Building Stronger Connections: YMCA Brandywine Unifies Data & Engagement

The Customer

The YMCA of Greater Brandywine is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the foundations of community across Chester County, Pennsylvania. Established in 1894 and comprising nine branch locations, the Y serves more than 87,000 members, offering life-changing programs for youth, families, adults, and seniors at every stage of life.

With a mission rooted in nurturing the potential of every child and teen, promoting healthy living, and fostering social responsibility, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine addresses local needs through an inclusive approach. The association provides over $2.6 million in financial assistance each year, ensuring that all individuals—regardless of income or background—can access its programs and services.

Guided by core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Y champions opportunities for learning, well-being, and connection in the communities it serves. Through innovative programming, strong partnerships, and comprehensive health and wellness initiatives, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine is a vital anchor for positive change, building a stronger, healthier Chester County for all.

The Challenge

Before the partnership, the association faced a number of obstacles:

• Member, check-in, and enrollment data was locked away in ActiveNet, while marketing and engagement had no true home. 
• Staff navigated time-consuming and error-prone manual uploads, limiting their ability to see holistic member journeys or report on program outcomes.
• Marketing efforts lacked the agility and visibility needed for tailored communication, accurate measurement, and quick responses to organizational change.
• Fragmentation created inconsistent member experiences across branches, limiting insights and making it harder to drive data-informed growth.

The Solution

Together, Lynton and YMCA of Greater Brandywine mapped out a phased digital transformation:

1. Discovery & Planning: Through strategic sessions, both teams aligned on core objectives, identified key data flows, and set realistic goals for automation and reporting.
2. Technical Integration: Lynton designed and delivered a robust API connection that continuously syncs detailed program, attendance, and member check-in data to HubSpot. This eliminated manual work and opened the door to real-time insight across all member and program touchpoints.
3. CRM Architecture and Automation Engine: The teams established custom data objects and automation tailored for the YMCA’s programs, enabling advanced journey segmentation and granular reporting by location, season, and program type.
4. Onboarding & Enablement: Lynton provided step-by-step onboarding, empowering staff to leverage these tools for campaign management, impact measurement, and outreach personalization.
5. Ongoing Partnership: Solution refinements, expanded automation, and responsive support ensured the organization could adapt to emerging needs and continually improve digital member engagement.

The Results

The benefits for YMCA Brandywine were immediate and transformative:

• Efficient Operations: Staff can focus on relationship-building instead of data entry, with all member records and program participation history accurate and accessible in both systems.
• Personalized Experience: Marketing and program staff can now deliver targeted communications, informative newsletters, and event reminders tailored to each family’s engagement, increasing satisfaction and participation.
• Data-Driven Growth: Leadership has the analytics to understand member trends, program effectiveness, and identify new opportunities for growth and funding.
• Secure, Scalable Foundation: The integration is built to evolve as the YMCA grows, securely handling sensitive data and supporting new program launches or fundraising efforts with ease.

The enhanced digital foundation positions YMCA Brandywine to fulfill its mission—empowering youth, promoting healthy living, and strengthening community—faster and more effectively than ever.