The YMCA of Greater New York will work with AWS to apply AI/ML to develop swim tracker technology to predict trends, classify swimmer and instructor needs, and recommend personalized experiences to help New Yorkers learn life-saving swimming skills more efficiently, enhancing water safety.

The YMCA of Greater New York today announced it has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant, a public grant opportunity open to registered charities in the United Kingdom and Ireland and registered 501(c) nonprofit organizations in the United States who are using technology to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. The grant will support the YMCA’s efforts to help New Yorkers learn life-saving swimming skills more efficiently, enhancing water safety.

Now in its seventh year, the AWS IMAGINE Grant provides vital resources to nonprofit organizations looking to deploy cloud technology as a central tool to achieve mission goals. As part of the program, AWS seeks proposals for big ideas on how to leverage cloud technology in new and innovative ways to accelerate impact in local and global communities.

The YMCA was named a winner in the Go Further, Faster category which recognizes highly innovative projects using advanced cloud services. The Y will receive up to $150,000 in unrestricted funding, up to $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credits, and engagement with AWS technical specialists. Proposals were judged on several factors including the innovative and unique nature of the project, impact on mission-critical goals, and clearly defined outcomes and milestones.

The Y will use the grant to build and launch its YMCA Skill Tracker platform, a web-based system that will digitize the process of tracking skill attainment and attendance focusing initially on swim programs. This will help the Y better understand how participants are progressing through swim lessons and help improve water safety outcomes for New Yorkers. The program will provide instructors with real-time visibility as students attain skills crucial to improving their safety around the water.

Globally, drowning is one of the most urgent and preventable public health issues. The crisis is exacerbated in the United States by the years-long lifeguard shortage, a lack of investment in swim facilities, and inequitable access to pools, beaches, and outdoor green spaces. These factors result in a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities and people of color.

Because the Y serves communities across the five boroughs of New York City, the swim programming is structured to reach people from diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and understandings. For the first time, having access to this information in a digital environment will give the Y the ability to truly understand how individuals and groups learn, and identify similarities and potential barriers across the demographics of our participants.

By digitizing skill tracking and harnessing the power of data analytics, the YMCA aims to improve swim instruction and increase safety around the water for all.

“Universal swimming access is a matter of equity, public health and safety. Thanks to the generous support of AWS, the YMCA of Greater New York will modernize the way we track over 40,000 swim lessons annually,” said Sharon Greenberger, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York. “Digitizing the process of skill tracking will allow the Y to ensure that all swim participants are developing life-saving swim safety skills, reducing the risk of drowning and increasing their confidence and comfort in the water.”

"At AWS, we're inspired by the nonprofit sector's unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and health of people and our planet," said Allyson Fryhoff, managing director of nonprofit and nonprofit health at AWS. "Our Imagine Grant winners are pioneering groundbreaking, technology-driven approaches that will amplify their mission impact and build a more equitable and compassionate world. We are thrilled to work alongside these organizations, helping them leverage the transformative capabilities of the AWS Cloud to bring these projects to life.”

Since the launch of the IMAGINE Grant program in 2018, AWS has awarded over $14M in unrestricted funds, AWS Promotional Credits, and expert technical guidance to over 130 nonprofit organizations in support of their technology-driven goals. Previous winners are currently using AWS services to tackle critical challenges such as eliminating barriers to food security, improving maternal health outcomes, helping millions access clean and safe drinking water globally, tackling rare disease research, and more.

Over 85,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide use AWS to increase their impact and advance mission goals. Through multiple programs tailored specifically to the nonprofit community, AWS enables nonprofits of all sizes to overcome barriers to technology adoption, while enhancing the scale, performance, and capabilities of mission operations.

For more information on the AWS IMAGINE Grant, visit aws.amazon.com/IMAGINE-grant