Strategic Plan for New York City's YMCA

Our Commitment to New York City

Our strategic plan builds on the Y's strengths, affirming and deepening our work in three core areas between 2018 and 2025.

The Y is New York City’s leading nonprofit community service and wellness organization.

400000

Kids Put on the Path to Success

1.3

Million

New Yorkers Improve Their Health

2.2

Million

New Yorkers Connected to and Engaged in Our Communities

Our Vision: Active, Engaged New Yorkers Building Stronger Communities.

Our Mission: We're Here for All New Yorkers—to Empower Youth, Improve Health, and Strengthen Community.

The YMCA of Greater New York was founded in 1852 as a haven for young men who came to the City in search of a better life. Today, we serve a much more diverse population throughout the City. Every year, more than half a million New Yorkers learn and grow through programs and services at the Y’s 24 branches.

As New York City grows and changes, so does the Y. This strategic plan, Thriving New Yorkers, Stronger Communities, spanning 2018 through 2025, outlines the Y’s next chapter and illustrates how we will serve the City.

Our goals are big—expanding services to reach more youth, building new partnerships to promote health, and fostering connections to strengthen community. The plan is also incremental and strategic, with an emphasis on serving the City more efficiently and effectively, and using technology to help New Yorkers engage with the Y in new ways. While we embark on this new plan, we remain true to the Y’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility, for staff and everyone we serve. Our new Vision and Mission embody those principles, reaffirming the Y’s long-standing commitment to New York City, while focusing our work on areas where our strengths and expertise align with the City’s pressing needs.

Empower Youth

400,000 Kids Put on the Path to Success

In an increasingly competitive world, many young New Yorkers confront steep and rising odds to achieve future success. Through a broad spectrum of programs accessible to families of every income level, the Y supports youth—from infancy through young adulthood—to help them achieve their potential. Our reach across the City and established history in youth services provide a platform for scaling best-in-class programs.

Impact Goals

Y teens are college or career ready.
By 2025, the Y will serve more than 1 in 10 youth in our communities.
Y kids develop skills for life, community, and leadership.

Measures of Success

Percentage of program participants who demonstrate improvement in targeted social-emotional skills
High school graduation rate of teens participating in Y programs
College and career placement of teens in Y programs
Number of youth (aged 16-24) employed by the Y
Percentage of youth served by the Y in branch communities

Improve Health

1.3 Million New Yorkers Improve Their Health

New York City’s more than 8 million residents face pressing and varied health and wellness challenges, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The Y’s legacy of prevention—rooted in evidence-based strategies—helps New Yorkers build the competence and confidence to achieve their goals.

Impact Goals

Y members achieve their health and wellness goals.
Y kids learn lifelong skills for healthy living.
The Y increases access to preventive and chronic disease management programs and services.

Measures of Success

Percentage of members achieving health and wellness goals on a self-reported basis
Number of kids participating in programs aligned with healthy habits
Number of partnerships with health organizations
Number of New Yorkers enrolled in evidence-based prevention/disease management programs administered by the Y and through our partners

Strengthen Community

2.2 Million New Yorkers Connected to and Engaged in Our Communities.

New Yorkers seek a sense of belonging, but many opportunities to forge common bonds have disappeared within local communities. At the same time, technology continues to change how communities form. The Y’s diverse and inclusive programs celebrate and support individuals and communities. Individuals thrive in strong communities; communities are strongest when people are happy and healthy.

Impact Goals

Y members report a greater sense of belonging.
New Yorkers engage with their communities through opportunities at the Y.
The Y will protect and champion access to opportunity for all.

Measures of Success

Percentage of Y members reporting a greater sense of belonging
Number of volunteers, board members, donors, and community service event participants
Expanded community benefit support
Increased degree to which the Y represents the demographics of our communities
Number of parents whose earning potential increases due to reliable child care and programming