YMCA Volunteer Hackathon Playbook

Theme: Belonging by Design – Building the Platform for Community

Google drive link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WnoEXalUlLxE56uEPfDNSaYEnsb348xO?usp=sharing

🚨 The Problem

• YMCA of Greater Cincinnati has thousands of volunteers, but the current tools are fragmented.
• VolunteerMatters (VM) (the Y-USA standard) tracks hours, but:
  • No growth pathways.
  • No recognition or perks.
  • No easy reporting for staff.
• Staff (like Stephanie) can’t quickly answer:
  • Who is serving where?
  • Who’s at risk of burnout?
  • Who’s ready for leadership?
• Volunteers don’t always feel recognized or connected → belonging is fragile.

💡 The Challenge for Hackers

Build a Platform for Belonging that sits on top of VolunteerMatters and powers a Belonging Passport App.

Your solution should:

• Pull in volunteer data from VolunteerMatters (CSV provided).
• Apply rules that turn hours into badges, milestones, and perks.
• Show volunteers a digital passport with their progress and story.
• Show staff simple dashboards and exports with branch totals, demographics, and impact.
• Lay the groundwork to connect perks (YMCA memberships, gift cards, job training).

👉 Think of it as “MyChart for Community” — one place where volunteers see their growth and staff see the bigger picture.