Camp Chippewa

What Camp Chippewa does

Camp Chippewa and Retreat Center is a nonprofit faith-based camp and retreat ministry operating from a single 2577 Idaho Road property in Ottawa, Kansas, and affiliated with the Great Plains UMC (United Methodist Church) camp network. The organization delivers traditional outdoor recreation, youth development, and hospitality services to children, youth, families, church groups, and school groups primarily in the U.S. Midwest. Its service portfolio comprises six core offerings: Summer Camps (overnight and day programs), Retreats (lodge-based group stays), Field Trips (1-hour, half-day, and full-day staff-led educational programs), Riding Lessons (equestrian instruction), the Scheels Archery Range, and Event Hosting (venue rental).

The underlying operating model is facility- and labor-intensive rather than technology-driven. On-site assets include lodges, equestrian facilities, an archery range, and outdoor activity areas; the technology stack is limited to a Squarespace website, CampBrain registration, a Square-based merchandise storefront, an email newsletter, and organic social channels. The business relies on seasonal staff, volunteer support, and donor generosity in addition to program fees, with no disclosed pricing or revenue figures. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the camp's own website and registration portal, supplemented by referrals through the Great Plains UMC church network and a co-branded Scheels archery sponsorship.

Customer segments are horizontally diversified across individual camper families, church youth groups, schools, retreat groups, riding students, and event hosts, with no named enterprise accounts and no enterprise sales motion. As a nonprofit ministry under a denominational parent body, Camp Chippewa is not a venture- or PE-style equity investment; its economics are anchored in program fees, donations, and volunteer labor rather than capital deployment, and it carries no disclosed funding history, M&A activity, or leadership transitions.

Name

Camp Chippewa

Legal name

Camp Chippewa and Retreat Center

Website

https://campchippewa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camp Chippewa and Retreat Center is a Great Plains UMC-affiliated nonprofit summer camp and retreat facility in Ottawa, Kansas, offering summer camps, lodge retreats, field trips, riding lessons, archery, and event hosting for youth, families, churches, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Camp and Retreat Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Religious Organizations (8131), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Youth retreat services
• Equestrian riding lessons
• Outdoor youth ministry
• Archery range activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Camp Chippewa runs a nonprofit camp and retreat center providing summer youth camps, year-round group retreats, school field trips, horseback riding lessons, a Scheels-sponsored archery range, and event hosting on its Ottawa, Kansas property. Programming is anchored in its affiliation with the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church and supported through a mix of program fees, donations, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Camp Chippewa and Retreat Center is a Great Plains UMC Camp offering a unified set of traditional outdoor recreation and hospitality services at a single Kansas location. The portfolio includes Summer Camps (overnight and day programs for youth), Retreats (lodge accommodations and grounds for group stays), Field Trips (staff-led educational programs in multiple durations), Riding Lessons (equestrian instruction), Scheels Archery Range (archery activities), and Event Hosting (venue rental). These services are delivered through physical facilities including lodges, outdoor activity areas, stables, and an archery range, with separate registration systems for camp enrollment and retail via the camp store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camps

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Great Plains UMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp Chippewa is officially affiliated with Great Plains UMC as part of their camp ministry network. This affiliation provides church network connections, potential camper referrals through participating churches, and faith-based programming alignment. The camp operates as a Great Plains UMC Camp ministry.
• ScheelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScheels Archery Range is named sponsored by Scheels, indicating a marketing partnership or sponsorship arrangement. This provides equipment support and brand association for the archery facility.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kanakuk Kamps: Faith-based resident and day camp network in the Branson/Missouri region serving kids and youth with multi-activity programming, dining, and lodging. Direct competitor in the Christian summer-camp category with a similar U.S. Midwest/South geographic footprint.
• Sky Ranch: Faith-based camp and retreat network with multiple locations across Texas and Colorado, offering summer camps, retreats, and adventure activities. Directly comparable in faith-based positioning, multi-activity programming, and retreat-center business model.
• Young Life: Faith-based youth organization operating numerous camp properties (e.g., Timberwolf Lake, Crooked Creek) and year-round retreat/event hosting. Comparable in targeting youth and youth groups, faith-based positioning, and multi-property camp + retreat operations.
• Lake Williamson Christian Center: United Methodist-affiliated camp and retreat center in central Illinois offering summer camps, retreats, and group accommodations. Closest structural peer: same UMC denominational sponsorship, similar retreat/lodge format, and Midwest regional market.
• Camp Okoboji: United Methodist-affiliated camp and retreat center in Milford, Iowa operating summer camps, retreats, and group lodging. Same UMC governance and ministry model, with overlapping Midwest feeder geography.
• Pine Cove: Faith-based Christian camp network in East Texas operating multiple resident camp properties plus family camps and retreats. Closely comparable service mix (summer camps, retreats, family programming) and faith-based ministry model.
• Camp Eagle: Faith-based Christian summer camp and retreat center in the Texas Hill Country offering multi-activity programming, retreats, and adventure elements. Directly comparable faith-based camp + retreat business model.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National federation operating a large network of resident and day camps, family programming, and outdoor education across the U.S. Broader incumbent with overlapping product surface (youth camps, family retreats, outdoor adventure) but not faith-based, serves as a scale benchmark for camp operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-chippewa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Chippewa