About ACA

Building Belonging and Empowering Camps

The American Camp Association (ACA) believes in our mission and vision of empowering camps to create quality experiences that build a world of belonging and growth. It's a mission that we believe will impact lives and transform the way we view education, professional development, accreditation, government relations, and community engagement.

The heart of the camp experience is built on a foundational expectation that we all deserve the opportunity to feel like we belong. We believe camp is about fostering a healthy and safe environment where every camper feels valued, accepted, and celebrated for who they are. In a world that often emphasizes differences, camps have been a sanctuary where diversity is viewed as strength.

Belonging doesn't just happen; it's intentionally nurtured. It's the feeling of being part of something bigger — a community that supports, challenges, and uplifts each other. It's the counselors who become mentors, the campers who become lifelong friends, and the lessons that shape us.  

We believe camp staff are the architects of safe and transformative experiences. We see how your dedication, passion, and commitment are what make our camps not just places on a map, but places of purpose.

As we look ahead to the next stage of growth for ACA, let's lean into this engaging new chapter — to empower camps to create quality experiences that build a world of belonging and growth. Let's continue to innovate, adapt, and evolve.

Together, as members, volunteers, and stakeholders of our shared success, ACA is a place to connect and thrive, building careers and mentoring the next generation of leaders. In a time when our society sometimes feels polarizing and unfocused, let us be the shining example of unity through diversity.

The future calls on each of us to commit to our new mission and vision with grace and innovation — to build a world where every school-aged individual has access to quality camp experiences.

Join ACA Today

Nominations for 2027 member‐at‐large positions are due by September 30, 2026.  If you have a nomination, please complete the Board Prospect Form. 

Any member of the American Camp Association may submit recommendations for nomination to the ACA Board of Directors.  Members may submit their own names, if desired.  The ACA Board Governance Committee (BGC) is responsible for maintaining a database of individuals interested in serving on the board.  The Board of Directors appoints the BGC and meets throughout the year to complete its work, which includes monitoring the terms of board members, developing a gap analysis related to Board needs, reviewing and cultivating potential candidates for service, interviewing potential candidates, and developing a slate of officers and members for election by the Board of Directors. 

The steps for recommending candidates and election to the ACA Board of Directors are as follows:

Step One

Skill Set Evaluation: In conjunction with the Board of Directors, the BGC will assess the Board’s skill set requirements and needs annually in the fall of each year.

Step Two

Evaluation of Current Board Members: The BGC will review the self-evaluations of current members of the ACA Board who are eligible for reelection and wish to serve a second term, and evaluate their skill sets in comparison with the needed skill sets as identified by the Board.  The BGC may request assistance from a third party in evaluating current Board members.

Step Three

Receiving Recommendations for Potential New Board Members:  Based on the Board’s identified skill set requirements, the BGC will consider nominees recommended by Board members, ACA members, ACA staff, and other recommendations that may come to the committee’s attention, and will review profiles already in the Board's prospect database. Recommendations should be made using the Board Prospect Form. 

Step Four

Reviewing Candidate Resumes: The BGC will meet in the fall of each year to review candidates and their resumes.  After consideration and approval by the full committee, a BGC member will be assigned to conduct interviews with prospective board members.  The BGC will assess the individuals for a high level of personal and professional integrity and commitment to promote the long-term interests of the American Camp Association.  Finally, the BGC should be convinced that the potential candidate is committed to dedicating adequate time to serve as a Board member.

Step Five

Additional Interviews and Due Diligence:  With the prospective candidate’s concurrence, a due diligence process and evaluation will be conducted.  

Step Six

Voting on New Members: The cumulative results of the interview process will be discussed with the entire BGC, and a formal vote will be taken to recommend candidates to the ACA Board for election. The BGC chair will draft a cover sheet for review by the Board, which will include brief biographical information about each recommended candidate.  The ACA Board will vote at the meeting immediately preceding the ACA National Conference.  New Board members take office immediately following the National Conference and attend a virtual orientation shortly thereafter. They will also participate in an in-person orientation just before the spring board meeting. 

The Faith-based Camp Kindred is an affiliate organization of the American Camp Association (ACA) to serve the interests of the religiously affiliated camp community. Membership in this community is open to any individual or camp that is a current member of ACA. Contact ACA's membership team for more information about joining at 765-342-8456. 

Benefits of Membership

• Community and connections to a network of peers
• Newsletter supporting your work
• National voice
• Professional development on issues important to the faith-based camp community

What Do Your Kindred Dues Pay For?

When you opt to pay kindred dues, you are supporting the work of the kindred group to host events and you are supporting the overall work of the association. At times, the leadership of this group may determine to spend dues to fund a particular event or project related to the interests of this kindred. Anyone may attend the virtual and in-person events hosted by this group, whether they have chosen to pay the elective dues or not. Some in-person events may have an additional cost. Learn more about all the ACA kindred and affinity groups.

Join Now

If you are already an ACA individual member and would like to join ACA's Faith-based Camp Kindred, please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

If you are NOT already an ACA individual member and would like to join, please do so online and choose the ACA Faith-based Camp Kindred also.

Join ACA and Faith-based Kindred

Questions? Contact Christen Peterson.

The American Camp Association (ACA)’s most recent data on staff and camper demographics indicate that 28 percent–30 percent of day and overnight campers are campers of color, while staff of color makes up 29% of staff at day camps and just 21 percent of overnight camp staff. These numbers are steadily climbing, and though we are heartened to see representation growing, we also know that more children and families in the US could benefit from the camp experience. Today, more than half of Gen Zers (individuals born after 1996) are racial or ethnic minorities. When we compare this number to the number of minority campers served by camps in ACA's data, it is clear that we are falling short.

Before the pandemic, more than 15,000 summer camps across the country currently serve 26 million campers each year. Yet after 15-16 months of isolation and traumatic disconnection of children from their peers, camps are seeing increased interest in camp from parents who have not considered camp for the kids before.  However, with 76 million children of school age (5–18) in the US, many more children and youth deserve opportunities for beneficial educational and developmental outcomes from camp. To reach more children and ensure a future of sustainability for the camp field, individual camps must address the nation’s changing demographics by becoming more culturally aware and responsive. New families are actively enrolling in camp programs that they learn about through personal experience or word of mouth, and parents are increasingly seeking opportunities for their children to learn from others with different backgrounds and experiences.

We know that organizations reflecting diversity in both ethnicity and gender are 25 percent more likely to be profitable than non-diverse organizations (and brands) competing in the same category. Recruiting staff to meet industry-recognized standards or state and county regulations for diversity, equity, and inclusion offers camps an additional important benchmark. Recruiting and retaining diverse staff who feel seen, heard, and valued will increase interest in working at camp within camps’ hiring pool of 18- to 25-year-olds.

It is not enough to say that we want more diverse staff. We must acknowledge that we need more diverse staff to evolve our programs, practices, training, and policies to reflect the changing demographics of the US’s potential camper population. Including and welcoming camp staff of diverse identities is not sufficient to support belonging in a camp’s culture. True belonging in the camp environment comes from acknowledging our differences and providing the resources, time, and training that staff needs to address the belonging gap in a camp’s culture.

Finally, we must consider the quality of the camp experience for all staff and campers through a lens of social responsibility while addressing mental health challenges and trends in youth. We know through ACA research that camp provides a critical developmental and educational experience. As such, camp can be a powerful tool in addressing the inequities experienced by youth across the country.

The camp industry strives to enrich the lives of all children, youth, and adults through the camp experience. Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at camp is a growth strategy on two fronts. First, It Is a viable business strategy to ensure the economic sustainability and growth of Individual business models. It also, however, Is a strategy for providing the critical educational and developmental growth that children require to reach their greatest potential. A focus on diversity, equity, and Inclusion will ensure camps’ continued relevance and to meet the changing needs of families, while also being an important tool in addressing historical inequities. While every camp cannot strive to serve every child, every camp will significantly benefit from prioritizing and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their programs.

ACA Commitment

Through this work, the American Camp Association commits to prioritizing and appropriately resourcing diversity, equity, and inclusion to increase the reach, relevance, and equitable access to camp experiences. ACA will endeavor to routinely evaluate our strategy, efficacy, and advocacy for a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable experience at camp. We acknowledge that as our focus on this work is implemented and evolves, we will identify data, bias, and cultural barriers that will impact and change our strategy for achieving the outcomes identified here.