YMCA of the North

Legal name: Young Mens Christian Association of the North

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
452563299
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024, Form 990-N 2011
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6124650450
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Young Men's or Women's Associations
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$173,815,799
Expenses
$176,561,318
Assets
$319,905,457
Liabilities
$69,706,456

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

70 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Glen Gunderson (PRESIDENT AND CEO)
  • Michael Lavin (Senior Vice President of Product Growth)

Highest reported compensation

  • Glen Gunderson (PRESIDENT AND CEO): $869,007 total reported compensation
  • Karen Larson (EVP OPERATIONS): $417,047 total reported compensation
  • Michael Lavin (Senior Vice President of Product Growth): $313,716 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all; strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Social Responsibility** — Giving back and providing support to our neighbors Access The Y is committed to providing equal access to its programs, facilities, and enjoyment. We celebrate the presence of differences that make each person unique. We intentionally engage and develop all members of the Y community. And we strive to connect and serve populations at home and worldwide. To achieve this mission, we strive to: Be community-centered**. For nearly 160 years, we've been listening and responding to our communities. Bring people together** , connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to bridge the gaps in community needs.

What it reported doing in 2024

Youth Development: Nurturing the potential of every child and teen. The YMCA believes in youth development, nurturing the potential of every child and teen. At the Y, children and teens explore their unique talents and interests to help them realize their potential. That makes for confident kids today and contributing and engaged adults tomorrow. The Y believes the values and skills learned early on are vital building blocks for life. Because of the Y, more young people in neighborhoods around the nation are taking a greater interest in learning and making smarter life choices. Key youth program areas at the Y include: Childcare: safe, nurturing environment for children to learn, grow and develop social skills. Education & Leadership: knowledge, character development, guidance and encouragement to help youth develop and realize their potential. Swim, Sports & Play: positive, fun activities that build athletic, social and interpersonal skills. Camp & Adventure: exciting, safe community for young people to explore the outdoors, build self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills and make lasting friendships and memories. Youth development in the Y includes leadership development programs during out-of-school time (such as Beacons School Success and Y Leaders Club), youth civic engagement (like Center for Youth Voice including Youth in Government and Model United Nations), post-secondary educational prep (such as Teen Thrive), competitive swimming and sports, recreation activities, youth swim lessons, day and overnight camps and specialty camp programs. In 2024, more than 13,700 kids went to day camp where they learn, play, make friends and connect with caring counselors. More than 9,300 kids participated in sports programs and more than 17,000 adults, teens and youth took part in overnight camping. Specific programs in youth development also include early childhood learning centers, school-age care and drop-in childcare at our membership locations. Most childcare sites are in YMCA fitness and wellbeing centers, schools, churches and other non-YMCA locations. In 2024, more than 13,400 kids were served in Y childcare.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 77% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 89% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 41
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.5%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 74.9%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Limited
    • Conducts field audits: Pass
    • May suspend future funding: Limited
    • Requires financial reports: Pass
    • Conducts site visits: Limited
    • Requires grant agreements: Limited
    • May require repayment: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.81; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.22; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.8% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site
  • Where the money goes: 79.5% of revenue deployed · 74.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 51 of 51 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported · 0 of 6 affiliation controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $132.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $869K · 70 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $4.3M reported
  • Consistency: 45 of 45 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 12 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 26 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 19 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 22/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 20/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 55/100.