Inspiration Hills

What Inspiration Hills does

Inspiration Hills is a nonprofit Christian camp and retreat center located at 1242 280th St in Inwood, Iowa, founded in 1973 by Reformed Church of America (RCA) leaders to provide youth camp experiences across the tri-state area (NW Iowa, SE South Dakota). The organization operates 14 distinct summer camp programs serving ages 6 through high school — including Day Camp, Lodge Camp, Wilderness Camp (rustic tenabin tenting), Saddle Up Horse Camp, CHIPS leadership program, Grand Camp (intergenerational), Journey Camp (subsidized for at-risk youth), Guys Only/Girls Only camps, Take Me Fishing Camp, and Discovery/Intro to Wilder short-form intro camps — across an 8-week summer window. Year-round, it hosts themed retreats (Art of Parenting, Art of Marriage, Single Mom's Retreat with ATLAS, CAMP Connection high school retreat, middle school fall retreat, winter retreats, Digging Deeper Bible study workshop) plus an annual Warrior Run 5K fundraiser and Volunteer Days. Facilities include Main Lodge (built 1973, 144-person dormitory, 220-person dining hall), Eaglecrest Lodge (built 2013, 17 private rooms for 70 guests), five year-round cabins (Walnut, Willow, Cherry, Pine, Oak), a 22-site campground (May-October), a swimming pool, challenge/ropes course, axe-throwing arena, archery tag arena, mini zipline, canoe fleet, and target ranges.

The business model is multi-stream: per-camper registration fees (priced $255–$655 per week with tiered early-bird pricing before April 15), facility and lodging rentals ($30/night campground, $105–$350/night lodges/cabins, $27/person dormitory), activity rentals ($135/hr archery tag, $150–$185/hr axe throwing, $25–$50/person ropes course, $40/canoe, $25–$75 mini zipline), catered group meals ($9.50–$14.30/person), and donations/fundraising supporting a scholarship program (10–80% of remaining balance; Journey Camp set at $50 registration). GTM is direct-to-consumer via the CampBrain online registration platform plus church referral partnerships for youth group business; regional day-camp busing extends reach into Sioux Falls, Rock Valley, Hull, Rock Rapids, Harrisburg, Canton, and Sioux Center. Marketing relies on the website, Facebook/Instagram, the Know & Grow Podcast (Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon Music), a Hilltop Blog, email newsletter, church partnerships, and the Warrior Run 5K event. The 8-member volunteer Board of Directors (President Larry Sterk) governs the organization, with Executive Director Kristi Schaeffer leading a 13-person full-time staff. No proprietary technology platforms are disclosed; operations run on CampBrain for registration and standard web infrastructure.

Name

Inspiration Hills

Legal name

Inspiration Hills Camp and Retreat Center

Website

https://inspirationhills.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Inspiration Hills is a nonprofit Christian camp and retreat center in Inwood, Iowa, founded in 1973 by Reformed Church of America leaders. It runs 14 summer camp programs and year-round faith-based retreats serving families, churches, and youth groups across the tri-state region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Camp and Retreat Center

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Christian summer camps
• Retreat center facilities
• Youth camping programs
• Church group retreats
• Outdoor recreation rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Inwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Registration Fees: Tiered pricing with early registration discounts (before April 15). Multiple camp types with varying price points from $255 (Intro to Wilder) to $655 (Saddle Up after April 15).
2. Facility and Lodging Rentals: Year-round rentals including cabins ($105-$205/night), campground ($30/night), Eaglecrest Lodge ($110-$350/night), Main Lodge rooms ($105/night), dormitory ($27/person), and meeting spaces.
3. Activity Rentals: Revenue from axe throwing ($150-$185/hour), archery tag ($135/hour), ropes course packages ($25-$50/person), canoe rentals ($40/canoe/day), mini zipline ($25-$75), and target ranges.
4. Food Service: Catered meals for groups: breakfast ($10.40/person), lunch ($14.30/person), dinner ($14.30/person), sack lunch ($9.50/person). Children 0-3 eat free, ages 4-12 receive $2 off.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraiser events, scholarship donations, and general ministry support. Donor-funded scholarships subsidize camp costs for families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Inspiration Hills operates a Christian camp and retreat center providing 14 distinct summer camp programs for youth ages 6 through high school, year-round retreat programming for churches, families, couples, and single mothers, plus facility and activity rentals including lodging, ropes courses, axe throwing, archery tag, canoe rental, and food service. The organization combines faith-based programming with outdoor recreation on a multi-building campus in NW Iowa.

Product overview

Inspiration Hills is a Christian camp and retreat center in Inwood, Iowa, offering a diverse portfolio of programs and facilities. The core offerings include 14 distinct summer camp programs serving ages 6 through high school, ranging from day camps and lodge stays to wilderness tent camping and horse camps. Year-round, the organization hosts retreats for families, couples, single mothers, and youth groups, plus community events like the Warrior Run 5K and volunteer days. Facilities available for rental include the Eaglecrest Lodge (70-person capacity), Main Lodge with dormitories and dining hall, five cabins, and a 22-site campground. Activity rentals include axe throwing, archery tag, challenge/ropes courses, water activities, target ranges, canoe rentals, and a mini zipline. The organization also produces the Know & Grow Podcast as a digital outreach channel. Together, these programs and facilities serve the mission of providing an environment where individuals can come to know and grow in Christ.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Know & Grow Podcast: Official Inspiration Hills Podcast sharing fun camp stories, faith discussions, and current events.

Products and services

• Day Camp
• Lodge Camp
• Wilderness Camp
• Saddle Up Camp
• CHIPS Camp (Christian Hearts In Powerful Service)
• Discovery Camp
• Intro to Wilder
• Journey Camp
• High School Camp
• Guys Only Camp
• Girls Only Camp
• Take Me Fishing Camp
• Take Me Fishing Mini-Camp
• Grand Camp
• Art of Parenting Retreat
• Single Mom's Retreat
• 4th-6th Grade Winter Retreat
• Digging Deeper Bible Study Workshop
• Art of Marriage Retreat
• CAMP Connection (High School Retreat)
• Middle School Fall Retreat
• Warrior Run 5K / 1 Mile Fun Run
• Eaglecrest Lodge Rental
• Main Lodge Rental
• Cabin Rentals (Walnut, Willow, Cherry, Pine, Oak)
• Campground Rentals
• Axe Throwing
• Archery Tag
• Challenge Course (High & Low Ropes)
• Water Activities
• Target Ranges
• Canoe Rental
• Mini Zipline
• Food Service / Catering

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ATLAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly hosts the Single Mom's Retreat with Inspiration Hills. ATLAS partnership provides specialized programming, speakers, and support network for single mothers attending the retreat. The collaboration combines Inspiration Hills facilities with ATLAS expertise in single-parent ministry.
• Church Scholarship ProgramsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMany churches offer scholarships for campers attending Inspiration Hills programs. Churches indicate scholarship amounts on registration forms. This partnership helps reduce financial barriers for families and strengthens church-camp relationships.
• Center of Hope (Sioux Falls)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides busing pickup location for Journey Camp participants in Sioux Falls. Located at 1905 E. 8th St., the center serves as a convenient drop-off/pickup point for at-risk youth attending subsidized camp programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pine Cove: A Texas-based Christian camp operator running multiple residential camps serving elementary through high school youth. Comparable faith-based camp model and youth programming breadth, but operates at much larger scale.
• Kanakuk Kamps: A large network of Christian summer camps operating across multiple U.S. locations. Comparable in faith-based youth camp model but at significantly greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• Sky Ranch Christian Camps: Multi-site faith-based camp and retreat organization across Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Comparable in faith-based mission, summer youth programs, and integrated retreat business at a significantly larger scale.
• WinShape Foundation: Faith-based camp and retreat organization founded by Truett Cathy, operating multiple residential summer camp locations. Comparable in combining summer camp with retreat/conference center operations under a nonprofit ministry model.

Others

• YWAM (Youth With A Mission): A global faith-based mission and discipleship movement running programs with retreat and outdoor elements. Overlapping in faith-based youth programming and nonprofit structure, though broader in mission focus than the camp-and-retreat center model.

Direct peers

• Camp Henry: A Reformed Church in America-affiliated camp in Newaygo, Michigan, offering summer camps and year-round retreats. Highly comparable given shared RCA heritage, similar faith-based youth programming, and integrated retreat business.
• Camp Okoboji: A Christian camp and retreat center in Milford, Iowa, also serving the tri-state NW Iowa / Sioux Falls region with summer camps, retreats, and facility rentals. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, faith-based mission, and camp-plus-retreat operating model.
• Trout Lake Camp: A small Christian summer camp and retreat center in northern Wisconsin offering multi-activity programs (horseback, water sports, ropes course) for youth. Comparable in multi-activity programming modality and faith-based positioning at a similar scale.
• Pine Lake Camp & Retreat Center: An Iowa-based year-round Christian camp offering summer youth programs and retreat facilities to churches and families. Comparable in scale, faith affiliation, and combined camp-plus-retreat revenue model.

Emerging players

• YMCA Camp (NW Iowa / regional): Regional YMCA-operated residential and day camps serving youth with outdoor programming and team-building. Comparable in youth outdoor programming and regional draw, but secular in orientation and competing for the same family camper segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLqKibp2I2CDfyy33Eywh9i9ZJKHR8LqDt
• Facebookfacebook.com/IHcampiowa
• Instagraminstagram.com/inspirationhills
• Xx.com/insp_hills
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inspiration-hills

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Inspiration Hills