Christian Camp and Conference Association

What Christian Camp and Conference Association does

Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association incorporated in 1963 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It serves nearly 900 Christian camps, conference centers, and retreat centers across the United States, organized into 24 regional sections, reaching over 5.5 million children, youth, and adults annually and supporting more than 130,000 churches. CCCA is the largest of 21 autonomous Christian Camping International associations operating on six continents.

CCCA's product portfolio spans publications (the award-winning InSite Magazine, Flint & Steel e-newsletter, Focus Series, Section President's Briefing), training programs (Excellence in Training webinars, Thriving Boards cohort training, NextGen Leaders mentoring), member tools (searchable camp directory, Job Center, My CCCA portal, member-to-member networking directory, ALERTs communication system), marketing resources (Marketing Plan in a Box, The Power of Camp campaign), and mission programs (Corners of the Field scholarships). The underlying technology stack is light: a website with searchable directories, member portal, email distribution, and webinar delivery, rather than a proprietary software platform.

The business model is diversified across subscription membership dues from camps and business members (the latter priced at $619/year), National Conference exhibit and sponsorship revenue, publication and e-newsletter advertising, group purchasing affiliate economics (Thriving Goods marketplace with SYSCO and entegra; Church Mutual preferred insurance; CVLI video licensing), paid training fees (Thriving Boards at $1,000 per board), and tax-deductible donations supporting camper scholarships. Distribution is primarily domestic through direct membership outreach, the website portal, 24 regional section networks, and the annual National Conference.

Name

Christian Camp and Conference Association

Legal name

Christian Camp and Conference Association

Website

https://ccca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CCCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association serving nearly 900 Christian camps, conference centers, and retreat centers across the United States, providing training, publications, group purchasing, networking, and advocacy since 1963.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp/Conference Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for Christian camps and conference centers to access CCCA's resources, training, publications, marketing tools, and networking opportunities.
2. Business Membership Dues: Annual business membership at $619/year providing access to camp decision-makers, advertising opportunities, and the business member directory. Includes special rates on marketing opportunities.
3. National Conference Revenue: Revenue from exhibiting fees, booth sales, advertising in conference programs, and sponsorship opportunities at the annual National Conference, the largest gathering of Christian camping professionals.
4. Publication Advertising: Revenue from advertising placements in InSite Magazine, Flint & Steel e-newsletter sponsorship, Section President's Briefing sponsorship, and mailing list rentals.
5. Donations and Scholarships: Tax-deductible donations to support the Corners of the Field program, which provides camper scholarships for underprivileged children to attend member camps.
6. Group Purchasing Programs: Revenue from group buying programs including Thriving Goods marketplace, enhanced benefits insurance programs, and Christian video licensing through partnerships.
7. Training and Event Fees: Fees for Excellence in Training webinars, Thriving Boards cohort training ($1,000 per camp board), and other educational programs for members.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CCCA is a nonprofit membership association that provides resources, training, publications, networking, marketing tools, and group purchasing programs to nearly 900 Christian camps, conference centers, and retreat centers in the United States. Revenue is generated primarily through camp/conference membership dues, business memberships, the annual National Conference, advertising in InSite Magazine and e-newsletters, training fees, donations, and partner-supported group purchasing.

Product overview

CCCA is a nonprofit association serving Christian camps and conference centers with a comprehensive suite of member resources. The portfolio includes publications (InSite Magazine, Flint & Steel e-newsletter, Focus Series, Section President's Briefing), training programs (Excellence in Training webinars, Thriving Boards), member tools (Searchable Camp Directory, Job Center, My CCCA portal), marketing support (Marketing Plan in a Box, The Power of Camp campaign), networking resources (Member-to-Member Directory, Member ALERTs), and initiatives (Corners of the Field scholarships, NextGen Leaders). Annual National Conference and 24 regional sections provide face-to-face networking and training opportunities. The organization supports nearly 850 member facilities reaching over 5.5 million people annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Power of Camp: National marketing and awareness building campaign that grows esteem for Christian camping
• Corners of the Field
• My CCCA
• Excellence in Training
• NextGen Leaders

Products and services

• Camp and Conference Membership Annual membership tier for Christian camps, conference centers, and retreat centers that unlocks access to CCCA's training programs, publications, marketing tools, group purchasing, directories, and 24 regional section events.
• Business Membership Annual $619/year business membership providing vendors and suppliers with advertising opportunities, Business Member Directory listing, conference exhibiting discounts, and access to camp decision-makers across nearly 850 member camps.
• CCCA National Conference Annual National Conference, the largest gathering of Christian camping professionals, featuring exhibiting booths, sponsorship opportunities, conference program advertising, and educational sessions.
• Excellence in Training (EIT) Monthly online training program covering leadership, legal updates, marketing, fundraising, and ministry development topics relevant to Christian camping, with archived evergreen access and 100-150 live viewers per session.
• Thriving Boards Cohort Training Cohort-based board training program priced at $1,000 per camp or conference center board, covering roles and responsibilities, future-focused ministry direction, and camp director support through evaluations and compensation reviews, delivered in two 6-hour virtual training days.
• Thriving Goods Group Purchasing Marketplace Group buying marketplace offering CCCA member camps discounted pricing through partners such as SYSCO and Entegra, helping members improve bottom-line performance and better steward funds through collective purchasing power.
• Corners of the Field Camper Scholarships Tax-deductible scholarship initiative raising donations to send underprivileged children to CCCA member camps; one full scholarship costs $200 and partial scholarship donations are also accepted, with only about one-third of recent scholarship requests from member camps being funded.
• Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI) Licensing Annual video licensing program offered to CCCA members at discounted pricing through CVLI, authorized by over 1,000 Hollywood and Christian producers, providing copyright-compliant movie and program screenings at camps.
• InSite Magazine CCCA's award-winning bimonthly print magazine mailed to individual members, covering trends in camp ministry and Christian living with training content from thought leaders, available to non-members by subscription.
• The Power of Camp National Marketing Campaign National marketing and awareness-building campaign (thepowerofcamp.com) that grows esteem for Christian camping, with member-exclusive tools available for camp use and a campaign website that points visitors directly to CCCA members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5.5 million people participate annually in programs at member camps
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and standard.

• Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch Mutual Insurance Company is recognized by CCCA as a preferred insurance provider, offering specialized resources to help reduce CCCA camps' risks. Church Mutual has been insuring purpose-driven organizations for more than 125 years and providing CCCA camps with traditional and specialized coverages for more than 40 years. Coverages include property and general liability, umbrella liability, commercial automobile, workers' compensation and more. Members receive access through churchmutual.com/CCCA.
• Thriving Goods - The Marketplace for CCCA MemberscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThriving Goods is a group buying marketplace launched by CCCA, offering members discounted pricing through partners like SYSCO and entegra. The program helps members improve their bottom line and better steward their funds through collective purchasing power.
• Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVLI is authorized by over 1,000 Hollywood and Christian producers to issue video licenses for copyright compliance. CCCA members receive discounted pricing on this affordable annual license required for showing movies and programs at camps.
• Christian Camping International (CCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCCA is the largest of 21 autonomous CCI associations on six continents. CCI worldwide includes associations in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. CCCA was formerly known as Christian Camping International before returning to the CCCA name in 2005.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Camp Association: The American Camp Association (ACA) is the secular counterpart membership association for camps in the U.S., offering accreditation, training, publications, and an annual conference. ACA and CCCA serve overlapping constituencies (camp directors and owners) with parallel product portfolios (standards, training, conferences, business member directories), making it the most direct peer for benchmarking membership economics and conference scale.
• Camp Fire (formerly Camp Fire Boys and Girls): Camp Fire is a national youth-development organization operating camps and clubs across the U.S. with a similar member-council structure. Like ACA and CCCA, Camp Fire operates as an umbrella organization for affiliated local camps, providing training, program resources, and a national brand — a direct structural peer for benchmarking association economics in the camp space.

Others

• Fellowship of Christian Athletes: FCA is a faith-based sports ministry that runs camps, Huddles, and coach/athlete programs, sharing CCCA's Christian youth-camp audience and many of the same referral channels (churches, families, schools). FCA is a programmatic peer rather than an association peer, but it materially shapes competitive dynamics in Christian youth camps.
• Association of Christian Schools International: ACSI is a faith-based membership association serving Christian schools with services parallel to CCCA's: accreditation, professional development, publications, an annual convention, and group purchasing. While ACSI's domain is schools rather than camps, its operating model — nonprofit association serving member institutions with training, events, and resources — is directly comparable.
• Young Life: Young Life is a faith-based youth ministry organization that runs camps and club programs and shares much of CCCA's target demographic (church-connected teens). CCCA President/CEO Gregg Hunter previously served in Young Life's President's Cabinet. Young Life is not a peer association but a programmatic sibling that influences camp industry demand and standards.
• Christian Camping International: CCI is the umbrella network of 21 autonomous national Christian camping associations across six continents, of which CCCA is the largest U.S. member. CCI operates as a coordinating body for international conferences, standards sharing, and cross-border resources, making it a strategic counterpart rather than a competitor but highly relevant for understanding CCCA's global positioning.
• Christian Educators Association International: CEAI is a membership association serving Christian educators with professional development, publications, and advocacy — a structurally similar association model to CCCA. It operates in an adjacent mission (faith-based education) and shares many of the same member channels (churches, parachurch organizations).
• Outdoor Industry Association: OIA is a trade association for the outdoor recreation industry, providing market research, advocacy, and an annual trade show (Outdoor Retailer). It is an enabling/ecosystem peer whose research and policy work influences the broader market in which CCCA member camps operate, even though it does not directly serve religious camps.

Broad incumbents

• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): NOLS is a broader, established outdoor-education organization that runs wilderness courses and instructor training. While not a membership association, NOLS competes for the same talent pool, sets standards in outdoor education, and is frequently used as a benchmark by Christian camps for staff recruitment and curriculum — making it a broad incumbent in the broader outdoor/education space CCCA members operate in.
• International Association of Conference Centres: IACC is a global membership association for meeting venues and conference centers, offering training, certifications, and an annual conference. While IACC's venue members are commercial conference facilities rather than Christian camps, its operating model (membership association serving meeting venues with training, standards, and a flagship conference) overlaps with CCCA's conference-center membership tier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cccaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cccaorgconnect
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccca.1963
• Pinterestpinterest.com/christiancamp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Christian Camp and Conference Association