Camp Counselors
2024–2027 Leadership Pathways Project
Up to 20 grant recipients will receive up to $18,000 per year for three years to support creating, improving, or expanding counselor-in-training or similar leadership development programs at camp. Grantees will work with a peer cohort to design, implement, and improve a counselor-in-training (CIT)-related initiative to increase access to camp leadership pathways for young people of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and identities.
All nonprofit camps and government agency organizations (i.e. parks & rec) that run camps were invited to apply during the application window that closed on April 11. They did not need to have a grant writer to submit, nor did the camp need to be ACA accredited. Applying to (or receiving) this grant does not disqualify camps from future grant opportunities through ACA.
The application deadline was April 11, 2024.
Phase 2 Awarded Grantees
We are pleased to announce our awarded grantees for Phase 2 (2024-2027)!
- Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project - Camp ANV (California)
- B'nai B'rith Camp, LLC / B'nai B'rith Men's Camp Association - BB Camp (Oregon)
- Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco - Camp Mendocino (California)
- Butler Community Arts School - Butler Community Arts School (Indiana)
- Camp Fire Alaska - Camp K on Kenai Lake (Alaska)
- Camp for All Kids - Four Star Fellowship Program (Wisconsin)
- Camp Hazen YMCA (Connecticut)
- Easterseals Central Illinois - Timber Pointe Outdoor Center (Illinois)
- Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta - Camp Meriwether and Camp Misty Mountain (Georgia)
- Happiness Is Camping (New Jersey)
- Live Oak Wilderness Camp (Mississippi, serving New Orleans youth)
- Maven Youth - LGBT+ Youth Summer Tech Camp (Texas)
- No Limits Foundation - Camp No Limits (Maine)
- Piers Park Sailing Center - Future Leaders Summer Camp (Massachusetts)
- The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center (New Hampshire)
- The Fresh Air Fund (New York)
- The H.E.A.R.T. Center (Arizona)
- The TVRC Education Foundation, Inc - Teton Valley Ranch Camp (Wyoming)
- University of Montana spectrUM Discovery Area - spectrUM Science Camps (Montana)
- Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute - Camp Wa-Ya (Washington)
- YWCA VT Camp Hochelaga (Vermont)
Read the press release.
Previous Phase 1 Awarded Grantees
Here are the awarded grantees from Phase 1 (2021-2024)
- Camp Common Ground
- Big Sur Land Trust Youth Outdoor Programs
- Tampa YMCA
- Camp Blodgett
- Aspire
- Trail Blazers
- Camp Santa Maria
- Montgomery County Recreation
- NatureBridge
- YMCA of Greater Seattle
- Camp Bovey
- Camp Mendocino
- Easterseals Colorado
- 4-H Primitive Pursuits
- Sherwood Forest
- Timber Pointe Outdoor Center
- Camp Kaufmann
- Camp Mokule’ia
- Lexington Recreation and Community Programs
- Acta Non Verba
- PARI Summer Space Camps
This project is made possible through the generous support of Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
Free One-Year Membership
What better way to welcome new staff to your camp than to give them the gift of a free, one-year membership to the American Camp Association (ACA)?
With an ACA membership, your staff can build their professional network, gain access to continuing education opportunities, and access ACA resources.
Additional benefits of an ACA membership include:
- Discounts on books, online courses and webinars, in-person events, and research tools
- Access to member-only content
- A free online course Critical Things Staff Need to Know about Bullying Prevention
- Online subscription to Camping Magazine and the ACA Now weekly e-newsletter
- Summer-staff tips via Staff Training Issue of Camping Magazine
Instructions to Set Up a New Member Profile
It is best if each person creates their own individual profile rather than the director making it for them, so they can set their own password and personal information. If staff have any issues, we are here to help!
- START HERE: Create New User
- Screen 1: Fill out the fields on the right side and click the button at the bottom to Create a User Account and Sign In.
- Screen 2: Mid-page, at the top of the active section, there is search box to look for my camp. Rather than setting up a new camp, look for “YOUR CAMP NAME” and hit Save.
- Screen 3: Click Join/Renew at the top of the page.
- Screen 4: Click Join on the left.
- Screen 5: ACA Membership – Click on a category. Select Continue.
- Screen 6: Select Continue again.
- Screen 7: Elective Dues. Choose and Continue.
- Screen 8: Contribution/Donation. Choose Continue.
- Screen 9: Membership Summary page, check the I AGREE Checkbox. Choose Continue.
- Screen 10: Enter the Promo Code ACAFREE and click Apply Promo (the little gift box).
- Screen 11: The order total will go to zero dollars (if it doesn’t, click the gift box again). Click Next. Click Next again.
- Screen 12: Click Done.
First Year Free Membership FAQs
