Earlier this month, I left the office to attend an in-person “Network and Share” event hosted by DOVIA Colorado. The

The National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement, along with VQ Volunteer Strategies and other leading organizations in the field, has released

One of the most common topics of conversation these days with clients, colleagues, and the nonprofit community-at-large revolves around how

Note from VQ Volunteer Strategies: For four days straight, I have drafted this blog – yet, with each day’s news,

Anyone who has heard us at VQ Volunteer Strategies talk about the importance of measuring volunteer impact has undoubtedly heard

There is nothing more inspiring and energizing than hearing firsthand how a workshop or tool or webinar equipped someone in

Six years ago this month, I was awakened in the middle of a rainy night by my husband’s phone exploding

 “How do I know if my volunteer engagement strategies are working? I keep looking at our retention numbers and I don’t understand why some people stay with us and why some don’t.” This was my first conversation with Hannah, a volunteer program manager at a local nonprofit addressing food insecurity.

Last month and for the third year in a row, I completed a series of 10 business trips in 10

by Beth Steinhorn, President, VQ Volunteer Strategies This morning, after nine months of research, design, and preparation, I excitedly sat

To Reinvent the Wheel – or to Develop Something Totally New? That is the question. These days, when someone asks

Many different things can indicate “coming of age” … but when it comes to a generation as a whole, one

A few days ago, I received an intriguing message from a volunteer manager who had been in one of my

One of the top challenges expressed by volunteer engagement professionals is recruitment – whether finding the right volunteers or inspiring

Once again, we are excited to announce the return of the Jill Friedman Fixler Professional Development Scholarship for Points of

Colleagues, there's still time to showcase YOUR impact! YOU are invited to contribute to the Volunteer Engagement Plenary, “Embracing Your

Boulder, Colorado is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Like many cities, Boulder had volunteer programs in many of the city agencies – from libraries to parks & recreation. That worked well for the city, or so they thought, until everything changed over the course of one week in September 2013, when Boulder experienced unprecedented rain. The resulting flooding was catastrophic, destroying 1500 homes, rendering roads impassable, and killing eight people. As the rains were still falling, Boulder residents stepped up to volunteer – as did thousands arriving from far off states. But the city was not ready to engage them. As a result, developing a city-wide engagement strategy became an integral part of the city's resiliency planning.

Today was one of my favorite days: “Reunion Day!” I spent all day with the ten teams that participated in

With fires blazing across the American West, hurricanes approaching our coastlines, and floods rising in the Midwest, I am grateful

Last week, I received this email from a volunteer coordinator whom we’ll call “Vickie the Volunteer Coordinator.” Hi Beth, I

How do you talk about the value of volunteering? And, with whom do you discuss it? So many professionals strive

This post was originally published in August 2015... but I experienced it all once again this past Saturday when I

By Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, and Alison Doerfler, Senior Vice President of Capacity Building at Points of

Every summer, we post a list of “what we’re reading.” For the 2018 edition, stay tuned (as I do have

This blog was originally posted in November 2015, but a client recently asked a question about how to match volunteers

Interviewing volunteer candidates takes time... but that time is well spent. Investing time in interviewing candidates up front saves time

This afternoon,  Pew Research Center released an article highlighting 7 demographic trends shaping the U.S. and the world in 2018

This post is adapted and updated from a post originally shared on 3-24-2015 So much has been written and discussed

Professional networking is just one of the many benefits of attending the Conference on Volunteering and Service hosted by Points

This month, I am relishing those few weeks that come only once every few years: The Olympics. I love watching,

As I am being called back next week for my civic "volunteer" duty, I am reposting this from October 6,

As part of our ongoing series of Case Studies, VQ Volunteer Strategies is sharing a story from WomenOnCall, a unique,

If you are reading this blog, you likely already know that just a few weeks ago, JFFixler Group became VQ

We believe every organization has one … and it has the potential to lead an organization to greater impact. What

Since money is on many people's minds as you plan for 2018, we decided to "celebrate" by sharing some new -- and classic -- resources that are available to you for free.

Rarely are we asked about how organizational leaders can create opportunities for volunteers to provide feedback to them, and it’s even rarer to be asked about the benefits of doing so.

How can you best tap into that passion so that these individuals can be involved in ways that are truly helpful in addressing organizational needs?

Evaluating a volunteer's performance means that the organization's leadership recognizes and accepts that there are, in fact, standards and/or goals for volunteers' involvement!

As part of our ongoing series of case studies of best practices in volunteer engagement, we met Rabbi Brian Fink, Director of Engage at the JCC Manhattan to learn more about the work of the Engage Jewish Service Corps.

Interviewing volunteers - who knew it could be such a polarizing concept? Yet, I never know what response I will receive when I ask a group of nonprofit professionals about their volunteer interview process.

When I reviewed the draft application, I thought it was a minor oversight that the form asked for phone number but not email.

So, you are seeking a volunteer to step up and take on a leadership role in your organization?