YMCA of Austin

What YMCA of Austin does

YMCA of Austin, operating as the Greater Austin YMCA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization founded in 1953 that runs 8 fitness centers and 60+ school-based childcare program sites across Travis and Hays counties in Central Texas. The organization serves approximately 145,000 members and program participants annually with over 2 million facility visits, offering a horizontally diversified portfolio spanning monthly recurring memberships, youth sports leagues, swim instruction and water-safety programming (Project SAFE has taught 25,000+ children since 2009), day and overnight camps at the 85-acre Camp Moody preserve, afterschool and infant/preschool care, 40+ weekly group fitness classes, mental-health counseling, pickleball, personal training, and corporate wellness. Headcount is 1,001–5,000 and the organization is one of Central Texas's largest youth employers, hiring 600+ teens annually.

The technology backbone is the Daxko member-management platform paired with a proprietary Greater Austin YMCA mobile app on iOS and Android that supports class reservations, facility check-ins, and busy-time indicators. Group-fitness content is delivered under license from Les Mills (BodyPump, BodyCombat, BodyBalance, BodyAttack). There is no public API, SDK, or disclosed AI/ML capability. Backend operations run on Microsoft Forms for donation, member-change, and contact workflows. The revenue model blends four streams: recurring membership dues across seven published tiers ($25/month student to $114/month two-adult household); program and registration fees (youth sports, swim lessons, camps, childcare, personal training); philanthropic donations through an active annual campaign with structured giving circles ranging from Community Circle ($1,000) to Dreambuilders ($2.5M+); and corporate sponsorships ($1,000–$35,000+).

Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer membership sales at 8 retail/welcome centers with online self-serve signup, sales-led corporate wellness partnerships, insurance-based Medicare memberships (Renew Active, One Pass Medicare Silver & Fit, SilverSneakers), and channel partnerships with school districts for afterschool care. Strategic priorities under Vision 2030 include scaling YMCA Tomorrow Academy to serve 1,000 children, reinvesting in facility efficiency ($1.5M+ in 2025), opening a Four Points branch, and extending into Bastrop County. The organization is led by President & CEO Kathy Kuras (the first woman in the role, since 2021) with a full C-suite including a CMO recruited from Kimberly-Clark and a CFO with healthcare-consulting background.

Name

YMCA of Austin

Legal name

Greater Austin YMCA

Website

https://austinymca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

YMCA of Austin (operating as Greater Austin YMCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running 8 fitness centers and 60+ childcare sites across Travis and Hays counties, delivering membership-based fitness, youth sports, swim, childcare, and counseling programs to 145,000+ annual participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Fitness and Recreation

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Senior/Low-Impact Group Fitness (HSADABAI), Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE)

Keywords

• Community fitness memberships
• Youth sports programs
• Swim lessons
• Childcare services
• Nonprofit wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Monthly recurring membership fees ranging from $25/month (student) to $114/month (two adult household). Join fee of $49 typically charged. No contracts required.
2. Program Fees: Fees for youth sports leagues, swim lessons, camps, afterschool care, personal training, and specialty fitness classes. Members receive discounted program rates.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations to annual giving campaigns supporting financial assistance. Triangle Society recognizes donors at $1,000+ annual giving level. Various giving circles from Community Circle ($1,000+) to President's Circle ($500,000+).
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship partnerships at various levels from Community Circle ($1,000) to Innovator Circle ($35,000) for brand visibility and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Greater Austin YMCA sells monthly recurring memberships providing access to 8 fitness centers with group exercise classes, pools, basketball, pickleball, and Kids Play childcare, supplemented by program fees for youth sports leagues, swim lessons, camps, afterschool care, personal training, and mental health counseling. The organization also raises tax-deductible donations and corporate sponsorships to subsidize an income-based financial assistance program that served 1 in 6 members in 2025.

Product overview

The Greater Austin YMCA operates as a nonprofit community fitness and wellness organization offering a broad portfolio of interconnected programs and services across 8 locations in Travis and Hays counties. The core offering is membership-based access to fitness facilities, pools, and group classes, with specialized programs spanning youth sports, swim instruction, childcare, camps, teen development, and mental health counseling. Key products include Youth Sports Programs (leagues, clinics, martial arts, dance), Swim Programs (lessons for all ages, competitive teams, Project SAFE water safety), Camps (summer day camp, break camps, YMCA Camp Moody outdoor retreat), Childcare and Extend-A-Care (afterschool, infant/preschool, Kids Play drop-in), Group Fitness Classes (40+ weekly Les Mills classes), Personal Training, Pickleball, YMCA Counseling mental health services, and Corporate Wellness partnerships. Membership tiers range from $25-$114/month and include access to all locations and amenities, with household memberships offering free Kids Play childcare. The YMCA serves approximately 145,000 members and program participants annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YMCA Tomorrow Academy: Early education centers across the community launched to serve up to 1,000 children by 2030.
• Project SAFE
• Extend-A-Care YMCA
• Kids Play
• Progress Pack

Products and services

• Membership Programs Monthly recurring memberships to the Greater Austin YMCA's 8 fitness centers with access to group fitness classes, pools, basketball, pickleball, Kids Play childcare (for household memberships), and nationwide access to 2,500+ YMCA locations. Tiers range from $25/month (Student) to $114/month (Two Adult Household) with no long-term contracts.
• Youth Sports Programs Comprehensive youth sports leagues and clinics including flag football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, cheerleading, tumbling, martial arts, ninja gym, boxing, dance, and sports skill development for children of all ages.
• Swim Programs and Water Safety Swim lesson programs for all ages from infant to adult, including parent-child lessons, preschool and youth lessons, adult lessons, and competitive swim teams (youth, USA, Masters). Includes Project SAFE drowning prevention initiative and lifeguard certification training.
• Camps Camp programs including spring break, summer day camp, in-center mini camp, and winter break camp. YMCA Camp Moody offers an 85-acre outdoor nature preserve for day, overnight, and family camping experiences.
• Childcare and Extend-A-Care Before and after school care, infant and preschool care, Kids Play drop-in childcare while parents work out, Explorers Point location, babysitting safety courses, and Parent's Day Out programs. YMCA Tomorrow Academy provides early education centers.
• Group Fitness Classes

Quantifiable outcome

• 145,000+ members and program participants served annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YMCA of the USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational YMCA organization providing strategic initiatives, resources, and $100,000+ annual support. Joint programming including Safety Around Water drowning prevention.
• City of AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$100,000+ corporate/foundation partner. Collaborated on North Austin Y construction. Supports community programs and initiatives.
• JE Dunn ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$100,000+ partner and Mountain Climber founding supporter of Camp Moody ($250,000-$499,999). Construction partner for facility projects.
• Baylor Scott & White HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreek-Walker level donor ($5,000-$9,999). Healthcare partner providing health and wellness programming support.
• Renew Active / One Pass Medicare / SilverSneakerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance wellness programs enabling Medicare beneficiaries to join the Y with covered membership benefits. Target older adult segment.
• Hays Consolidated Independent School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDreambuilders founding supporter of Camp Moody ($2,500,000+). School district partner for educational programs and facility support.
• Navy SEALs TrainingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary program partnership providing specialized training opportunities at Camp Moody for military families.
• Travis County VAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans affairs partnership supporting military member programs and services.
• HealthCodeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth technology partnership planned for 2026 supporting military member wellness programs.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• YMCA of Greater Houston: Texas-based metropolitan YMCA operating multiple fitness centers, childcare, youth sports, and aquatics programs with similar dues-based membership model and financial-assistance positioning; directly comparable in scale, programming mix, and nonprofit operations.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas: Dallas-area independent YMCA association delivering the same combination of membership dues, childcare, youth sports, camps, and aquatics across multiple branches; mirrors YMCA of Austin in funding mix (membership + donations) and community-development mission.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering youth development services (afterschool, sports, education) through a federation of local clubs; competes for the same youth-program and corporate-partnership dollars as YMCA's youth sports and Teen Tech Center offerings.
• JCC Association (Jewish Community Centers): Federation of nonprofit Jewish community centers offering membership-based fitness, aquatics, childcare, camps, and cultural programming; highly comparable community-center operating model, dues structure, and programming mix to the YMCA.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National federation that franchises the YMCA brand, sets programmatic standards, and provides shared services and grant funding to local Ys; Greater Austin is an independent member of this federation and shares branding/reciprocity (2,500+ nationwide locations benefit Austin members).
• Life Time Fitness: Publicly listed premium fitness club operator with resort-style amenities, family programming, and aquatics; overlaps directly with YMCA's fitness, swim, and family-orientation strategy but without the financial-assistance / community-mission overlay.
• Planet Fitness: National low-cost gym franchise targeting similar value-conscious, introductory fitness members as YMCA's student ($25/mo) and young adult ($49/mo) tiers; competes on price and accessibility for adult dues revenue.
• Crunch Fitness: Mass-market fitness chain offering group classes, personal training, and family programming at mid-tier price points; competes with YMCA for adult and household memberships in the Austin metro.

Regional players

• City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department: Municipal recreation provider operating pools, sports fields, and community programming at lower or zero direct cost via tax funding; co-defines the Austin recreation market alongside YMCA and is an actual joint partner (City of Austin $100K+ partner on the North Austin Y build).

Emerging players

• Orangetheory Fitness: National boutique fitness franchise centered on heart-rate-based group training; competes for adult group-exercise participation share that YMCA delivers through 40+ weekly Les Mills classes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austinymca
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreaterAustinYMCA
• Xx.com/austinymca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YMCA of Austin