What Camp Winnarainbow does

Camp Winnarainbow is a 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts and circus summer camp founded in 1975 by Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney, operating a single residential site at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, Mendocino County, California, with year-round administration based in Berkeley. The organization serves children ages 7-14 through overnight Kids Camp sessions (one-week at $1,425 and two-week at $2,850), teens ages 15-17 through a three-tier Teen Staff Leadership Program (TSLP), and families through a multi-generational Friends & Family Camp. Core programming centers on daily instruction in aerials (trapeze, silks, cloud swing), juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, clowning, dance, improv, magic, poetry, and songwriting, combined with traditional camp activities at Lake Veronica and nightly community events including talent shows and dance parties. The American Camp Association-accredited operation integrates trauma-informed care, non-violent communication, and restorative justice practices, supported by a Camper Advocate program.

The business model is a hybrid of tuition, donations, and event-driven fundraising. Direct-to-consumer revenue flows through the CampBrain registration portal with waitlist management when sessions reach capacity; auxiliary revenue comes from a Square-powered camp store and a Friends & Family Camp. Donations are channeled through the Grace & Joy Scholarship Fund (income-based financial assistance for families earning up to $150,000), the General FUNd, and major annual benefit concerts featuring GRAMMY-winning artists such as Steve Earle, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Jackson Brown, and Billy Strings. Stock donations, IRA rollovers, legacy gifts, and donor-advised fund contributions are formalized.

Technology is non-proprietary: third-party CampBrain for registration and giving, Square for e-commerce, and standard web/social channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube). Marketing relies almost entirely on alumni word-of-mouth, community referrals, and benefit concert visibility. The organization has no app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML systems. Headcount is reported at 51-100, comprising a year-round administrative core of 8 and expanded seasonal summer staff across counselors, teen staff, skills teachers, kitchen, and maintenance roles.

Name

Camp Winnarainbow

Legal name

Camp Winnarainbow

Website

https://campwinnarainbow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Camp Winnarainbow is a 501(c)(3) non-profit overnight summer camp founded in 1975 that teaches circus and performing arts to children ages 7-14, teens 15-17, and families at Black Oak Ranch in Mendocino County, California, supported by tuition, donations, and benefit concerts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Summer Camps

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Performing arts education
• Circus arts training
• Youth overnight camps
• Teen leadership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Tuition: Primary revenue stream from overnight camp tuition fees. Kids Camp charges $1,425 per 1-week session or $2,850 per 2-week session. Teen Staff Leadership Program charges $712.50 for 1-week or $1,425 for 2-week for JS1/JS2 participants. JC (Junior Counselors) aged 17+ pay no tuition. A $500 deposit per session is required upon registration.
2. Friends & Family Camp: Family camp program running June 18-21 with tuition of $650 per adult (ages 15+) and $450 per child (ages 6-14). Children ages 0-5 are free. Includes food and lodging in tipis.
3. Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that accepts tax-deductible donations. General Fund supports areas of greatest need. Grace & Joy Scholarship Fund supports financial assistance for economically disadvantaged families. Also accepts stock donations, legacy gifts, IRA rollover gifts, and donor-advised fund contributions. Annual benefit concerts featuring musicians like Steve Earle, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Jackson Brown, and Billy Strings.
4. Camp Store: Online camp store operating through Square e-commerce platform selling camp merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Camp Winnarainbow sells overnight summer camp sessions for children ages 7-14 featuring daily circus and performing arts classes (trapeze, juggling, stilts, unicycling, clowning, dance, improv, magic, songwriting) plus evening programs, all delivered at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, California. It also operates a Teen Staff Leadership Program (ages 15-17) as a multi-year leadership pathway, and an annual Friends & Family Camp for multi-generational participation. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, it underwrites access through the Grace & Joy Scholarship Fund and sells camp merchandise through an online store.

Product overview

Camp Winnarainbow is a 501(c)(3) non-profit overnight summer camp founded in 1975 by Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney, offering a unified program of circus and performing arts education for children and teens. The core offering is the Kids Camp (ages 7-14) featuring daily skill classes in aerials, juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, dance, and other performing arts, combined with evening programs and community building. The Teen Staff Leadership Program (ages 15-17) provides a three-year leadership pathway where teens live in tipi communities and support younger campers. Additional programs include Friends & Family Camp for multi-generational participation, the Grace & Joy Scholarship Fund for financial assistance, and evening programming including talent shows and dance parties. All programs take place at the Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Grace & Joy Scholarship Fund: Financial assistance program that makes camp accessible to economically disadvantaged children and families.
• The General FUNd
• Teen Staff Leadership Program (TSLP)

Products and services

• Kids Camp (Overnight Camp) Overnight summer camp for children ages 7-14 offering daily circus and performing arts instruction including trapeze, juggling, clowning, unicycling, stilt walking, dance, gymnastics, and songwriting, plus evening programs (Tornado of Talent, Costume Dance Party, stage shows), held at Black Oak Ranch in Mendocino County. Sessions run one week ($1,425) or two weeks ($2,850) with a $500 deposit.
• Teen Staff Leadership Program (TSLP) Three-year leadership pathway program for youth ages 15-17 providing training in circus arts, performance skills, teamwork, and community building. Participants live in tipi communities and serve as class assistants and tipi counselors. JS1/JS2 participants pay $712.50 (one-week) or $1,425 (two-week); Junior Counselors aged 17+ pay no tuition.
• Friends & Family Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of children served over 50 years of operation

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Black Oak RanchcoreOthersCamp Winnarainbow rents its summer camp facility from Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, Mendocino County. The land features black oak trees, California bay laurel, Streeter Creek, open fields, and surrounding mountains integral to the camp experience. This is the core physical location where all summer camp programming takes place June-August.
• Seva FoundationminorOthersCo-founded by Jahanara Romney (Camp Winnarainbow Co-Founder/former Executive Director). Girija Brilliant serves on the CWR board as Co-founder of the Seva Foundation. A social epidemiologist-founded organization focused on community health.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Broadway: Camp Broadway is a New York-based performing-arts summer program for kids and teens focused on musical theater training, auditions, and Broadway performance. Directly comparable performing-arts youth programming though primarily a day/experience format.
• French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts: French Woods is a four-summer performing, visual, and media arts camp in Hancock, New York, offering multi-week overnight sessions to children and teens across theater, music, dance, and circus. Closely comparable in overnight performing-arts camp format and broad activity curriculum.
• Stagedoor Manor: Stagedoor Manor is a leading overnight performing-arts summer camp in Loch Sheldrake, New York, training children and teens in theater, dance, and music. It is a direct comparable in performing-arts overnight camp format and demographic (ages 7-17, multi-session, tuition-based).
• Circus Smirkus: Circus Smirkus is a Vermont-based nonprofit youth circus organization that runs an overnight summer circus camp and touring circus for kids and teens. It is the closest direct peer to Camp Winnarainbow in mission (youth circus education) and format (overnight camp with performing-arts curriculum).
• Interlochen Arts Camp: Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan is one of the most prestigious pre-professional performing and visual arts summer camps in the U.S., serving school-age and teen artists. Comparable in scale, multi-week overnight format, and performing-arts curriculum focus.

Emerging players

• San Francisco Circus Center: San Francisco Circus Center is a Bay Area adult and youth circus-arts training organization offering classes, performances, and youth programs. Comparable in circus-arts instruction and geographic market overlap with Camp Winnarainbow's draw region.
• Circus Harmony: Circus Harmony is a St. Louis-based nonprofit teaching circus arts to youth from diverse backgrounds, with a social-mission focus similar to Camp Winnarainbow's scholarship-driven inclusion model. Comparable in youth circus-arts education and mission-driven nonprofit structure, though urban-program rather than residential.
• National Circus Project: National Circus Project is a nonprofit that runs circus-arts residencies, workshops, and youth circus programming across U.S. schools and communities. Comparable in mission of expanding youth access to circus arts, though not an overnight camp operator.
• Prescott Circus Theatre: Prescott Circus Theatre is an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides year-round circus-arts training and performance opportunities for Bay Area youth. A CWR board director also serves on the Prescott board, evidencing ecosystem overlap; comparable in youth circus-arts education mission and Bay Area footprint, but operates as an after-school program rather than overnight camp.

Regional players

• Camp Tawonga: Camp Tawonga is a Jewish overnight summer camp near Yosemite serving Bay Area families with multi-activity programming. Comparable as a Northern California overnight camp with scholarship-driven mission, though its focus is on general outdoor/identity-based programming rather than performing arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/campwinnarainbow
• Instagraminstagram.com/campwinnarainbow
• Xx.com/winnarainbow

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Winnarainbow