Three community leaders share how streamlining membership models and keeping the focus on connection is driving retention, revenue and long-term loyalty.
When Joe Kovalcheck, the director of strategy and quality practices in membership at YMCA of the USA, works with associations on their membership strategies, he isn’t trying to load in the most features, invent complicated tier systems or chase the newest sales gimmick. His focus is on something simpler but far more foundational, aligning every part of the membership model with the organization’s mission.
For the Y, that mission means offering a values-based membership that puts human connection on equal footing with access to programs and facilities.
“We’ve aligned our operations with our mission in a very intentional way,” said Kovalcheck. “We’re not just selling access to a building — we’re inviting people into a purpose-driven community.”
That philosophy plays out differently in each community the Y serves. Some locations stick to traditional categories like adult, family, senior and young adult, while others have moved toward a more dynamic, customizable model that lets people build the membership that fits their lifestyle.
No matter the structure, robust financial assistance ensures cost is never a barrier.
“When our staff are trained to lead with empathy, when our programs foster connection and when our policies reflect our values, members don’t just join — they stay, they grow and they belong,” explained Kovalcheck.
Rich Lord, the senior director of member experience at JCC Indianapolis, has been applying a similar people-first mindset at the JCC, though the shape of their model is different. Lord oversees a system that offers variety at a competitive price for all ages and families, while keeping seasonal options — like their popular summer membership with access to the Eskenazi Water Park — in play.
“It’s a way for people to enjoy all that the J has to offer without committing to a year, and often they end up staying with us,” said Lord.
A big change came when JCC Indianapolis created Lord’s position in the first place. Dedicating a senior leader solely to member experience sent a clear message: service quality and engagement aren’t side projects; they’re priorities.
“We believe strongly that members are our allies, and together we can create an even more engaged and vibrant community,” said Lord.
Both leaders have worked to strip away unnecessary complexity in their models. For Kovalcheck, the Y has shifted how it communicates value. Instead of leading with a checklist of features, staff are trained to talk about outcomes, like what members can achieve, who they can connect with and how they can feel a sense of belonging.
“Rather than leading with features — like pools or fitness centers — we’ve started leading with outcomes,” said Kovalcheck.
That reframing is supported by training and storytelling tools that help staff make every interaction about the deeper meaning of joining.
Lord has pushed for clarity at JCC Indianapolis as well, refining offerings so they’re easy to explain and even easier for members to understand.
“We constantly look at programming, pricing and communication,” explained Lord. “From our weekly e-newsletter to social media, we’ve seen growth year over year, which tells us our engagement is resonating.”
Flexibility is a shared strength. The Y’s customizable tiers and financial assistance models give members a sense of control over what they buy and how much they spend, while also ensuring the model remains sustainable.
For JCC Indianapolis, flexibility comes through targeted program additions that meet emerging interests, such as pickleball or functional fitness through the new JFIT space, without overhauling the entire membership structure.
“JFIT has been a big hit,” said Lord. “It’s helped us attract new members and improve retention with state-of-the-art equipment and innovative class offerings.”
In Erie, Pennsylvania, another YMCA has taken flexibility to a new level with its “Y Your Way” model. After 30 years of traditional memberships — family, couple, individual — the team reimagined their entire pricing structure based on community feedback.
“We recognized how badly we needed to streamline the way we were doing things,” said Deanna Renaud, the vice president of marketing and financial development at the YMCA of Greater Erie. “At one point, we had 64 different price points, and if someone asked how much it was to join, we couldn’t give a straight answer.”
The new system starts with a base individual membership of $38 a month, with add-ons of $12 for additional adults and $10 for children, up to a total of six people per membership circle. There are no restrictions on address or relationship, and members can join with a friend, neighbor or coworker.
“We wanted people to surround themselves with the people who motivate them,” explained Renaud. “It can be intimidating to walk into a class alone, but if you come with a friend you’re more likely to stick with it.”
The changes also brought creative touches. Third-party payer memberships, such as SilverSneakers, can now add children for $10 per month, allowing grandparents to stay active with their grandchildren while introducing them to programs like youth soccer or swim lessons.
More than 420 SilverSneakers members have already added on, increasing both revenue and engagement at the Y of Greater Erie. “It’s been a win all around,” said Renaud.
This overhaul was paired with a few key business decisions: replacing the joiner fee with a $25 annual maintenance fee, offering a $25 referral credit to members who bring in a new circle and stopping seasonal specials altogether since the 20% discount is now baked into everyday pricing.
The result? Stable revenue drafts even in the slower summer months and strong early adoption. 52% of members have already moved to the new model, with all expected to transition by January 2026.
Renaud said the shift came from listening closely to members over time. In 2019, focus groups revealed that people wanted more flexibility, something more like a cell phone plan where they could easily add or remove people.
“That was the guiding star to everything we developed,” said Renaud. “We wanted the model to reflect how people actually live and who they want to be active with.”
For all three leaders, revenue predictability is just as important as adaptability.
“When you have a clear model and consistent pricing, you can count on the money coming in and forecast what to expect,” said Kovalcheck.
Lord added that stability allows for long-term improvements rather than scrambling to fill short-term gaps. Renaud noted that the maintenance fee alone generated more than six times what the joiner fee brought in the previous year, while still feeling fair to members.
Technology plays a big role in making these models work. YMCA 360 has given Y associations a way to extend the member experience beyond the building with on-demand and livestreamed programs.
At JCC Indianapolis, Daxko supports registration and payments while freeing up staff to spend more time with members. In Erie, the YMCA’s website features an interactive calculator that lets people add or remove members and instantly see the price change.
Each organization also invests in gathering feedback. Kovalcheck uses a mix of daily conversations, surveys and program evaluations, while Renaud recently implemented Listen360 to guide programming decisions.
Lord’s team builds in informal connections, from chatting with members in hallways to hosting casual CEO meetups like “Sippin with Sam.” The key, they agree, is acting on what they hear.
“When members see that their voice matters, it builds trust,” said Kovalcheck. “Membership isn’t a product — it’s a relationship. If you treat people like customers, they’ll behave like customers. But if you treat them like stakeholders in a shared mission, they’ll invest, they’ll engage and they’ll stay.”
