Luther Park

What Luther Park does

Luther Park is a 501(c)(3) Minnesota non-profit Christian outdoor ministry that operates a year-round summer camp and retreat center on approximately 180 acres of forest on spring-fed Lake 26, seven miles east of Danbury, Wisconsin. Incorporated in 1958 and operational since 1959, the camp serves youth, families, ELCA congregations, and hobby/crafting groups across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its core offerings include summer overnight camp programs (Cabin Camp, Treehouse Camp, Horse Camp, Grand Camp, and High School Leadership Training), year-round retreat and rental facilities (Bethel Family and Adult Retreat Center, Log House, Welcome Center, Cabins, Tree House Village, Campground, and the Lodge), and specialty programs such as Camp Getaway for Families and Create & Connect Crafting Retreats.

The camp is governed by 35+ ELCA member congregations that act as corporate members and elect the volunteer board of directors. Day-to-day operations are handled by a lean team of 4-6 year-round staff supplemented by 10-15+ seasonal hires during the summer. Technology infrastructure is intentionally minimal: Campbrain handles registration, Camp Braingiving processes online donations, and a Square site powers the online canteen. The website is hosted on Weebly.

Luther Park's business model blends program fee revenue (tiered summer camp pricing, retreat facility rentals, and crafting/family getaway bookings) with a diversified donation stack including online giving, Venmo/PayPal, Mighty Cause, a 'Campfire Keepers' monthly giving program, a Legacy Society for planned gifts, the annual Joy Gala and Morpheus Benefit Concert fundraisers, and Thrivent Choice Dollars. ACA accreditation (continuously held since 2002) and a 60+ year regional reputation anchor its positioning within the Lutheran outdoor ministry ecosystem.

Name

Luther Park

Legal name

Luther Park Inc.

Website

https://lutherpark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Luther Park is a 501(c)(3) Christian summer camp and year-round retreat center in Danbury, Wisconsin, serving youth, families, and ELCA congregations across Minnesota and Wisconsin through tiered camp programs, retreat rentals, and donation-supported ministry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Summer Camp & Retreat Center

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH)

Keywords

• Faith-based summer camp
• Christian retreat center
• Outdoor youth ministry
• Congregational retreat venue
• Family camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Danbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Fees: Tiered pricing for summer camp programs including Cabin Camp, Treehouse Camp, Horse Camp, High School Leadership Training, and Grand Camp. Families choose from Tier 1, 2, or 3 pricing based on their financial situation. Horse Camp includes additional fees for Frontier Stables.
2. Retreat & Rental Facility Fees: Year-round retreat and facility rental services for groups. Options include Facility Rental (self-managed), Retreat Partnership (staff-assisted), or Full Collaboration (fully programmed). Pricing varies by lodging type (Retreat Center, Log House, Welcome Center, Cabins, Treehouses, Campground) and includes meal packages.
3. Donations & Fundraising: Donations received through multiple channels: online portal, Venmo (@lutherparkdanburywi), PayPal, Mighty Cause, and mailed checks. Monthly giving program called 'Campfire Keepers' with matching donor incentive. Legacy Society for planned giving through wills and life insurance. Annual fund appeals.
4. Canteen & Merchandise Sales: On-site camp store (canteen) selling snacks, Luther Park merchandise including apparel, stickers, water bottles. Online canteen available through Square site.
5. Thrivent Grants: Thrivent Choice Dollars designated by members to Luther Park. Thrivent Action Teams provide $250 grants for volunteer projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Luther Park is a year-round Christian outdoor ministry that operates summer camp programs for youth and multi-generational families, and rents out retreat and meeting facilities to church groups and other organizations. Programs include Cabin Camp, Treehouse Camp, Horse Camp, Grand Camp, High School Leadership Training, Camp Getaway for Families, and the Create & Connect Crafting Retreat, supported by lodging facilities such as the Bethel Family & Adult Retreat Center, Log House, Welcome Center, cabins, tree houses, and a campground.

Product overview

Luther Park is a year-round Christian outdoor ministry and camp offering diverse overnight camp programs and retreat facilities. The core offerings include summer camp programs (Cabin Camp, Treehouse Camp, Horse Camp, Grand Camp, High School Leadership Camp) and family retreat programs (Camp Getaway for Families, Crafting Retreats, Congregational Getaways). Accommodations include the ADA-compliant Bethel Family & Adult Retreat Center, Log House, Welcome Center, Lodge, Cabins, Treehouse Village, and Campground. Additional programming includes waterfront activities on Lake 26, recreational sports facilities, and an online canteen retail store. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Programs Overnight summer camp programs for youth and families including Cabin Camp, Treehouse Camp, Horse Camp, Grand Camp, and High School Leadership Training. Activities include swimming, arts and crafts, worship, campfire, waterfront recreation, and outdoor adventures on Lake 26 and 180 acres of forest trails.
• Camp Getaway for Families

Quantifiable outcome

• 53% of families requested scholarship or subsidy to attend camp, demonstrating accessibility commitment and community need

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 minor.

• Frontier StablescoreOthers · 1 January 2026Horse camp partner vendor located at 11124 Whispering Pines Rd, Frederic, WI 54837. Campers are shuttled daily from Luther Park to Frontier Stables for horse riding instruction and care education. Owner: Rachael Trittelwitz. All Horse Camp participants assessed on first day and grouped by experience level.
• Pletschers' GreenhousesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner nursery in New Brighton, MN for Spring Plant Sale fundraiser. Orders placed through Luther Park with pickup locations at various partner churches in the Twin Cities area and at Luther Park in Danbury.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1958Luther Park Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Minnesota non-profit corporation whose corporate members are congregations of the ELCA in Minnesota and Wisconsin. ELCA congregations send delegates to annual meetings and provide volunteer board members elected for two-year terms. This is the foundational organizational relationship that governs Luther Park's mission and operations.
• 35+ ELCA Partner CongregationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember congregations including: Lakeside Lutheran (Webb Lake, WI), Mount Calvary Lutheran (Excelsior), Family of Christ Lutheran (Lakeville), St. Barnabas Lutheran (Plymouth), Nativity Lutheran (St. Anthony), Elim Lutheran (Robbinsdale), Diamond Lake Lutheran (Minneapolis), House of Prayer Lutheran (Richfield), Zion Lutheran (Hinckley), Redeemer Lutheran (Minneapolis), and 25+ others. Congregations provide volunteer board members, financial support, and camper referrals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Camp Crossroads: Faith-based summer camp in Iowa offering overnight youth programs, family camps, and year-round retreat facilities. Comparable in mission, multi-activity programming, and reliance on church/congregational referral channels.
• Coppelia Bible Camp: Faith-based summer camp in Minnesota offering multi-activity youth camps and year-round retreat facilities. Comparable as a small Christian outdoor ministry serving families with overnight and retreat programming in the upper Midwest.
• Camp Onomia: ELCA-affiliated summer camp and year-round retreat center in central Minnesota with similar cabin-based youth programs and congregational retreat offerings. Comparable size, programming breadth, and church-network driven GTM.
• Camp Luther: Lutheran summer camp and retreat center in northern Minnesota offering youth camps, family programs, and retreat facilities. Direct peer in mission, target demographic (ELCA families), and multi-activity programming approach.
• Camp Lebanon: ELCA-affiliated summer camp and retreat center in central Minnesota with overnight youth camps, family camps, and year-round retreat rentals. Closely matches Luther Park's faith-based ministry model, programmatic structure, and reliance on congregational support.
• Trout Lake Camps: Wisconsin-based faith-based residential summer camp and retreat center with waterfront programming. Comparable geographic market, facility mix (cabins, retreat housing, lake activities), and family/youth camp programming structure.
• Camp Omega: Faith-based residential summer camp and retreat center in Minnesota affiliated with the ELCA, offering multi-activity youth camps, horse programs, and year-round retreats. Directly comparable as a Lutheran outdoor ministry with similar cabin/retreat facilities and congregational member model.

Broad incumbents

• Sky Ranch (Sky Ranch U.S.): Multi-site faith-based summer camp and retreat operator serving Christian families across several states. Broader incumbent in the same religious outdoor ministry category as Luther Park, with comparable summer camp and retreat programming but at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM) Network: Network organization supporting ELCA-affiliated outdoor ministries and camps across the Upper Midwest. Comparable as an ecosystem partner to Luther Park; not a competitor but the industry association governing the network of camps Luther Park belongs to.

Regional players

• Confidence Learning Center: Christian outdoor ministry in northern Minnesota offering summer camps and year-round retreat programming. Comparable in faith-based mission, multi-activity youth programming, and retreat facility model, but with a slightly different denominational footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LutherParkDanbury
• Instagraminstagram.com/lutherparkdanbury

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 Luther Park