Cavett Kids Foundation

What Cavett Kids Foundation does

Cavett Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 by Danny Cavett and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The organization provides free camps and year-round programs for children and young adults ages 8-24 battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease, and kidney failure. Programming comprises eight annual camps (Ski Camp, Beach Bash, Discovery Camp, Camp Connections, Mountain Madness, Camp Cavett, Leadership Camp, and Kamp Courage) and four ongoing programs (Cavett Cares emergency assistance, Diversionary Play at Oklahoma Children's Hospital, Dialysis Rewards, and the Transitions program for young adults). Two scholarship programs (Jacque Cook Scholarship at $4,000 renewable up to four years and Brookshire Home Scholarship at $1,000) extend the organization's reach into higher education support.

All programs are offered completely free of charge to participants, with average cost per camper of $750-$1,174 funded entirely through donor support. The organization reports serving over 20,000 children annually and operating with a small staff of approximately 10 employees supplemented by 600+ recurring volunteers. Revenue is generated through individual donations (including Club Cavett recurring donors), foundation grants (such as the Aldridge Foundation for Beach Bash), event fundraising (Cavett Classic Golf Tournament and Cavett Kids Got Talent gala), donor-advised funds, and a planned giving partnership with Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with healthcare provider referrals from Oklahoma Children's Hospital serving as a top-of-funnel channel.

Core technology consists of a standard Squarespace-hosted nonprofit website and donor management systems with no proprietary features, integrations, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is direct: camps are delivered at venues across Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, and Alabama, while Diversionary Play and Dialysis Rewards are delivered on-site at Oklahoma Children's Hospital. Ashley Simpson has served as Executive Director since February 2018, succeeding founder Danny Cavett who continues in an active mentorship role following his retirement from OU Health after 45 years as Director of Pastoral Care.

Name

Cavett Kids Foundation

Legal name

Cavett Kids Foundation

Website

https://cavettkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cavett Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 in Oklahoma City that provides free camps, year-round programs, and scholarships to children and young adults ages 8-24 with chronic and life-threatening illnesses across Oklahoma and surrounding states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Chronic Illness Nonprofit Services

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Pediatric chronic illness camps
• Nonprofit youth programs
• Therapeutic camping services
• Illness support programs
• Free community camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting the mission. Monthly donors join Club Cavett as sustaining supporters.
2. Donor-Advised Funds: Donors can recommend grants through their Donor-Advised Funds to support free programs for Oklahoma children.
3. Planned Giving/Legacy Giving: Partnership with Oklahoma City Community Foundation to offer free planned giving tools including retirement plan assets, stocks, bonds, bequests, and charitable gift annuities.
4. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations such as the Aldridge Foundation for specific programs like Beach Bash.
5. Event Fundraising: Revenue from events including the annual Cavett Classic Golf Tournament and Cavett Kids Got Talent gala.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cavett Kids Foundation provides free in-person camps and year-round programs for children and teens (ages 8-24) with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, focused on developing Character, Coping, and Connection. Offerings include eight annual camps (such as Camp Cavett, Ski Camp, Beach Bash, Mountain Madness, Leadership Camp, Camp Connections, and Discovery Camp) and four ongoing programs (Cavett Cares emergency assistance, Diversionary Play in-hospital activities, Dialysis Rewards, and the Transitions program for young adults), supplemented by two scholarship awards and signature fundraising events.

Product overview

Cavett Kids Foundation operates as a single unified nonprofit offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization provides seven annual camps (Ski Camp, Beach Bash, Discovery Camp, Camp Connections, Mountain Madness, Camp Cavett, and Leadership Camp) serving children and teens ages 8-24 with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, along with four year-round programs (Cavett Cares, Diversionary Play, Dialysis Rewards, and Transitions). These offerings are complemented by scholarship programs (Jacque Cook Scholarship and Brookshire Home Scholarship) and major fundraising events (Cavett Kids Got Talent, Annual Golf Tournament, Young Alum Retreat). All camps and programs are provided completely free of charge to participants. The organization reports serving over 20,000 children annually through its camp and program offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cavett Cares: Emergency assistance program helping families with utilities, rent, groceries, gas cards, medications, and funeral assistance.
• Diversionary Play
• Dialysis Rewards
• Transitions

Products and services

• Camp Cavett The organization's largest camp, located at New Life Ranch's Frontier Cove site in Adair, Oklahoma. Open to children and teens ages 8-18 with chronic illnesses, it features old-west themed activities including archery, horseback riding, fishing, bb gun shooting, boating, tubing, swimming pool with water slide, and a ropes course. Bus transportation is provided from Oklahoma City.
• Ski Camp An annual ski trip since the early 1980s that allows teens to learn skiing, experience snow-covered mountains, and connect with peers facing similar health challenges.
• Beach Bash A beach vacation for teens held at a luxurious beach house on Pensacola Beach, FL. Activities include beach time, kayaking, dolphin tours, jet skis, and souvenir shopping.
• Discovery Camp A summer camp designed for younger campers ages 8-12 featuring traditional activities including swimming, fishing, canoeing, zip lining, and archery. Limited to 40 campers.
• Camp Connections A teen camp ages 13-18 offering traditional summer camp activities with a focus on connecting campers with others who have similar illnesses.
• Mountain Madness An annual outdoor adventure trip for teens ages 16-18 at Angel Fire, NM. Features whitewater rafting on the Rio Grande, guided UTV tours through Carson National Forest, and stays at Snowball Lodge near Angel Fire Resort.
• Leadership Camp A camp for 40 elite teenage campers who exemplify leadership character. Features hands-on activities to develop leadership skills, habits, and attitudes. Located at Cross Point Camp on Lake Texoma.
• Cavett Cares A program providing emergency assistance to Oklahoma Cavett Kids families in their time of greatest need, including help with utilities, rent, groceries, gas cards, medications, and funeral assistance.
• Diversionary Play A program providing inviting activities in waiting areas of Oklahoma Children's Hospital clinics. Features interactive arts and crafts to help young patients feel like normal kids while reducing anxiety during medical visits.
• Dialysis Rewards A rewards program for pediatric dialysis patients at Oklahoma Children's Hospital. Patients earn 'Dialysis Dollars' by being compliant with treatment plans, which can be redeemed for items to encourage healthier behaviors and treatment adherence.
• Transitions A program hosting young adults ages 15-24 with chronic or life-threatening illnesses for quarterly events. Focuses on building community, sharing struggles, developing positive relationships, and setting future goals.
• Jacque Cook Scholarship A scholarship awarding $4,000 to two high school seniors or current college/tech school students annually. The award is renewable up to 4 years, potentially totaling $16,000.
• Brookshire Home Scholarship A scholarship awarding $1,000 to two high school seniors or current college/tech school students as a one-time award.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ children impacted annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Oklahoma City Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer free planned giving tools for donors and professional advisors including retirement plan assets, stocks, bequests, and charitable gift annuities. EIN # 20-2025503.
• Oklahoma Children's Hospital - Pediatric Dialysis UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Pediatric Dialysis Unit at Oklahoma Children's Hospital to deliver the Dialysis Rewards Program, encouraging healthy behaviors through positive reinforcement.
• New Life RanchminorOthersCamp venue provider for Camp Cavett at the Frontier Cove site in Adair, Oklahoma.
• Central Oklahoma Camp and Conference CenterminorOthersVenue provider for Discovery Camp and Camp Connections in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Global nonprofit supporting families of seriously ill children through housing and in-hospital programs. Comparable family-of-sick-child focus and hospital partnerships, but a different service model (lodging vs. camp experiences).
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Leading pediatric treatment and research institution serving children with catastrophic illnesses, with significant donor fundraising operations. Overlapping beneficiary population and Oklahoma-region donor base, but offers clinical care rather than recreational programs.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Large national nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Comparable beneficiary population (critically ill children), overlapping donor base, and event-driven fundraising, though structured around wish-fulfillment rather than camps.

Direct peers

• Camp Sunshine: Retreats in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, offered free of charge year-round. Comparable mission, free-cost model, and broad pediatric illness coverage.
• Camp Korey: Washington-based free, medically supported camp serving children with serious medical conditions. Comparable free camp model, condition-specific programming, and donor-funded operations.
• SeriousFun Children's Network: Global network of free, medically supported camps for children with serious illnesses founded by Paul Newman. Most direct comparable: same free-camp-for-sick-kids model, multi-condition camper population, and donor-funded operating model.
• Okizu: California nonprofit offering free camp programs for children affected by childhood cancer and their families. Comparable free overnight camp model, condition-specific focus, and volunteer-driven delivery.

Emerging players

• Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance: Houston-area nonprofit providing free emotional, educational, and practical support to families of children with cancer. Comparable free-of-charge programs for chronically ill children's families and similar nonprofit operating model.
• The Victory Center: Toledo-based nonprofit offering free programs and support for children with cancer and their families. Comparable mission, scale (small staff, regional focus), and program-based support model.

Regional players

• Children's Hospital Foundation (Oklahoma): Oklahoma-based fundraising arm for local pediatric hospitals. Comparable Oklahoma market, overlapping hospital partnerships (Oklahoma Children's Hospital), and donor base — adjacent enabler rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cavett-kids-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Cavett Kids Foundation