Young Mens Christian Assn of Charleston and the Kanawha Valley
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE YMCA OF KANAWHA VALLEY IS A CHARITABLE, SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEDICTED TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY LIVING AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. WITH A MISSION TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD A HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL. OUR IMPACT IS PROVEN WHEN A PERSON MAKES A HEALTHY CHOICE, WHEN A YMCA COACH INSPIRES A CHILD AND WHEN OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL. YMCA PROGRAMS FOCUS ON FOUR CORE CHARACTER VALUES - CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, AND RESPONSIBILITY. WE SERVE MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, RACES, ABILITIES, INCOMES, AND RELIGIONS. EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT OUR YMCA, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. THE YMCA IS FOUNDED AND LED BY VOLUNTEERS THAT GUIDE US IN IDENTIFYING NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND HELP FORM STRATEGIES TO RESPOND SO THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM OUR EFFORTS.
- Income
- $4.9 million
- Spending
- $5.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- -1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 87%
- Employees
- 261
- Volunteers
- 109
- Highest pay
- $165,469, president & ceo
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
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
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
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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)
- $583,583 spent. SPORTS AND RECREATION- YMCA SPORTS PROGRAMS CONCENTRATE ON SPORTMANSHIP, CHARACTER BUILDING, MOTIVATION, AND FAIR PLAY. THE YMCA PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS ARE THAT EVERYONE PLAYS AND HAS FUN. YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS HELP TO DEVELOP CHILDREN IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO NOT ONLY HELP YOUTH TO BECOME BETTER ATHLETES, BUT ALSO BECOME BETTER INDIVIDUALS, THROUGH SPORTMANSHIP, CHARACTER BUILDING, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. NOT EVERY PARTICIPANT CAN WIN EVERY CONTEST, BUT EVERY PARTICIPANT CAN BE A WINNER. THE PROGRAMS INVOLVE CHILDREN FROM AGES THREE TO EIGHTEEN YEARS AS WELL AS ADULTS OF ALL AGES. YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDED TENNIS, SWIMMING, SPORT SPECIFIC FITNESS TRAINIG, & FUTSAL.
- $332,563 spent. HEALTH ENHANCEMENT - THE YMCA PROMOTES HEALTHY LIVING TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES AND INCOME LEVELS. OUR HEALTH AND FITNESS PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TOWARD IMPROVING A PERSON'S SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY. OUR FITNESS CENTER OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF CARDIO, SELECTORIZED AND FREE WEIGHT EQUIPMENT, WHICH ALLOWS OUR MEMBERS TO WORK OUT ON THEIR OWN, OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR NUMEROUS PERSONAL TRAINERS. WE ALSO OFFER MANY FITNESS CLASS OPTIONS INCLUDING BOOT CAMPS, AEROBIC CLASSES, SPINNING, YOGA, PILATES, WATER AEROBICS AND MANY CLASSES FOR OUR SENIOR POPULATION, INCLUDING SILVER SNEAKERS.
- $1.2 million spent. CHILD DEVELOPMENT CROSS LANES - YMCA CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS A LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITY THROUGH THE WV DHHR BUREAU FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DIVISION OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, WITH A CAPACITY TO SERVE 245 CHILDREN DAILY, AGES 6 WEEKS TO 12 YEARS OLD. OUR CENTER OPERATES MONDAY THRU FRIDAY FROM 6:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO OFFER THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF CARE AND EDUCATION IN ALL OF OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDING DAYCARE, PRESCHOOL, KANAWHA COUNTY SCHOOLS PRE-K, BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE, AND SUMMER DAY CAMPS. ALL CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER EMPLOYEES RECEIVE FIVE SEPARATE BACKGROUND CHECKS, A DRUG SCREENING, TRAINING IN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION AND A THOROUGH ORIENTATION PRIOR TO HIRE.
- $1.3 million spent. YMCA FAMILY LIFE PROGRAMS: STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE YMCA MISSION OF BUILDING HEALTHY SPIRITS, MINDS, AND BODIES FOR ALL. THE YMCA IS PROUD TO BE A FAMILY ORGANIZATION. WE GIVE FAMILIES A SAFE, RELIABLE, AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO GO. RECREATIONAL OPPRORTUNITIES SUCH AS FAMILY MOVIE SWIM AND PARENT'S NIGHT OUT LET FAMILIES RELAX AND ENJOY EACH OTHER. YMCA PROGRAMS PROVIDE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS WITH ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER UNDERSTANDING AND COMPANIONSHIP. PARENTS HAVE THE OPPRTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THEIR CHILDREN IN AN ENJOYABLE WAY. WE ENCOURAGE YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO JOIN OUR PROGRAMS AND WE ALSO HOST SPECIAL OLYMPICS AQUATIC COMPETITIONS EACH YEAR. OUR MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE INCLUDES THE HOUSEHOLD WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF GRANDPARENTS AND GUARDIAN OR PARTNERS OVERSEEING THE CARE OF THEIR YOUTH. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND TEEN LEADERSHIP. THE TEENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT CLUB, ALSO KNOWN AS TOGA, IS AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CARE FOR 12-15 YEAR OLDS DURING THE AFTERSCHOOL HOURS. THE TEENS PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES, TUTORING, ARTS AND CRAFTS CLASSES AND SCIENCE SKILL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIMENTS. THE YMCA DEVELOPS YOUTH LEADERSHIP THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT TEACH CHARACTER, VALUES, AND ENHANCE SELP-ESTEEM USING MENTORS AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS. YMCA TEEN PROGRAMS PROVIDE YOUTH GOOD ROLE MODELS TO HELP THEM DEVELOP SELF-ESTEEM AND GOOD VALUES, INCLUDING, COOPERATION, RESPECT FOR THE BODY, GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC. TEEN ACTIVITIES REFLECT THE GROWING AWARENESS THAT ADOLESCENTS NEED STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS. INTERACTION WITH TEENS MAY HELP PREVENT THE SENSELESS VIOLENCE THAT HAS PLAGUED SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AQUATIC PROGRAM: THE YMCA PROVIDES WATER EDUCATION INSTRUCTION, TO PROMOTE WATER SAFETY AND DROWNING PREVENTION, FOR INFANTS SIX MONTHS OF AGE THROUGH SENIOR CITIZENS. OVER 100 COMMUNITY AGENCIES, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS USE THE YMCA POOL AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FREE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. INSTRUCTIONAL CLASSES INCLUDE INFANT, PROGRESSIVE, AND ADULT CLASSES. THE YMCA ALSO PROVIDES AMERICAN RED CROSS CERTIFIED LIFE-GUARDING TRAINING AND AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED CPR TRAINING. ADDITIONAL AQUATIC PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH AGREEMENTS WITH THE KANAWHA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION. THE YMCA AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES TO COVER PART OF THE MEMBERSHIP DUES TO ACCESS AND UTILIZE THEIR FACILITIES. THE AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP IS DETERMINED BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND THE NUMBER OF PERSONS IN THE HOUSEHOLD. EVERY SCHOLARSHIP PARTICIPANT MUST TURN IN THEIR PRIOR YEAR'S TAX FORMS, THEIR LAST TWO PAY STUBS, FOOD STAMPS, SOCIAL SECURITY, DISABILITY, CHILD SUPPORT, AND ANY OTHER TYPE OF ASSISTANCE THEY MAY RECEIVE, SUCH AS STUDENT LOANS. THE PARTICIPANTS ARE THEN PUT INTO THE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE WITH A ONE YEAR LIMIT. NEAR THE END OF THE PARTICIPANT'S SCHOLARSHIP, THEY RECEIVE A RENEWAL LETTER REMINDING THEM TO TURN IN THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION AGAIN FOR APPROVAL.
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 1958.
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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