Christian Camp & Conference Center Funding Survey
"Out of the Woods - A Comprehensive Guide to Funding Camp Ministries" is out of print. CSA members are given permission to photocopy these research results for non-commercial purposes. To become a CSA member, complete the online order form, or call 847/375-4741.
GENERAL INFORMATION
| 1. |
How many hours drive are you from a major metro area of 250,000 or more? |
1-5 Hours |
| |
|
|
| 2. |
Which one category comes closest to describing your program and/or facility?
(Check only one) |
|
| |
A resident camp |
27% |
| |
A day camp |
1% |
| |
A conference center |
8% |
| |
A retreat center |
6% |
| |
A camp, conference, and retreat center |
51% |
| |
Wilderness/trip camp |
1% |
| |
Other |
5% |
| |
|
|
| 3. |
What is the number of beds in your facility? |
(median) |
| |
Total year-round |
150 |
| |
Total summer program |
196 |
| |
|
|
| 4. |
What is the number of staff people employed by your camp? |
(median) |
| |
Number of year-round full time people |
4 |
| |
Number of year-round part time people |
4 |
| |
Total number of year-round people |
7 |
| |
Estimated number of seasonal staff/volunteers over 12 months |
45 |
| |
|
|
| 5. |
Which of the following best describes the ownership and incorporation status of your camp/conference center? (Check only one) |
|
| |
For-profit organization |
2% |
| |
Owned by one church |
4% |
| |
Owned by a denomination or a denominational group of churches |
51% |
| |
Owned by a group or association of churches organized for the purpose of owning a camp |
4% |
| |
Owned by an independent non-profit Christian parachurch organization or ministry |
27% |
| |
Other |
12% |
| |
|
|
| 6. |
Check memberships you hold in the following organizations: (Check all that apply) |
|
| |
Christian Camping International (CCI) |
70% |
| |
American Camping Association (ACA) |
48% |
| |
International Association of Conference Center Administrators (IACCA) |
16% |
| |
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) |
7% |
| |
Other |
19% |
| |
|
|
| 7. |
Position/title of person primarily filling out this survey. |
|
| |
CEO/executive director |
78% |
| |
Other |
0% |
| |
Camp director |
10% |
| |
Other director |
7% |
| |
Asst. director |
1% |
| |
Administrator |
3% |
| |
Owner |
0% |
| |
Board chairman |
1% |
| |
|
|
| 8. |
How many years have you served in your present capacity for your camp? |
6 years (median) |
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
| 9. |
Based on your last year-end financial statement, what was your total annual income? |
$288,273
(median) |
| |
|
|
| 10. |
What amount of this annual income came from donations? |
$44,306
(median) |
| |
What percentage of your total budget does this represent? |
17%
(median) |
| |
|
|
| 11. |
Please complete the following table. Your helpful and as accurate as possible answers when filling out this table are very, very important. The summary results of this information have the potential to greatly impact the successful funding of your camp and other camps in the future. |
Check if
you do |
Source of donations |
Donor success rate percentage
(# of people who gave
divided by # of people
contacted = % success)
(median) |
Total amount
of income you
received in the
last 12 months
(median) |
Average size
gift (total raised
divided by
number of givers)
(median) |
| 16% |
Appeal letters |
8% |
$12,632 |
$101 |
| 28% |
Banquets |
44% |
$8,000 |
$73 |
| 11% |
Staff missionary support |
16% |
$30,025 |
$404 |
| 13% |
Monthly donor clubs |
38% |
$12,452 |
$121 |
| 32% |
Denominational support or subsidy |
80% |
$39,988 |
$3,749 |
| 50% |
Church support |
44% |
$10,000 |
$567 |
| 32% |
Building drive for a single project |
7% |
$15,025 |
$237 |
| 15% |
Capital fund drive (multiple projects) |
12% |
$67,877 |
$393 |
| 34% |
Camper scholarship fund |
7% |
$2,750 |
$115 |
| 24% |
Offerings |
50% |
$4,451 |
$55 |
| 15% |
Personal presentations to major donors |
87% |
$32,500 |
$2,003 |
| 7% |
Phonathons |
40% |
$5,000 |
$85 |
| 7% |
Golf tournaments |
50% |
$7,300 |
$100 |
| 12% |
Deferred gift income (estates, wills) |
33% |
$22,698 |
$10,054 |
| 11% |
Gifts-in-kind from companies |
67% |
$4,992 |
$933 |
| 15% |
Foundations |
80% |
$9,967 |
$9,000 |
| 24% |
Other: |
50% |
$8,150 |
$135 |
| 7% |
Other: |
40% |
$6,000 |
$100 |
| 3% |
Other: |
23% |
$3,030 |
$81 |
TOTAL AMOUNT: $55,300
MINISTRY INDEBTEDNESS
| 12. |
Total estimated amount of long-term (over 5 years) mortgages and loans. |
$139,500 (median) |
| |
|
|
| |
If you have long-term mortgages or loans, please estimate how much was originally borrowed for any of the following items. (If you cannot estimate the amount, put a check by the items you know the loan/s were used for.) |
|
| |
Land purchase |
32% |
| |
New cabin facilities |
20% |
| |
New bathroom facilities |
9% |
| |
Building renovations |
26% |
| |
Equipment purchase |
6% |
| |
Original purchase of the facility |
20% |
| |
New motel facilities |
16% |
| |
New dining facility |
12% |
| |
Bill consolidation loan |
16% |
| |
|
|
| 13. |
Total estimated amount of leases or short-term (1-5 years) loans. |
$23,000 (median) |
| |
|
|
| |
If you have short-term loans, what amount did you originally borrow for
any of the following items? |
|
| |
Vehicles |
39% |
| |
Office equipment |
9% |
| |
Kitchen equipment |
4% |
| |
Shop equipment |
6% |
| |
Bill consolidation |
16% |
| |
Other |
49% |
| |
|
|
| 14. |
Over the past 12 months, have you ever not been able to pay all of your bills in full or had to rely on a line of credit from the bank to meet your monthly obligations? |
No 73%
Yes 27% |
| |
If yes, which month(s) were the most financially difficult? |
|
| |
| January |
47% |
| February |
43% |
| March |
33% |
| April |
16% |
| May |
11% |
| June |
6% |
| July |
3% |
| August |
5% |
| September |
6% |
| October |
10% |
| November |
29% |
| December |
45% |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 15. |
Over the past 12 months, have you ever had to delay paying your staff because of lack of funds? |
Yes 92%
No 8% |
MAILING LIST AND DONOR INFORMATION
| 16. |
Please provide the following information on your top 5 most generous donors in the past 5 years: |
|
| Size of Gift |
Donor's
Occupation |
Donor's Tie
To Camp? |
Gift Was
Solicited |
Gift Came
Unsolicited |
What was Gift Used for
(building, general fund,
scholoarships, matching gift, etc.)? |
| 1. 15,000 |
Retired 82%
Business 58% |
Former board 56%
Board 18% |
47% |
53% |
Building improvement 143% |
| 2. 5,002 |
Teacher 11%
Church 16% |
Church 24%
Friend 104% |
55% |
45% |
General fund 78% |
| 3. 4,999 |
Professional 31%
Rancher 11% |
Former camper 29% |
62% |
38% |
Equipment 11% |
| 4. |
Contractor 11%
Insurance 15% |
Volunteer 8% |
|
|
Debt reduction 9% |
| 5. |
Housewife 4% |
Employee 11% |
|
|
Special project 8%
Endowment 6% |
| |
|
|
| 17. |
Check any of the following you’ve done to cultivate better relationships with your major donors. (Check all that apply.) |
|
| |
Write a personal note on the bottom of their receipt letter |
62% |
| |
Send a personal letter with their donation receipt |
83% |
| |
Call them on the phone just to thank them for their support |
57% |
| |
Call them on the phone 2 to 4 times per year to let them know how the ministry is going and to ask for their specific prayers |
22% |
| |
Schedule a meeting with them at their work place |
19% |
| |
Schedule a breakfast, luncheon, or dinner meeting with them |
27% |
| |
Schedule a social activity with them |
14% |
| |
Send them a birthday, anniversary, or get well card |
17% |
| |
Send them books, tapes, or articles you think would be an encouragement to them |
11% |
| |
Put together a personalized funding proposal for their consideration |
17% |
| |
Invite them for a camp tour or to come and be a guest at the camp without charge |
44% |
| |
Call to ask them how they are doing and how you can be praying for them |
16% |
| |
|
|
| 18. |
On average, how quickly do you mail out donor receipts? (Check only one.) |
|
| |
Within 48 hours |
30% |
| |
Within 1 week |
40% |
|
