Camp Sonshine

What Camp Sonshine does

Camp Sonshine is a Christian nonprofit summer day camp, overnight camp, and conference/retreat center headquartered in Roca, Nebraska, founded in 2007. It serves families with school-aged children (campers entering 1st-9th grade) in the Lincoln, Nebraska region, plus church youth groups, school field-trip groups, homeschool families, grandparents, women's/men's retreat groups, and international programs in Mexico and Zambia through the Camp Sonshine International sub-brand. The organization's operating geography is concentrated in Nebraska, anchored by three owned facilities: the main Sonshine day-camp site in Roca, the 100-acre Shiloh property (acquired 2021) with a 17,000-square-foot indoor facility near Roca, and the 40-acre Solaris site near Firth which has supported overnight camps since 2015 and which is set to host a new day-camp "Trek" program in 2026.

Camp Sonshine's product portfolio spans age-tiered day camps (Explorer, Adventure, High Adventure, Teen Adventure), overnight camps (Journey, Expedition), leadership programs (LITs and Assistant Counselors), year-round offerings (Hang Time, Grandparent Camp, Spring Break Camp, Trail Life/American Heritage), facility rentals, and a year-round internship (RISE). Its technology platform is intentionally light: it runs on the third-party CampWise registration and payment system, embeds YouTube videos via the YouTube API client on its website, licenses the Waldo Photos facial-recognition service for parental photo delivery, and publishes a 2025-launched podcast ("UNLOCK & UNLEASH") on Spotify and YouTube. The organization does not develop proprietary software; its defensible assets are its real estate footprint, its seasonal programming playbook ("Three Uniques" framework, discipleship model, group ratios of 10-12 campers per counselor), and its community of alumni, families, staff and donors.

The business model blends fee-for-service revenue with donations. Camper tuition is explicitly used to cover all operating expenses, which allows 100% of donations to fund scholarships and capital projects. Pricing is per-camper unit pricing: $185/week Spring Break Day Camp, $45/day individual day, $30/camper one-day camps, $15 Grandparent Camp, plus a $50 deposit per session to hold a spot; youth retreats price at $75-$125 per student with a 45-student minimum. Revenue is also generated from facility rentals, retail apparel (with proceeds supporting Camp Sonshine International), and an annual Power of Camp fundraising dinner plus the Blueshirts monthly giving program. Customer concentration is diffuse across roughly 3,090 unique campers in summer 2025 and a broader base of retreat, donor, and international stakeholders, while geographically concentrated in Nebraska.

Name

Camp Sonshine

Legal name

Camp Sonshine

Website

https://campsonshinememories.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camp Sonshine is a Christian nonprofit organization operating a three-location summer day and overnight camp in Nebraska for children entering 1st-9th grade, supplemented by facility rentals, year-round programs, and international initiatives in Mexico and Zambia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-based Youth Summer Camps

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Christian summer camps
• Youth overnight camps
• Day camp programs
• Retreat facility rentals
• Leadership development camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Roca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Camper Tuition: Primary revenue stream from summer day camp and overnight camp registrations. Operating expenses are covered entirely through camper tuition, allowing 100% of donations to go toward scholarships and capital projects.
2. Donations & Fundraising: Annual fundraising campaign (Power of Camp dinner), monthly Blueshirt giving program, capital campaign for gym construction ($2.4M goal), camper and staff scholarship funds, and general fund donations.
3. Donor-Designated Funds: Staff Scholarship Fund (for college tuition, mission trips, living expenses), Camper Scholarship Fund (for families in need), Build Up Camp Sonshine (capital projects), Camp Sonshine International (Mexico & Zambia programs), General Fund.
4. Event & Retreat Facility Rentals: Youth retreats, women's/men's retreats, field trips, and facility rentals to external groups generate rental income. Pricing plans include self-catered ($75/student) and full-service options ($125/student).
5. Retail Sales: Camp apparel store sells shirts, hoodies, hats through online store. Gift certificates available for purchase. Proceeds support Camp Sonshine International programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Camp Sonshine is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates summer day camps and overnight camps for children entering 1st-9th grade at three Nebraska locations, plus year-round programming, facility rentals for retreats and field trips, and international camp programs in Mexico and Zambia. Its services center on Christ-centered outdoor education, faith formation, leadership development, and community building, with camper tuition covering operating expenses and donations funding scholarships and capital projects.

Product overview

Camp Sonshine is a Christian day and overnight camp organization offering a multi-location portfolio of youth development programs. The core offerings include Day Camps at Roca, Nebraska locations and Overnight Camps (Camp Solaris) near Firth, Nebraska, serving campers entering 1st-9th grade with age-appropriate programs. Year-round programs extend engagement through Hang Time teen gatherings, Grandparent Camp, Spring Break Camp, and Trail Life/American Heritage programs. The organization operates international programs in Mexico and Zambia through Camp Sonshine International. Additional offerings include facility rentals for youth retreats, field trips, and events; the CampWise online registration portal for enrollment and donations; the UNLOCK & UNLEASH podcast; the RISE Internship Program for leadership development; The Blueshirts monthly giving program; and the annual Power of Camp fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Day Camps (Camp Sonshine) Full-day summer day camp programs offered at Roca, Nebraska locations for campers entering 1st-9th grade. Programs include Explorer (K-2nd), Adventure (3rd-4th), High Adventure (5th-6th), and Teen Adventure (7th-9th), plus a leadership program for 7th-9th graders. Two Roca locations plus a new Firth/Gage County location.
• Overnight Camps (Camp Solaris) Overnight camp programs at the Solaris location near Firth, Nebraska for campers entering 3rd-9th grade. Features include an aerial park, dorm-style lodging (sleeps up to 117), dining area, multipurpose building, and 40 acres of outdoor space. Programs include Journey (3rd-6th graders, 3-night) and Expedition (7th-9th graders, 5-night).
• Year Round Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,112 spots filled by 3,090 unique campers in summer 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered standard and core.

• Waldo PhotosstandardTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Waldo Photos provides photo services for Camp Sonshine using facial recognition technology. Options include free gallery via web browser and $10 facial recognition service that delivers photos throughout the week via smartphone app.
• Camp Sonshine - Zambia LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZambia-based leaders Emmanuel and Julius serve as key partners, participating in leadership training in Nebraska and carrying the camp vision back to Kitwe, Zambia. These leaders help run Camp Sonshine's international programs and develop local camp leadership.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WinShape Camps: Faith-based summer camp network founded by Chick-fil-A's Bernie Marcus, offering day and overnight camps with a Christ-centered discipleship focus similar to Camp Sonshine. Directly comparable in mission, multi-site model, and donor-funded operating structure.
• Kanakuk Kamps: Long-running Christian summer camp ministry in Branson, Missouri, running multi-week overnight camps with discipleship programming. Comparable as a faith-based camp operator serving K-9 grade campers with strong brand and repeat-family economics.
• Pine Cove Camps: Christian summer camp network operating multiple overnight and day camp locations across Texas. Closely aligned with Camp Sonshine in program design, faith integration, family retreats, and multi-site expansion strategy.
• Hume Lake Christian Camps: California-based Christian camp and conference center running summer camps, family camps, and year-round retreats at a resort-style lakeside property. Comparable in combining youth programming with facility rentals and church retreat business.
• Forest Home Camps: Multi-site Christian camp and conference center operating Camp Forest Home and Forest Falls in California. Comparable in the camp + retreat hybrid model, year-round facility rentals, and youth programming.
• Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center: Northern California Christian camp and conference center running summer youth camps alongside church retreats and family programs. Comparable in facility-rentals-driven model and faith-based group bookings.
• Camp Balcones Springs: Texas-based Christian summer camp ministry offering overnight and day camp programs targeted at elementary and middle schoolers. Comparable in faith-focused K-9 programming and retreat hosting.

Broad incumbents

• Young Life: National evangelical youth ministry operating summer camps, club programs, and leader development nationwide. Comparable in Christ-centered youth programming, leadership development pipeline (similar to Camp Sonshine's LIT/RISE), but operates at much broader geographic scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/CampSonshineNE
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampSonshineMemories
• Instagraminstagram.com/CampSonshineNE
• Xx.com/campsonshinene
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-sonshine-nebraska

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Camp Sonshine