What Change Summer Inc does

Change Summer Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 and headquartered in New York that operates multi-week overnight summer camp programs for students entering grades 4-9 from under-resourced communities. The organization partners with leading charter school networks — including its founding partner Uncommon Schools, plus Achievement First, KIPP, and more than 20 other networks — and university host campuses (The College of New Jersey, Neumann University, Camp Powhatan in Maine, the Catskill Mountains, and a Chicago-area site) to deliver two-week residential experiences at five branded camps: Camp Uncommon (Maine), AF Camp (New Jersey), Camp KIPP DC, Camp Beyond (Catskills), and Camp Canopy (Pennsylvania), with Camp Ironwood serving the Chicago area. Programs combine athletics, swimming, inter-arts, STEM, outdoor adventure, and a proprietary Discovery social-emotional learning curriculum targeting confidence, curiosity, independence, and responsibility; the organization claims measurably better academic averages, attendance rates, SAT scores, and college matriculation outcomes versus control groups of non-campers.

The organization employs 11-50 staff and served over 2,500 campers in 2023, up from roughly 1,000 in its 2019 inaugural year. Its revenue model rests on three streams: (1) philanthropic donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners (primary), accepted via credit card, check, ACH, stock, and Donor Advised Funds, plus SMS giving; (2) school partnership arrangements with charter networks that refer and often co-fund campers; and (3) fee-for-service DEIB consulting, coaching, and training delivered through S'more Summer, a wholly-owned subsidiary launched in 2023 and led by Chief Advancement Officer Briana Michele Mitchell. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard nonprofit infrastructure (website, email, social media, SMS donations). The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees that includes senior charter-sector operators and is led by founder and CEO Josh Phillips, formerly Uncommon Schools' Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Innovation and School Operations.

Name

Change Summer Inc

Legal name

Change Summer Inc

Website

https://changesummer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Change Summer Inc is a nonprofit founded in 2018 that partners with charter school networks and universities to run two-week overnight summer camps for students in grades 4-9 from under-resourced communities, operating five camps across the U.S. and supported by donations and its S'more Summer DEIB consulting arm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Summer Camp Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

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)

Keywords

• Youth summer camps
• Social emotional learning
• Nonprofit education programs
• Charter school partnerships
• Overnight camp experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Giving: Change Summer relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners to fund camp operations. The organization accepts gifts by credit card, check, ACH, stock, and Donor Advised Fund contributions. Donations are used to provide camp scholarships for students from under-resourced communities.
2. School Partnership Fees: Change Summer partners with leading school organizations (charter school networks, public schools) to provide customized summer camp experiences that align with and complement academic year learning. These partnerships likely involve contractual arrangements with schools or school networks, which may include programmatic fees or shared funding arrangements.
3. S'more Summer Consulting: S'more Summer, Change Summer's consulting subsidiary, provides DEIB consulting, coaching, and training services to youth-serving organizations nationwide. This generates revenue through fee-for-service consulting engagements with external partners seeking to integrate equity, belonging, and the joy of summer into their programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Change Summer partners with leading school organizations to deliver two-week overnight summer camp experiences for students in grades 4–9 from under-resourced communities. Camps are hosted at university campuses and outdoor facilities across multiple U.S. states, combining athletics, swimming, arts, STEM, and outdoor adventure with a dedicated social-emotional learning curriculum called Discovery. The organization also operates S'more Summer, a consulting subsidiary that delivers DEIB training and coaching to other youth-serving organizations.

Product overview

Change Summer Inc operates a portfolio of overnight and day summer camp programs for students from under-resourced communities. The organization partners with leading school networks (including Uncommon Schools, Achievement First, KIPP, and various charter schools) and universities to deliver two-week residential camp experiences at college campuses and outdoor facilities. Core camps include Camp Uncommon (Maine), AF Camp (The College of New Jersey), Camp KIPP DC, Camp Canopy (Neumann University), Camp Ironwood (Chicago area), and Camp Beyond (Catskill Mountains). Additionally, S'more Summer is a consulting sub-brand offering DEIB-focused training, coaching, and resources to other youth-serving organizations nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• S'more Summer: A consulting, coaching, and training initiative that helps leaders and teams of youth-serving organizations integrate DEIB into every facet of their program while leveraging the power and joy of summer all year long.

Products and services

• Camp Uncommon Two-week overnight summer camp for students entering grades 4-9, held at Camp Powhatan in Otisfield, Maine. It is Change Summer's founding camp and the original model for the organization's college- and outdoor-experience programming.
• AF Camp Overnight summer camp hosted at The College of New Jersey campus, operated in partnership with Achievement First Schools. Provides students in grades 4-9 with a traditional camp experience while exposing them to a college campus environment.
• Camp KIPP DC Summer camp program for KIPP DC Public Schools students, offering enrichment activities including robotics and dance. Operated in partnership with KIPP DC Public Schools.
• Camp Beyond Outdoor overnight summer camp located in the Catskill Mountains, spanning 1,000 acres across two campgrounds, providing an immersive wilderness experience for students from charter school partner organizations.
• Camp Canopy Two-week overnight summer camp held at Neumann University in Aston, PA, serving students from charter school partner organizations with a focus on social-emotional development.
• Camp Ironwood College campus-based overnight summer camp within driving distance of Chicago, offering greenspace, access to nature trails, and dormitory-style housing for students from under-resourced communities.
• S'more Summer Consulting, coaching, and training service for youth-serving organizations, integrating DEIB principles and summer-program best practices into their offerings nationwide. Operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Change Summer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Campers demonstrate improvements in all four social-emotional domains: confidence, curiosity, independence, and responsibility
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Uncommon SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUncommon Schools is the founding partner of Change Summer. Camp Uncommon originated within Uncommon Schools in 2016 to address an opportunity gap and provide students with the chance to live the core values taught outside of the structured school day. In 2018, Change Summer was launched as a separate organization to scale the model to serve other schools and students. Josh Phillips, founder and CEO of Change Summer, previously served as Uncommon's Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Innovation and School Operations.
• Achievement First SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAchievement First is a core school partner operating AF Camp, Change Summer's second camp launched in 2021 in partnership with Achievement First Schools to serve students statewide. AF Camp is hosted at The College of New Jersey campus.
• KIPP DC Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIPP DC Public Schools partnered with Change Summer to launch Camp KIPP DC in 2022 as the third camp in the Change Summer network, serving students from KIPP DC schools.
• Boston Collegiate Charter SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston Collegiate Charter School is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Boston PrepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston Prep is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Brilla Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrilla Public Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Coney Island PrepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConey Island Prep is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• DC PrepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC Prep is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• DC Scholars Public Charter SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC Scholars Public Charter School is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Digital Pioneers AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Pioneers Academy is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Dream Charter SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDream Charter Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Excel AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExcel Academy is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Explore SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExplore Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Ingenuity Prep Charter SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIngenuity Prep Charter School is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• KIPP AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIPP Atlanta is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• KIPP Capital Region Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIPP Capital Region Public Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• KIPP NYCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIPP NYC is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• MATCH Charter Public SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMATCH Charter Public School is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Prospect SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProspect Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Regeneration SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegeneration Schools is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Springfield Prep Charter SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpringfield Prep Charter School is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• Veritas CivicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeritas Civics is listed as a school partner of Change Summer, referring students to camp programs.
• The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe College of New Jersey is a university partner that hosts AF Camp on its campus. This partnership aligns with Change Summer's goal of providing an enriching experience that exposes campers to the college campus environment.
• Neumann UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeumann University hosts Camp Canopy on its campus in Aston, PA, providing the physical facilities for the camp program.
• Camp PowhatancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp Powhatan in Otisfield, Maine is the outdoor facility hosting Camp Uncommon. The beautiful and expansive facility provides campers with an unforgettable summer experience immersed in nature.
• S'more Summer (Subsidiary/Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS'more Summer is Change Summer's consulting subsidiary that partners with leaders and teams of youth-serving organizations to bring more belonging and the joy of summer to all youth programs. Led by Briana Michele Mitchell (Chief Advancement Officer), it provides DEIB consulting, coaching, and training services, helping partners improve and expand their impact.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Largest national youth-services nonprofit with broad summer programming and college/career readiness initiatives. Operates at vastly greater scale and across all geographies; overlaps with Change Summer on mission to support under-resourced youth but with very different delivery model (clubs, not residential camps).
• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit operating residential and day summer camps, after-school programs, and youth-development programming across all 50 states. Broad incumbent that overlaps with Change Summer on camp + youth-development model but lacks its college-campus and SEL-specialization focus.

Direct peers

• Horizons for Youth: Nonprofit network running summer enrichment programs for K-8 students from under-resourced communities, often in partnership with independent schools. Directly comparable on school-partnership model, summer enrichment framing, and SEL/college-readiness outcomes.
• Fresh Air Fund: Long-standing NYC-based nonprofit providing free summer experiences (including overnight host families and camps) to children from low-income NYC communities. Highly comparable to Change Summer on target population, residential-summer model, and donor-funded scholarship structure.
• Susan L. Curtis Center (Camp Susan Curtis): Maine-based nonprofit running a residential summer camp for Maine children from low-income families. Comparable on overnight camp model for under-resourced youth and is a near-geographic peer in Maine (where Camp Uncommon also operates).
• Summer Search: National nonprofit providing mentoring, college access, and summer experiential opportunities for low-income high school students. Comparable on college-readiness outcomes focus and under-resourced youth mission, with mentoring rather than camp as the primary vehicle.
• Project Morry: Nonprofit providing year-round mentoring and a residential summer camp experience for youth from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable on overnight-camp-plus-college-access mission and charter-school-adjacent referral model.

Emerging players

• Campfire (formerly Camp Fire USA): National youth-development nonprofit running summer camps and after-school programs with explicit equity and inclusion programming for diverse communities. Comparable on inclusive summer-camp mission and DEIB-aligned framing, though it operates day camps more than residential.

Others

• KIPP Foundation: National charter school network whose KIPP DC affiliate is an anchor Change Summer partner. Comparable on college-readiness mission for low-income students and overlap in target demographic, but operates year-round schools rather than summer programs.
• Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO): Nonprofit providing academic and college-access programming for low-income and underrepresented high school and college students. Comparable on outcomes-driven college-readiness mission and partnership-with-schools GTM, though without residential-summer programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/changesummer
• Instagraminstagram.com/changesummer_

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Change Summer Inc