Inside ACA:

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• Inside ACA
• A look at our association the brutal truths as
  we approach our next 100 years

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Over the last fifteen years, ACA has made
significant progress

• 1996 New Chartering agreement adopted
• 1998 Peg Smith hired as new CEO, brings
  extensive experience in youth development to
  association
• 1998 ACA Board made decision to re-align the
  association
• 1999 Membership system and service fees
  altered realized membership growth for first
  time in nearly 15 years
• 2000 ACA Board developed Master Plan for
  organization
• 2002 Campaign 07 launched

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• Building on the momentum achieved over the past
  few years, today, the ACA seeks to embrace the
  following positioning
• The American Camping Association is the
  pre- eminent authority on the camp experience and
  a credible leader in the field of experiential
  education, with a particular focus on children
  and youth.

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• As the ACA embraces this position, it will
  further promote the benefits of the camp
  experience and enhance the range of services
  offered to individual camps. Through the
  development and implementation of this position,
  the ACA seeks to establish
• Value demonstrating credibility in the fields
  of education, recreation and youth development.
• Image capturing and expressing visually the
  ACA values and purpose to member, parents,
  campers, youth development experts and others

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• Identity identifying and promoting messages
  that convey the ACAs and its members position
  and contributions to children, youth and
  families.
• Influence creating a climate where the ACA and
  its members possess the credibility to drive and
  participate in national discussion around the
  camp experience and its value for young people,
  adults and the community.

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So how did we do?

• Value we now have excellent research that
  clearly articulates the value of the camp
  experience
• Published Directions in 2005
• Published Inspirations in 2006
• Published Innovations in 2006
• Image we have a new name and a new corporate
  identity, both designed to express ACA values to
  different audiences
• Modified and improved ACAs name by dropping the
  ing
• Updated the corporate identity, rebranding ACA

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• Identity our website and publications clearly
  convey the contributions of camp to children,
  youth, and families
• Published ACAs first publication targeted toward
  parents, CAMP
• Developed a parent web site
• Developed online parent newsletter
• Developed Spanish version of web site and CAMP
  and secured Spanish translation for phone service
• Influence we have been participants in numerous
  national dialogues and/or collaborations
• Children Nature Network
• Search Institute
• High Scope
• American Academy of Pediatrics

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In the last five years, we also

• Developed and expanded on-line services for
  members
• Revised the Camp Standards
• Conducted a series of organizational audits to
  sharpen the view of ACAs current reality
• Developed a National Office Business Plan
• Outsourced our publishing efforts to Healthy
  Learning
• Revised our Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation,
  and Charter
• Adopted Policy Governance on the national level
• Continued addressing non-dues revenue

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• Experienced a modest membership growth
• Initiated more aggressive fundraising
• Continued research efforts
• Healthy Camps Study
• Ongoing research on trends, enrollment, and
  program specific research such as nature programs
• Improved association technology capabilities
  significantly through the purchase and
  installation of new hardware and software
• National and all sections will share a common
  database
• Software will be a true constituent management
  system
• Information access will increase substantially
• We anticipate going live in May 2008

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We have looked at ourselves and know that there
are some brutal truths which we must face.
However....
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1. Were not the only game in town

• Other non-profit associations and some for-profit
  businesses are often quoted in the media as camp
  experts
• There are at least twenty other major websites
  listing hundreds of camps (in addition to all of
  our sections, some of whom have their own
  searchable databases) not including regional
  sites or sites dedicated to a specific clientele
  (i.e., camps in the New York area, YMCA camps,
  sports camps or Presbyterian camps)

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2. We dont own the term camp

• Thousands of summer programs call themselves a
  camp, regardless of the attributes of the
  program
• Malls offer short programs they call camp
• Sports teams call their pre-season practices
  camp
• Some youth detention programs are labeled boot
  camps
• Even mans best friends can go to camp.

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All Day Play, Snooze The Night Away Live
"Camper Cams" Certified Camp Counselors
Campfire Treats Spacious Overnight Cabins
Indoor/Outdoor Play

• Camp Bow Wow Premier Doggy Day and Overnight
  Camps provide a fun, safe and upscale environment
  for dogs to play, romp and receive lots of love
  and attention! We provide doggy day camp for
  clients wishing to drop their dogs off in the
  morning and pick them up in the evening, as well
  as overnight boarding for travelers. Overnight
  boarders play in the day camp program during the
  day and have their own individual cabins at
  night. Some facilities also offer a variety of
  other services including grooming, training,
  doggy massage and an assortment of retail items,
  including Camp Bow Wow brand dog bowls, bandanas
  and more!

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3. Its not easy for camps who are either new or
not accredited or for individuals not associated
with an accredited camp to receive services from
ACA

• For now, the only perceived way to become a part
  of ACA is through accreditation of a camp
• Membership has been tied closely to camp fees
  (paid by accredited camps)
• Service fees are viewed by some non-members as
  too expensive

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4. ACA Accreditation does not have the public
recognition that we want it to
?

• Our own research tells us that over 90 of the
  public doesnt know what accreditation by ACA
  means (nor what ACA is)
• The standards program, however, continues to be
  ACAs signature program

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5. Of the estimated 12,000 camps in the US, only
2,700 are accredited by ACA

• The number of accredited camps has increased, but
  only by a relatively small number over the last
  ten years
• As an organization and as individuals, we are
  passionate about the camp experience. But so are
  the operators of the other 9,300 camps in the
  United States who are NOT accredited by ACA.
• Many view our current accreditation program as
  cumbersome, with too many standards

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6. There are approximately 11,000,000 children
and youth who attend camp. Of those, only 10
attend ACA camps.

• According to the US Census Bureau, there are an
  estimated 53,317,926 children ages 5 17, as of
  July 1, 2006
• The number attending all camps is less than 20
  of the total population of children
• The number attending ACA camps is less than 2 of
  the total population of children

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7. Our message is not being heard.

• As an association, we have provided a tremendous
  amount of information to the public on a very
  limited budget
• Unfortunately, its not enough. One of our major
  funders told us your voice is too soft. To
  make a significant impact, we must commit
  significant dollars to public awareness.
• It is estimated that a national public awareness
  campaign will cost approximately 300,000.
• .per year, every year, to make an impact and to
  influence not only the public, but public
  decision makers.

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8. Since the revamp of the charter agreement in
the mid-1990s, sections have grown stronger.
However..

• 9 of 24 sections have fewer than 200 members
• 15 sections have fewer than 100 camps
• 4 sections have fewer than 50 camps
• 15 sections do not have a full time staff person
• only 4 sections have more than one staff person
• 7 sections have less than 50K in net assets
• 6 sections have less than 50K in annual income

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9. Generating charitable contributions and
non-dues revenue for ACA continues to be a major
challenge. These efforts are crucial because

• 45 of the national organizations budget is
  currently from dues and fees (mainly camp fees)
• 16 of our 24 sections rely on dues and fees for
  over 60 of their annual operating budgets
• Some camps now pay over 10,000 annually in fees

.mission motivates, but money makes things
happen!
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• If we want more children to have a true camp
  experience
• If we want more public awareness of camp
• If we want to influence the public, including
  government, education, and business leaders
• If we want our association to evolve into a
  larger, more inclusive organization
• ...then we must change our culture

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10. To change our culture, we must begin by
changing our governance.

• Our national board is unlike most other 501(c)3
  membership organizations, as almost all of their
  board members are from the public, not the
  membership
• To recruit public leaders (corporate, business,
  professional, educational, and others), we must
  have a board where a significant majority of the
  members are also public leaders
• Public leaders as board members can provide
  access to public awareness and charitable dollars
  that we currently dont have
• Public leaders can provide a stronger voice for
  both ACA and camp to the public

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So those are the brutal facts about our
organization.

• What are we going to do?
• How can we achieve our 20/20 vision?
• How can we gain influence for ACA?
• How can we pay for what needs to be done?
• What does this mean for me? For my camp?
• What does this mean for children and youth?

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We can achieve our vision of 20 million campers
and 20 thousand participants in ACA only by
taking drastic measures.

• The ACA National Board has decided to change its
  composition so that public leaders, not camp
  professionals, make up the majority of board
  members
• The Board has committed funding to develop an
  integrated funds development/cause
  marketing/public awareness program

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• ACAs membership system must be more inviting to
  both individuals and camps. The membership task
  force is already working on this issue. The
  first changes in membership will go into effect
  this year.
• Our accreditation/education system must be easier
  to access by camps and camp professionals. A new
  task force has been formed to develop
  recommendations on how our accreditation/educatio
  n system can be more effective.

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What else?

• We must step out of our comfort zone, letting go
  of the fraternity-like association that many of
  us have enjoyed for years
• We must embrace a new ACA that serves the
  public first and foremost
• We must take a careful look at the health of our
  organization, especially our sections
• We must act like a 501(c)3 public-benefit
  organization, not a 501(c)6 trade association
• The Council of Delegates must decide for what
  purpose it exists and how it should function

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What does this mean for me?My camp?

• Greater recognition as a professional who adds
  value to the growth and development of others
• Recognition as an expert in the area of human
  development
• Greater potential to receive funding from new
  sources
• More influence on the public stage
• Increased enrollment

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What does this mean for children, youth, and
adults?

• More parents from all social, cultural, and
  economic groups will value of the camp experience
  understand the
• Increasing numbers of children, youth, and adults
  of all social, cultural, and economic groups will
  have a camp experience

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• Only those who will risk going too far can
  possibly find out how far they can go.
• T.S. Elliot

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With courage, we can make the American Camp
Association.

• an organization with diversified funding that
  allows us to achieve our 20/20 vision, ultimately
  providing
• public awareness,
• professional education, and
• widespread influence
• that encourages and enables 20 million children
  and youth to have a high quality camp experience
  and
• includes 20,000 participants in ACA programs

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for over 20 million children and youth