Strategic Plan
OUR GOAL
To bolster the impact, efficiency, and sustainability of YWCA St. Paul, ensuring the organization remains well-positioned to effectively respond to the community's evolving needs.
OUR GUIDING STATEMENT
YWCA St. Paul promotes health equity, racial justice and economic opportunities for women and their families to thrive through programming that centers African American realities, values, and strengths.
#1: Strengthen internal capacity to consistently deliver high-impact programs with excellence and cultural relevance
Key Tactics:
- Using an equity lens, improve staff retention by establishing more manageable workloads, offering equitable and competitive compensation, creating advancement opportunities, and consistently demonstrating appreciation and gratitude for employees
- Recruit, train and deploy volunteers, interns, and AmeriCorps members
- Develop and implement a robust employee and board onboarding and learning program
#2: Enhance and expand programs to promote optimal health outcomes with and for BIPOC women and families, with a targeted focus on African Americans
Key Tactics:
- Ensure that all YWCA St. Paul programs meet the 7 Standards of Quality Program Design and are aligned with YWCA St. Paul’s Health Equity Framework
- Ensure that each YWCA St. Paul program has a rigorous evaluation plan in place to monitor fidelity, measure outputs, assess for impact, incorporate community feedback and help determine the overall return on investment
#3: Amplify brand awareness and community engagement efforts to become a trusted health equity connector and convener
Key Tactics:
- Increase external collaboration and strengthen community partnerships
- Provide mission-aligned community education and learning opportunities to individuals and community partners
- Engage in joint policy and advocacy work to foster collective impact and drive systemic change
#4: Strengthen internal controls and processes to streamline operations, maximize efficiency and optimize productivity
Key Tactics:
- Document and standardize all policies, practices and procedures
- Improve and upgrade IT
#5: Generate revenue through social entrepreneurship, diversifying and expanding our donor base, and maximizing public, private and corporate giving
Key Tactics:
- Recruit, onboard and train new team members who can lead and support the organization’s revenue generating initiatives
- Launch YWCA St. Paul’s Center for Social Entrepreneurship to expand the organization’s program offerings and create new vehicles for ongoing revenue generation
- Create a culture of philanthropy where all staff and board members are actively engaged in the organization’s advancement efforts
- Invest in growing and expanding Health & Fitness Center operations, developing and selling exclusive YWCA St. Paul merchandise, and leveraging community events to bolster fundraising and friendraising
check out our latest highlights
Ribbon Cutting & Open House Celebration
February 28, 2026
Join us for a Ribbon Cutting and Open House celebrating Pathways Life & Health’s new youth programming space at YWCA St. Paul. After a brief ceremony, guests can explore the center through hands-on activities, tour key program areas, meet staff and partners, and enjoy light refreshments as we celebrate a new chapter of youth empowerment.
An Evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams: Paradox—Echoes of Police Reform
February 5, 2026
The YWCA St. Paul is hosting an event with historian Dr. Yohuru Williams featuring clips from Paradox: Echoes of Police Reform to explore the history of public safety and police accountability in Minneapolis. With remarks, a Q&A, and closing reflections from CEO Ashley Booker, the evening underscores the ongoing importance of YWCA St. Paul’s mission and serves as a fundraiser supporting its work for racial justice and community equity.
MLK Jr. Day – 40th Anniversary
The event has shifted to an online march, and we will update this page with the official link once it becomes available. YWCA St. Paul
A Journey of Resilience and Growth
A Journey of Resilience and Growth A participant in the Transitional Housing Program at the YWCA began her journey with us in April 2025. She
Vintage Fall Crawl
https://www.ywcastpaul.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Fall-Crawl-2025.mp4 Discover the Magic of the 2025 Vintage Fall Crawl in the Twin Cities Calling all vintage lovers! The fourth annual Vintage Fall Crawl is
Staff Spotlight: Cathy Quinlivan
Staff Spotlight: Cathy Quinlivan Cathy Quinlivan has been a part of the YWCA St. Paul Health & Fitness Center since January 1992. Over the years, she has worn