Mission & Vision Statement Analysis

Mission Statement

"The mission of the YMCA of Greater Providence is to build healthy spirit, mind and body for all, through programs, services and relationships that are based upon our core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility."

Through the Greater Providence YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility we are able to bring healthy minds, spirits and bodies for all types of people through our programs, services and relationships with the community.

Vision Statement

"To become the most valued resource for families and individuals seeking lifestyles and wellness."

To be an important place for families and individuals to building a healthy lifestyle.

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I believe the Greater Providence YMCA stays true to their mission and vision statements because they have programs set up for families and individuals that will help them begin on their life of wellness. The mission statement does have a flaw of showing their core values of respect, honesty, responsibility and caring. Years ago the YMCA did have a program in place that demonstrated and taught these core values, now I believe these values have taken a back seat and are in the background of all of their programs. I'm only speaking for the YMCA I work at and I do not believe the vision statement is being shown in the YMCA. I believe this because people around the community only see the YMCA as an elder place or a preschool place. No one sees it as a place for health and wellness, child care and swim lessons.

In order for the YMCA to show their vision statement appropriately, I believe they should do some more community outreach and volunteering to get their programs out so the community does not see them as an elder place and a preschool place. The YMCA is so much more.

Defining and Characteristics of Nonprofit Organizations

Defining nonprofits:

          Nonprofit Organizations (NPO's) are these wonderful little businesses that are around for the communities benefit. Every NPO is different in means of its mission statement which drives the organizations to do better for the community. Since I graduated high school I have been working at the Kent County YMCA for their after school program. Doing this work has showed me how dedicated people are to the organization they work for. I have also met a few of the people on the board of directors and they shared with me that being part of the board of directors is difficult because the Greater Providence YMCA has a mission statement, but every branch within the Greater Providence YMCA has different missions so finding a common group can be difficult. This relates back to the reading when it says "organizations with opposing missions co-excist; there are many other organizations whose work is guided by values, goals, and visions, but which take different approaches to achieve success."

Characteristics of Nonprofit Organizations

1. NPO's have a common characteristic of having a volunteer board of directors that oversee the entire organization and not just one specific branch. The board of directors is typically made up of volunteers from the community, staff who are dedicated to the organization, and donors who give to the organization on a regular basis.
2. The goal for NPO's are to serve the community its mission is geared towards. For example, the YMCA's mission is to build a healthy mind, spirit, and body for its community of families, elders, and children. 
3. Mission statements are crucial in NPO's, every NPO has one and the mission statement drive the NPO in its goals, commitment to its community, and how it operates from an administrative viewpoint.
4. Along with the board of directors being a combination of staff, donors, and volunteers, they are also driving the NPO in the direction that is benefiting the community and the organization. While making decisions that benefit the organization, the board is making these decisions with the NPO's mission and vision statement as the number one driving force.

The whole IRS and Tax Exemption thing is a confusing portion so I'd like to learn more about that. ☺