Membership
How much does it cost?
To participate in YMCA Purchasing your Y will pay a one-time set-up fee of $500 and then a small monthly fee based on the size of your YMCA. The YMCA of the USA grants might be available to help pay for participation. Contact us to request a quote for your association.
How much will I save by using YMCA Purchasing?
It depends on which products and services you choose to buy in the system—but on average, you can expect saving 5-20%. YMCAs that have participated have saved three times their annual membership fee.
Will my prices always be lower?
Usually—yes. There might be some items that cost more, but the net of your purchases will result in savings. The more Ys that participate and the more often they use YMCA Purchasing, the better our opportunity to secure the best pricing available.
Is there a minimum-spend requirement?
No—you can participate as much or as little as you like. This leaves you the flexibility to buy outside of YMCA Purchasing.
What is expected of our Y if we join?
In addition to paying one-time set-up and monthly fees, we ask for a two-year commitment to participate in YMCA Purchasing. During this time, you can be as collaborative or independent as you like. You can join at any time.
How many people from our Y can use this service?
You can allow as many users from your association as you’d like—but only one person per license can be logged in to the online system at a time. Anyone from your organization can contact us just like you would with a professional purchasing and supply management department. Think of YMCA Purchasing as your virtual team.
Ordering & Receiving
Do we have to order on a specific day?
You can place orders at any time. The online system is cloud-based and is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection.
Are orders delivered directly to us?
Yes—suppliers will get a purchase order with your “ship to” details.
How long does delivery take?
The same as it does now. Timelines vary by supplier—a good rule of thumb is to plan for five business days. If you don’t receive your order on time, follow up directly with the supplier.
What about shipping costs?
We have negotiated free shipping with many suppliers—and you’ll have the opportunity to take advantage of this option. When free shipping isn’t available, there isn’t any upcharge to what you would normally pay for shipping.
What if there’s a problem with our order?
Contact the supplier directly. If you’re unable to resolve the issue, contact us for assistance.
Suppliers
Can we still ask suppliers for donations?
Yes—giving is independent of doing business with the Y.
Can we have our suppliers added to the online system?
Yes—if they agree to receive purchase orders via email. To add a supplier, send us the supplier’s contact info and W9. Once a supplier is added, their products/services will be available to all participating Ys in YMCA Purchasing.
How does paying supplier invoices work?
The YMCA of the North (YGTC) pays supplier invoices per negotiated terms. You will receive one net 30, consolidated monthly invoice from YGTC based on the products and services you buy. You can then upload the data into your accounting system or key it in, whatever works best for you.
What about supplier diversity?
We are proactive in including and purchasing from diverse suppliers. Currently 14% of our controlled spend is with divers suppliers, and we hope to increase to 17% within the next two years