YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE YMCA OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT IS A VOLUNTEER LED PUBLIC CHARITY THAT INCLUDES MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES, INCOMES, RACES AND RELIGIONS. OUR MISSION IS TO PUT JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL.
- Income
- $30.8 million
- Spending
- $28.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- -1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 60%
- Employees
- 1,234
- Volunteers
- 1,044
- Highest pay
- $334,072, president & ceo/board secretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2539 of 40 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $8.0 million spent. CHILD CARE AND DAY CAMP THE YMCA OFFERS CHILDREN AND PARENTS A SAFE AND CARING PLACE TO GROW, SUPPORTING PARENTS' EFFORTS TO NURTURE THEIR CHILDREN'S HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. TRAINED AND CERTIFIED STAFF PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY CARE FOR PEACE OF MIND AND FAMILY SUCCESS. IN 2025, OVER 1,400 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN AGE-APPROPRIATE ENJOYABLE CHILD CARE EXPERIENCES. YMCA CHILD CARE, INCLUDING AFTER-SCHOOL CARE, IS OFFERED IN LICENSED LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AND INCLUDES YOUTH FITNESS TO ENSURE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AT THE EARLIEST AGE. ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO GIVE CHILDREN A HEAD START IN LIFE IS THROUGH THE QUALITY CHILD CARE PROGRAMS AT THE YMCA. BUT ANYONE WITH CHILDREN KNOWS EVEN THE MOST AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE PROGRAM IS A CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. FOR SOME, WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE YMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN, IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE A POSSIBILITY. THAT IS WHY THE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN HELPS BUILD STRONG FAMILIES OF ALL SIZES BY OFFERING MUCH NEEDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE. SUMMER DAY CAMP IS ALSO OFFERED AT EVERY YMCA OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT BRANCH, AND ENROLLMENT OFTEN FILLS UP QUICKLY. BUT THE YMCA PROVIDES SEVERAL DIFFERENT SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCES - CAMP OHIYESA IN HOLLY, CAMP NISSOKONE IN OSCODA OR MULTIPLE DAY CAMP LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. IN 2025, NEARLY 2,000 CHILDREN ATTENDED CAMP IN THE SUMMER. FOUR OF EVERY TEN CHILDREN IN YMCA DAY CAMP ARE PROVIDED SUBSIDY ASSISTANCE FROM OUR ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. LAST YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION RAISED OVER $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND CHILDREN TO ENABLE THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION IN NURTURING PROGRAMS. (Expenses $ 5,853,825 including grants of $ 283,700)(Revenue $ 1,336,432) THE YMCA OFFERS AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN HEALTHY LIVING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DESIGNED TO BENEFIT FAMILIES OF ALL INCOMES AND BACKGROUNDS. FEES ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL COST TO PROVIDE EACH PROGRAM. CANDIDATES QUALIFY TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS IF THEY ARE LOW INCOME. THE AMOUNT THEY PAY IS BASED ON A SLIDING FEE SCALE WITH THE REMAINDER SUBSIDIZED BY THE YMCA THROUGH EITHER GRANT FUNDING AND/OR THE YMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN.
- $4.1 million spent. AQUATICS SWIMMING LESSONS, AS WE KNOW THEM TODAY, WERE INVENTED AT THE DETROIT YMCA IN 1910 BEFORE SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE YMCA NATIONAL MOVEMENT. LEARNING TO SWIM AT THE YMCA IS MORE THAN STROKE DEVELOPMENT. TRAINED, CERTIFIED AND SENSITIVE STAFF GAVE PERSONAL ATTENTION TO OVER 8,800 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IN 2025 TO ENSURE QUALITY AND SAFETY. YMCA AQUATICS PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL AGES AND SKILL LEVELS. THROUGH GUIDED DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES AND CREATIVE TEACHING METHODS, EACH LEVEL OF THE YMCA SWIM LESSON PROGRAM TEACHES AGE-APPROPRIATE SKILLS. PARTICIPANTS ARE TAUGHT IN SMALL GROUPS WITH OTHERS OF THEIR OWN AGE AND SKILL LEVEL. THE Y'S APPROACH TO SWIM LESSONS PROVIDES FOR MORE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT AND A BETTER FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF SWIMMING. YMCA OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT SWIM TEAMS ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM, CONFIDENCE AND TEAM SPIRIT.
- $3.0 million spent. HEALTH AND WELL-BEING FOR ALL YMCA MEMBERS ARE FULL PARTNERS IN PURSUING THE MISSION OF THE YMCA AND PARTICIPATING IN A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT DEVELOP A HEALTHY BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE ACCESS TO CERTAIN CLASSES, PREFERRED RATES FOR PROGRAMS, ACCESS TO FACILITIES, ACCESS TO YMCA RESIDENT CAMPS, YMCA CHILDWATCH, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER AND CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY BETTERMENT ACTIVITIES. ALMOST 40,000 PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES AND ABILITIES ARE MEMBERS OF THE YMCA. THE MEMBERSHIP IS EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE AND NUMEROUS MEMBERS ALSO SERVE IN A VARIETY OF VOLUNTEER ROLES GIVING BACK TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. LIKE ALL OUR PROGRAMS, SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS THAT REQUIRE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF YMCA MEMBERS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP OR SUBSIDY SUPPORT IN SOME FORM. (Expenses $ 5,853,825 including grants of $ 283,700)(Revenue $ 1,336,432) THE YMCA OFFERS AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN HEALTHY LIVING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DESIGNED TO BENEFIT FAMILIES OF ALL INCOMES AND BACKGROUNDS. FEES ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL COST TO PROVIDE EACH PROGRAM. CANDIDATES QUALIFY TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS IF THEY ARE LOW INCOME. THE AMOUNT THEY PAY IS BASED ON A SLIDING FEE SCALE WITH THE REMAINDER SUBSIDIZED BY THE YMCA THROUGH EITHER GRANT FUNDING AND/OR THE YMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN.
- $5.9 million spent. THE YMCA OFFERS AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN HEALTHY LIVING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DESIGNED TO BENEFIT FAMILIES OF ALL INCOMES AND BACKGROUNDS. FEES ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL COST TO PROVIDE EACH PROGRAM. CANDIDATES QUALIFY TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS IF THEY ARE LOW INCOME. THE AMOUNT THEY PAY IS BASED ON A SLIDING FEE SCALE WITH THE REMAINDER SUBSIDIZED BY THE YMCA THROUGH EITHER GRANT FUNDING AND/OR THE YMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1946.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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