunteer Strategies works with a wide range of local, regional, and national organizations across the U.S. and Canada.

Animal Welfare

  • Allen County SPCA
  • Best Friends Animal Society
  • Humane Society of North Central Florida
  • Humane Society of Tampa Bay
  • Humane World for Animals, Inc.
  • Jacksonville Humane Society
  • Pasco County Animal Services
  • Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League
  • San Diego Humane Society
  • SPCA of Texas
  • Taysia Blue Rescue
  • The Animal Foundation

Arts, Culture, and Science

  • American Alliance of Museums
  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums
  • Butterfly Pavilion
  • Colorado/Wyoming Association of Museums
  • Denver Art Museum
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science
  • Friends of the Kennedy Center
  • History Colorado Museum
  • Hudson Gardens & Event Center
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Museum of Science
  • Space Foundation
  • The Marine Mammal Center
  • The Mob Museum
  • The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Associations and Membership Organizations

  • Alumni Association of the University of Michigan
  • American Farm Bureau
  • American Solar Energy Society
  • Association of Junior Leagues International
  • Medical Group Management Association
  • MN Association of Library Friends
  • National Payroll Institute
  • Nonprofit Learning Lab
  • Sigma Sigma Sigma
  • The Chronicle of Philanthropy
  • U.S. Masters Swimming
  • Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Denver

Education

  • Association of Colorado Independent Schools
  • Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
  • Colorado Association of Extension 4-H Agents
  • Colorado Association of Partners in Education
  • Denver Jewish Day School
  • Montana State University – National Extension Conference on Volunteerism
  • Osher National Resource Center
  • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – University of Minnesota
  • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – University of Nebraska

Environmental and Conservation Organizations

  • Capitol Land Trust
  • Douglas Land Conservancy
  • Earthjustice
  • Forever Balboa Park
  • U.S. Green Building Council

Faith-Based Organizations

  • Christ Church Episcopal
  • Congregation Har HaShem
  • Isaac M. Wise Temple
  • Jewish Theological Seminary
  • MazelTot
  • Park Slope Jewish Center
  • Repair the World
  • STAR: Synagogue Transformation and Renewal
  • Union for Reform Judaism

Foundations

  • AARP Foundation
  • American Forest Foundation
  • Denver Scholarship Foundation
  • Federation CJA
  • Greater Miami Jewish Federation
  • Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
  • Iowa Council of Foundations
  • Kansas Health Foundation
  • The Leighty Foundation
  • New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
  • Rose Community Foundation
  • UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
  • UJA Federation of New York
  • Wiki Education Foundation

Government

  • America’s Service Commissions
  • Boulder Public Library
  • California State Library
  • City of Boulder
  • City of Fort Collins
  • City of Walnut Creek
  • Colorado Association of Libraries
  • Colorado Emergency Management Conference (Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)
  • Colorado Master Gardener
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Delaware State Office of Volunteerism
  • Douglas County Libraries
  • Indianapolis Public Library
  • Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service
  • Kansas Volunteer Commission
  • Maine Commission for Community Service
  • Massachusetts Service Alliance
  • Michigan Community Service Commission
  • New England RSVP Directors
  • New York State Office for the Aging
  • Pacific Library Partnership
  • Pikes Peak Workforce Center
  • Public Library Association
  • RSVP/Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas
  • Serve Alaska
  • Serve Illinois
  • Serve Kentucky
  • ServeMontana
  • ServeOhio
  • Serve Washington
  • Town of Windsor
  • Virginia Service
  • Volunteer Florida
  • Volunteer Iowa
  • Volunteer Maine
  • Volunteer New Hampshire

Health and Hospitals

  • 9Health Fair
  • Alabama Hospital Association
  • ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • American Heart Association
  • Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
  • Banner University Medical Center
  • Beach Cities Health District
  • Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division
  • Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
  • Ezras Nashim
  • Idaho Hospital Association
  • Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association
  • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society
  • New England Association of Directors of Healthcare Volunteer Services
  • North Bay Regional Health Centre
  • Oklahoma Hospital Association
  • PIH Health
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

Human Services and Community Organizations

  • American National Red Cross
  • American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties
  • Anti-Defamation League – Mountain States Regional Office
  • Association of Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies
  • AZ Food Bank Network
  • Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell
  • CASA Delaware
  • CASA Kane County
  • CASA Ogeechee Judicial Circuit
  • CASA of the River Region
  • CASA of Scott County
  • CASA of the Pikes Peak Region
  • CASA of Yellowstone County
  • Citizens Project
  • Colorado Culture Change Coalition
  • Colorado Legal Services
  • Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Covenant House Alaska
  • Dorot
  • Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts
  • Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst
  • Encore Network
  • Extreme Community Makeover
  • Food Bank for New York City
  • Georgia CASA, Inc.
  • Hazon Colorado
  • HIAS
  • Hope for New York
  • Hope Network
  • Hosteling International-USA
  • Human Service Forum
  • Illinois CASA
  • InnovAge Foundation
  • InterHab
  • Iowa Child Advocacy Board
  • Islamic Relief USA
  • Jewish Family Service of Colorado
  • JQY
  • Kavod Senior Life
  • Meals on Wheels America
  • Mercer Family Resource Center
  • Missouri CASA Association
  • Mosholu Montefiore Community Center
  • NAMI Colorado
  • Network Delaware
  • Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies
  • NH Citizens Alliance
  • North Idaho CASA
  • National CASA/GAL Association
  • Propel
  • Riverdale Y
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City
  • Save the Children USA
  • Shalom Task Force
  • Southern Maine Agency on Aging
  • Special Olympics Southern California
  • United Way of Genesee County
  • Voices for Children
  • Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration
  • World Relief
  • Wounded Warrior Project
  • WSOS Community Action
  • Zioness

Nonprofit and Volunteer Engagement Resources

  • Better Impact
  • Bloomerang
  • Center for Nonprofit Excellence
  • Center for Nonprofit Resources
  • Civic Champs
  • Colorado Nonprofit Association
  • Double the Donation
  • Experience Matters
  • Galaxy Digital
  • Good Strategies
  • HandsOn Suburban Chicago
  • Heart of Illinois United Way
  • Independent Sector
  • Kentucky Nonprofit Network
  • New Jersey Association of Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals
  • NH Center for Nonprofits
  • Nonprofit Association of Washington
  • Nonprofit Connect
  • Nonprofit Resource Center – Murray State University
  • Offero
  • Points of Light
  • Sterling Volunteers
  • The Foraker Group
  • The Triangle Nonprofit and Volunteer Leadership Center
  • Vantage Point
  • VolunteerMatch
  • VSys One

Volunteer Engagement Professional Organizations

  • AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement)
  • Administrators of Volunteer Resources, British Columbia
  • Association of Professional Volunteer Administrators – Long Island
  • Association of Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals
  • Central Indiana Association of Volunteer Administrators
  • Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators
  • Colorado Healthcare Directors of Volunteer Services
  • Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators
  • Delaware Valley Association of Volunteer Administrators
  • DOVIA Colorado
  • DOVIA of the Great Lakes Bay Region
  • DOVIA of the Sioux Empire
  • DOVIA Sacramento
  • Georgia Association of Volunteer Administrators
  • Georgia Hospital Association – Georgia Society of Volunteer & Retail Professionals
  • Greater New York Association of Directors of Volunteer Services
  • Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration
  • International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE)
  • Kentucky Society for Directors of Volunteer Service
  • New England Association Directors of Healthcare Volunteer Services
  • Massachusetts Service Alliance
  • Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA)
  • National Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership
  • New York Association for Volunteer Administration
  • Northern Virginia Association for Volunteer Administration
  • Rochester Area Volunteer Administrators
  • Society for Healthcare Volunteer Leaders
  • South Carolina Association for Volunteer Administration
  • Spark the Change Colorado (formerly Metro Volunteers)
  • Texas Volunteer Management Conference
  • Volunteer Administrators Network of Central Ohio
  • Volunteer Administrators Network Northwest
  • Volunteer Administrators Network San Diego
  • Volunteering Victoria
  • Washtenaw Association of Volunteer Coordinators
  • Wisconsin Volunteer Coordinators Association