On July 10, the Auburn YMCA began a management agreement with the YMCA of Central New York (YMCACNY). The partnership brings together two organizations committed to serving the community and promoting youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
Under this management agreement, the Auburn YMCA will continue to operate as an independent entity while benefiting from the additional resources, expertise and support provided by the YMCACNY.
Stefanie Noble, the vice president of marketing and communication at the YMCACNY, said her Y recognized the Ys in the region were stronger when they worked together beyond their city borders. In 2019, the largest Y in the region, the YMCA of Greater Syracuse, rebranded as the YMCACNY in order to be able to strengthen not only the Syracuse community, but to eventually support smaller Ys in the broader Central NY region.
“This helped open the doors to greater educational opportunities, staff networking and idea sharing, as well as increased cooperation and communication not just among Y staff, but also with governing volunteers,” said Noble. “By widening how the Y of Central New York viewed its role in the Y network, it was able to explore new collaborations and Y-to-Y partnerships, including management agreements in Cortland and Auburn.”
Management Agreement Benefits and Details
The Auburn Y will be able to tap into the YMCACNY’s experience in program and membership development, facility management, financial stability and staff training to further strengthen its operations.
“We are thrilled to enter into this management agreement with the YMCACNY,” said Bob Scarbrough, the board chair of the Auburn YMCA in a press release. “This partnership will enable us to improve and expand our programs and services, ensuring we can better meet the needs of our community. We look forward to working together and creating a positive impact on the lives of the people we serve.”
Noble said the YMCACNY will begin to conduct an extensive on-the-ground assessment to better understand community need and operational support. She added the YMCACNY is also working with the Cortland Y in a similar manner.
Another reason why the agreement began is due to the Auburn YMCA being under the leadership of an interim CEO. Noble said the board of the Auburn Y explored options with the assistance of the New York State Alliance and YMCA of the USA. The Y chose not to move forward with hiring a permanent CEO and to instead seek a management agreement with the association.
Josh Royce, the interim president and CEO of the YMCACNY, said when Ys are able to work together, communities are stronger, staff are empowered to grow and innovate, and boards open new opportunities to serve their organization. “Successful collaborations support the growth of all organizations involved,” said Royce. “This happens when the reason to collaborate is established and communicated clearly to all stakeholders, relationships are built so trust can be established between the partners, and responsibilities of all partners are defined and support a shared or vision.”
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