According to the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report by Virtuous, 92% of nonprofits now use AI tools in some capacity. However, only 7% have embedded AI into goals, budgets and strategy.
This gap in implementation at nonprofit recreation centers despite high usage showcases a golden opportunity for the industry.
Cris Thome, the director product marketing at Amilia, said after surveying recreation professionals and community members, the company found AI is most compelling when it strengthens day-to-day operations and allows teams to focus more on their mission.
“Leaders are recognizing AI outcomes depend on the strength of their underlying systems, data and processes,” said Thome. “In our research, hesitation around AI is driven less by doubt about its potential and more by concerns about accuracy, data quality, privacy and integration. This reflects a maturing perspective — AI is only as effective as the foundation it’s built on.”
Here’s how some recreation center leaders and industry vendors are handling the AI craze along with helpful advice from their experiences.
Staff First
Thome said the most successful approaches with AI begin by identifying where staff time is being lost or where families experience friction.
“AI should be evaluated as a tool to support these needs, not as a goal in itself,” said Thome. “Early adoption works best when focused on staff support rather than automation for automation’s sake. Many professionals in our research are already using AI to assist with drafting communications, summarizing information or improving consistency.”
This sentiment is seen at the YMCA of Greater Boston where Adeline Campbell, the VP of information services, said the organization is taking a thoughtful, forward-looking approach to artificial intelligence, beginning with an AI pilot for the leadership team that enables responsible use of generative AI to support content creation and messaging.
“We’re also leveraging AI-powered tools to record and transcribe meetings, generate notes and track action items,” said Campbell. “These capabilities help us stay focused, efficient and accountable, freeing up more time and energy to deliver on our mission and serve our communities with care and intention.”
Creating Foundational Anchors
Bill De Vries, the director of product at Traction Rec, said in 2026, organizations will move past AI as a novelty, search replacement or writing assistant to demonstrate deployments that are foundational to their business, yielding tangible results in revenue and efficiency.
De Vries said examples of these foundational deployments include:
- Identifying trends in data.
- Segmenting and personalizing outreach to constituents.
- Streamlining repetitive tasks, such as payment processing.
- Providing personalized, high-quality Q&A support that avoids sounding robotic.
“We’re observing a move toward grounded and skilled AI, utilizing techniques like retrieval-augmented generation to localize and specialize generic generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) with organizational or domain-specific knowledge,” said De Vries.
De Vries added no single solution will fit all applications. Centers will operate with multiple AI tools within their ecosystem to make governance, security, awareness, training and cost-sensitivity critical considerations.
“The recommended approach is to start simple, progressing to complex solutions only when the case clearly warrants it,” advised De Vries. “When thinking about where to start, don’t race to the shiniest solution. Seek the right answer that aligns to the organizational or business goals and metrics you’re looking to improve or change. Also, AI interaction will be omni-channel, embedded into everyday services, such as text messaging, voice, and e-commerce, rather than being confined to a browser-based chat interface.”
Improving Wellness
Another way AI is being used at rec centers is in the programs being offered to benefit the health of members. For example, Rylee Lile, the membership retention and wellness director at the YMCA of Pueblo in Colorado, said her Y has had success with AI through EGYM’s smart circuit machines.
Specifically, these machines take all the guesswork out of working out, which helps alleviate confusion or intimidation for anyone who visits the Y.
“Our members who have used it like how easy it is to hop on and get a workout done in a short time frame,” said Lile. “Not only is it easy to navigate, but our members now get a more detailed report on their fitness history and progress. There are many factors such as strength assessments, biological age, muscle imbalances and many more interesting things that help navigate one’s health and wellness journey.”
While the staff and members did have to get used to the technology at first, the Y had all wellness staff trained on EGYM knowledge so they can pass it along to members who might need a little more guidance.
This has not only assisted members, but it’s showcased the new avenues which are possible with AI usage.
“We hope to grow and expand in what offerings we can provide along with strengthening what we currently offer with the help of AI,” said Lile. “At first, I thought we were crazy for even thinking about AI workout machines. However, I’m glad we took the leap to invest in something that will continue to evolve with the community and modern-day technology. You can only succeed if you’re willing to evolve.”
Challenges to Overcome
One of the biggest challenges Amilia found in its research is many leaders struggle to identify where AI can meaningfully fit into their organizations. Here are other challenges Thome said exist with AI:
- Concerns around data protection, reliability and appropriate use surfaced consistently in Amilia’s research.
- Without a clear connection to operational challenges, AI can feel disconnected from real needs.
- Many community rec centers operate with limited staff and resources. Even when leaders recognize AI’s potential value, the perceived effort required to evaluate tools, train teams and manage change can slow progress.
“Because informal AI use is already occurring, leadership can create immediate value by establishing clear principles around acceptable use, data handling and oversight,” said Thome. “The opportunity is not to chase AI trends, but to apply AI thoughtfully to reduce friction, support staff sustainability and improve access for the communities they serve.”
For De Vries, the biggest challenges facing AI implementation include:
- Operational reliability and monitoring. The reliability, testing and continuous monitoring of AI systems is important to ensure predictable and trustworthy behavior.
- Adoption complexity. A tendency to target overly ambitious, complex “home run” applications prevents operators from adopting simpler, more conservative solutions that can evolve over time.
- Organizational misalignment: And perhaps a little FOMO. The urgency from leadership to be on the forefront of AI can conflict with the everyday challenges and change management hurdles teams face.
“Adopting AI is a long-term commitment — a marathon, not a sprint,” said De Vries. “Assess risk, measure your risk tolerance and test accordingly. Engage with customers, staff, and colleagues to understand their needs, challenges and aspirations.”
Lasting Guidance
De Vries notes that it’s important for teams to consider the broader implications of AI usage, including environmental impact of infrastructure creation. With the large buildout of data centers, the impact related to land, power and water consumption is a growing topic of inquiry. It’s a subject worth acknowledging as the industry matures.
Another facet to be mindful of is AI-generated content doesn’t always capture the personal touch or depth of care that defines the work of rec centers.
The YMCA of Greater Boston acknowledged this sentiment, and Campbell said the organization is intentional about grounding AI use in the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
“Through prompt-construction training and clear guidance, we strive to ensure our mission and values are reflected in everything AI helps us create,” said Campbell. “We believe a strong, clearly defined policy around data management and decision-making is essential.”
Also, the YMCA of Greater Boston made a deliberate decision that this technology won’t be used to make determinations that directly impact an individual’s life, such as areas like financial assistance.
“While we’re committed to being a Y for all and recognize financial assistance as central to that commitment, we don’t believe AI should be the final decision-maker in these cases,” said Campbell. “Accountability, transparency and human judgment matter deeply to us, and we believe decisions of this nature must remain rooted in human responsibility and ethical oversight.”
