Calleva

What Calleva does

Calleva is a Poolesville, Maryland-based outdoor education and adventure non-profit organization operating across Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. It delivers a diversified portfolio of experiential programs organized around three pillars — Camp (overnight and day programs for ages 4-16 including Calleva Cubs, Explorers, Sampler, Adventure, and High Adventure camps, plus Leaders in Training and an Adventure Education Internship), River (the year-round Calleva River School covering youth kayak, flatwater/touring, whitewater from beginner to instructor level, plus rescue training and advanced programs such as Cheat, Yough, Southeast Stouts, and Surf Academy), and Farm (a 165-acre working farm in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve hosting equestrian programs, nature-immersion/forest-school curricula, farm-to-table Pizza Nights, and a Farm Store). It also runs group programs for schools, scouts, and corporate teams and offers a callevariverstore.com paddlesports retail outlet and Trough Outfitters in Romney, WV.

The underlying "technology" is operationally land- and credential-based: a physical infrastructure footprint across six sites (165-acre Dickerson farm, Riley's Lock on the Potomac, Calleva McLean at Madeira School, Camp Fraser in Great Falls VA, Trough Outfitters in Romney WV, and the downtown Poolesville stores), ACA-accredited safety processes maintained for 20+ years, and credentialed paddlesports and equestrian instructors. Back-office technology is minimal and third-party: CampInTouch for camp registration, FareHarbor for Pizza Night reservations, WordPress/Genesis CMS for the website, and standard social channels (Facebook/Instagram). Proprietary_technology and AI feature lists are empty in the source data.

Calleva monetizes through a multi-stream model: per-program tuition (camps, River School classes, equestrian lessons), unit-priced group experiences ($100/day Spring Break program, $400-$600 equestrian packages, $26.50-$28 pizzas and a $30 reservation fee at Pizza Nights), retail hardware sales at the Farm Store and River Store, and customized B2B group contracts for schools and corporate teams. Go-to-market is community- and event-led, anchored by word-of-mouth among a 30+ year family/alumni base, supported by SEO, content marketing via the Calleva blog, and partnerships such as its water-quality collaboration with Potomac Riverkeeper. Customer segments are diversified across families, schools, outdoor adventurers, foodies, and corporate/scout groups, with no material customer-concentration risk identified.

Name

Calleva

Legal name

Calleva

Website

https://calleva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Calleva is a Poolesville, Maryland-based non-profit outdoor education organization delivering year-round camp, paddlesports (River School), equestrian, farm, and group-team-building programs across MD, VA, and WV. It serves families, school groups, outdoor enthusiasts, and foodies via a 165-acre farm and six sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAOAA

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development)

SECONDARYTHAAAKAM

Adventure Multi-Sport Camps & Skills Academies

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure Sports & Activity Centers (Paragliding, Skydiving, Surf Schools)

SECONDARYEDAMALAA

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Outdoor education programs
• Summer camp services
• Kayaking instruction
• Equestrian programs
• Farm-to-table experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Poolesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Summer and Year-Round Camp Programs: Calleva generates primary revenue through summer camp programs (June-August) including Calleva Cubs, Explorers, Sampler Camp, Adventure Camp, and High Adventure Camps. Year-round programs include Leaders in Training and Adventure Education Internship.
2. River School Programs: Kayaking and paddlesports instruction including youth kayak, flatwater touring, rescue and instructor training, private lessons, and specialized programs like Cheat Training, Southeast Stouts, and Surf Academy. Programs run year-round with evening and weekend classes.
3. Farm Store Retail Sales: The Farm Store sells seasonal produce, eggs, meats, fresh bread baked daily, local honey, dairy products, and handcrafted gift items sourced from Calleva's own farm and other local farmers in the Montgomery County Agricultural Preserve.
4. Pizza Nights at the Farm: Saturday evening farm-to-table dining experience featuring wood-fired pizzas, local beers and wines, farm-fresh salads, and ice cream. Reservations required with $30 non-refundable fee per booking.
5. Equestrian Programs: Horseback riding lessons and programs including Saddle Club, Teen Saddle Club, Summer Horse Camp, Tiny Tots (ages 3-6), Pony Picnics, leasing, and practice rides. Programs run at Calleva Farm in Dickerson, MD.
6. Nature Immersion Programs: Farm and Forest Cubs (ages 3-5), Nature Adventures for homeschool students (ages 6-12), and School's Out Activities during breaks. Focus on outdoor education and forest school philosophy.
7. Group Programs: Customized team building and outdoor adventure experiences for school groups, corporate groups, scouts, and other organizations. Programs include challenge course activities and agricultural education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Calleva is an educational non-profit outdoor education organization that runs summer day camps, overnight river-school kayaking programs, and farm-based experiences including equestrian, nature immersion, and farm-to-table dining on a 165-acre working farm in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. Programs combine challenge-by-choice adventure sports with sustainable agriculture to promote personal growth for children, teens, families, and organized groups.

Product overview

Calleva is an outdoor education and adventure organization offering a diversified portfolio of experiential programs centered around three main pillars: Camp (overnight and day camps for ages 4-16), River (Calleva River School with year-round kayaking instruction), and Farm (equestrian services, nature immersion, and farm-to-table dining). Additional offerings include Trough Outfitters in West Virginia, group team-building programs, leadership development (Leaders in Training and Adventure Education Internship), and retail operations (River Store and Farm Store). The company operates across multiple Maryland and Virginia locations and provides ACA-accredited programming focused on personal growth, skill building, and outdoor adventure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Calleva Farm: 165-acre farm in Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve offering equestrian programs, farm-to-table dining (Pizza Nights), nature immersion, and farm store.
• Calleva River School
• Trough Outfitters
• Calleva River Store

Products and services

• Calleva Summer Camp (Camp Fraser & Adventure Camp) Day-camp programs for elementary-aged children and an overnight adventure-camp program for teens located at the 165-acre Calleva Farm on the Potomac River, combining adventure activities, equestrian, sailing, and farming experiences for personal growth.
• Calleva River School American Canoe Association (ACA)-accredited kayaking and paddle-sports instruction program on the Potomac River, offering group and private lessons for youth and adults of all skill levels.
• Calleva Farm 165-acre working farm in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve providing equestrian programs (pony picnics, group lessons), farm-to-table dining (pizza nights), nature immersion programs, and tours for visitors.
• Trough Outfitters Adventure and outfitter program that pairs participants with activities such as hunting, fishing, kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits for a hands-on outdoor lifestyle experience.
• Leaders in Training (LIT) Work-based leadership development program for teens providing experience as camp counselors in training and as outdoor adventure education internship participants.
• Group Programs Customized outdoor education programs for school groups, scout troops, and corporate teams featuring team-building, kayaking, farm experiences, and challenge-by-choice activities.
• Calleva Farm Store On-site retail store at Calleva Farm selling farm merchandise, branded apparel, and farm-related products to visiting customers.
• Calleva River Store On-site retail store at the river location selling branded merchandise, apparel, and paddling-related items to visitors and participants.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Potomac RiverkeepercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalleva works closely with Potomac Riverkeeper for water quality monitoring on the Potomac River. Potomac Riverkeeper conducts daily testing, reports contamination levels (such as E. coli), and helps Calleva stay informed about current river conditions. This partnership is essential for Calleva's kayaking and water-based programs to ensure safety and guide programming decisions during water quality incidents like sewage spills.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Potomac Paddlesports: DC-area outfitter offering kayaking lessons, tours, and paddlesports instruction on the Potomac River. Direct regional competitor for Calleva River School's kayaking instruction and tour offerings.
• Echo Hill Outdoor School: Maryland-based overnight outdoor education program serving school groups with environmental and adventure programming. Directly comparable in serving Mid-Atlantic school groups with outdoor adventure education.
• Outward Bound USA: National outdoor education and adventure organization offering expeditions, paddlesports, and leadership programs. Direct peer given shared outdoor adventure education mission, multi-activity programming, and youth leadership development focus.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Leading outdoor education provider offering wilderness courses, paddlesports instruction, and leadership training. Directly comparable to Calleva River School's instructor training, rescue courses, and skills academy offerings.
• Capital Camps: DC-area Jewish summer camp operator offering overnight and day camp programming with adventure activities. Comparable in serving the same DC metro family demographic with multi-activity summer camp programs.

Regional players

• Riverside Outfitters: Virginia-based outfitter offering canoe, kayak, and tubing rentals and instruction on the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Comparable in offering paddlesports instruction and outfitter services, but primarily serving different Virginia river segments.
• Camp Towanda / Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum: Established Pennsylvania summer camp serving families from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Comparable in serving similar family demographic with multi-activity overnight summer camp programming.

Broad incumbents

• Frost Valley YMCA: Large East Coast YMCA camp and outdoor education center in New York offering summer camps, school group programs, and adventure activities. Comparable in combining overnight camp, outdoor education, and group programming at scale.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Regional outdoor education and recreation organization with huts, trails, and adventure programming across the Northeast. Broadly comparable in combining outdoor skills instruction, adventure programming, and environmental stewardship.

Emerging players

• Audubon Naturalist Society: DC-area environmental education nonprofit offering nature programs and field-based learning. Comparable in offering nature-based education in the DC metro area, though with more focus on environmental/nature content versus adventure activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CallevaMD
• Instagraminstagram.com/callevaoutdoors
• Xx.com/callevaoutdoors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/callevaoutdoors

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Calleva