Currently held every three to four years, the General Assembly of YMCAs (GA) is a constitutionally required national convening to foster the Movement and the Y mission. Bringing together thousands of Y leaders from across the country, GA is a unique opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, find inspiration, and advance the Y’s bold, shared vision.

GA 2026 will take place Thursday, Sept. 17 through Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

GA is open to all Y staff and volunteers! As a national convening, GA content is primarily geared towards CEOs, senior executives, and board volunteers. We encourage emerging leaders to participate in the event as an opportunity to connect with Movement leaders and dive in to discussions about the Y’s strategic direction.

Special events at General Assembly include a Welcome Reception, First-Time Attendee Orientation, Morning Exercise, Sneaker Bash, and a community service project.

Additionally, Y-USA is hosting a Multicultural Experience at General Assembly (ME at GA) preconference session (capacity is limited), and ME components will be offered throughout the entire conference for all GA attendees to experience.

General Assembly is a smart investment of time and resources in the future of your Y—and the future of the Movement. The value GA offers comes in many forms, including:

• Unparalleled networking opportunities, connecting you and your team to the knowledge and experience of over 4,000 Y leaders.
• Learning sessions designed to empower attendees with innovative tools, actionable strategies, and insights from some of the Y’s most dynamic leaders and national subject matter experts.
• Access to a vendor exhibition where you and your team can explore the latest and greatest products and services to support your work.

For board volunteers in particular, General Assembly helps deepen their understanding of the Y as a national organization. CEOs report that when volunteers attend the conference, they become more highly engaged with their local Y. The experience improves their ability as a volunteer to serve their community.

You can register for General Assembly here!

Phone calls are not accepted for registration.

Online registration will continue through Aug. 15. After Aug 16, registration will be handled onsite at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

No refunds will be issued for registrations, but substitutions may be made.

Registration periods and their rates are outlined below.

Early Bird: $750, available through Feb. 8
Standard: $900, available Feb. 9 – Aug. 15
Onsite: $1,000, available Sept 17-18, 2026
Student Fee: $350, available through Feb. 8
Onsite Substitutions: $25

No, CEOs and CVOs will not receive free registration to General Assembly in 2026

The application period for General Assembly scholarships has closed.

Yes. Full-time, college students 24 years of age or under may attend the conference for a reduced rate of $350. This courtesy rate is available to attract younger leaders with a vested interest in the Y as a career. Students are still responsible for all other fees and expenses at the regular attendee rate. To secure this rate, students must email the following to general.assembly@ymca.net:

• Proof of full-time college enrollment in the form of a student ID and a current transcript.
• For full-time students enrolled in online programs, a confirmation of their full-time status on college letterhead by the admissions office would suffice as a substitute for the student ID.

Once approved, students will receive a discount code via email, which they will enter upon check-out to secure the reduced student rate. The discounted rate expires on Sunday, February 8.

Please check your spam folder if you can’t find your confirmation email. The email was sent from Y-USA Conference Registration (registrar@ymca.net).

Once you receive your registration confirmation, you will receive an email with a unique confirmation number to use to access your registration and make changes (session selections, profile updates, special event ticket purchases) at any time before the conference. The deadline for making changes is Aug. 15.

If you have registered and are unable to attend the conference, someone may be sent in your place. However, the maximum number of substitutions that will be accepted per registrant is two. The new registrant will need to access the registration site, select the “Substitute Registration” button and enter the original registrant’s confirmation number and email address. Next, the new registrant will need to enter their own registration information and, if applicable, change selections for educational sessions and special events.

All substitutions must be made by Aug. 15. Substitutions after Aug. 15 must be made onsite and will be assessed a $25 processing fee at time of check-in.

Y-USA has negotiated discounted rates at several area hotels within walking distance of the convention center. Ys can expect room rates in the range of $239-329 per night.

You will be able to make a room reservation at these discounted rates via the General Assembly hotel reservation website only after you have registered.

Your confirmation email from “Y-USA Conference Registration” will include a link to the hotel reservation website. On the hotel reservation site, you will be prompted to enter the email address you used to register for the conference to access the hotel room options and make your reservation.

No. General Assembly is a constitutionally required governance meeting for staff and volunteers at the Y. If your spouse or family member is a volunteer, they can register as a volunteer with full access to all conference sessions, exhibitions and activities.

They may attend as your guest at the Sneaker Bash, with a paid guest admission ticket.

The General Assembly hotels and event site are in the heart of downtown New Orleans, with many attractions within walking distance or a short carshare/transit ride, including the historic French Quarter, Audubon Aquarium, the National World War II Museum, Louisiana Children’s Museum, New Orleans Jazz Museum, and more. To learn more about New Orleans and family activities in the area, visit the New Orleans Tourism website.

No. As a staff- and volunteer-oriented professional development event geared toward adult education and engagement, General Assembly does not offer child care or activities for children. Families are welcome to come to New Orleans and enjoy the city’s tourist attractions.

Y-USA is monitoring the level of support we need and we will happily add your name and the name of your YMCA to a list of prospects for volunteer assistance. Please contact us at general.assembly@ymca.net. If we need additional help, Y-USA will reach out to Ys in the area and notify them of our needs.

Vendors interested in exhibiting at the 2026 General Assembly may contact exhibits@ymca.net.

Please email general.assembly@ymca.net.