Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal

What Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal does

Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit experiential education organization founded in 1994 by educator Rose Bator and headquartered on a 30-acre wooded property along the Vermilion River in Oberlin, Ohio. The organization delivers experience-based programming for youth and adults through a portfolio that includes summer day camps (Earth Camp for ages 6-13, Adventure Camp for ages 10-13, and the 2026-launched Teen Leadership Camp for ages 14-15), a guided Zipline Canopy Tour with 7 ziplines and 2 aerial bridges, recreational tree climbing, party packages, team building programs, social-emotional learning curriculum through the Life School sub-brand, the My Lens My Life anti-bullying photography program, the Canopy Classroom STEM experience, the annual Gregg Gilder Memorial Firewalk, and Lodge and Grounds facility rentals. Programming is aligned with Ohio Department of Education K-12 SEL Standards and the CASEL framework, with more than 10 years of SEL delivery history.

The organization operates with a small staff of 14 employees and serves customers across Northeast Ohio, including youth campers, K-12 schools, corporate and nonprofit groups, families, and adults seeking personal development. The revenue model combines unit-priced program fees (e.g., $270-$305 per camp week, $84-$94 per zipline tour, $325-$1,950 per SEL day, $400-$1,700 per facility rental) with charitable donations processed through the Resilia platform. Approximately 70% of summer campers attend with financial assistance, and the organization reinvests proceeds from public-facing adventure tourism into youth programming. Distribution relies on self-serve online registration via Active Network for camps, Xola for tours and events, direct sales for groups and rentals, and on-site delivery of SEL and team building programs at client schools and corporate locations throughout the region. Board governance is provided by a mix of regional corporate and foundation executives, with current President and CEO Ken Fraelich, M.Ed. leading operations.

Name

Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal

Legal name

Common Ground Center

Website

https://commongroundcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Common Ground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit experiential education center on 30 acres in Oberlin, Ohio, offering summer camps, zipline canopy tours, team building, and social-emotional learning programs for youth, schools, corporate groups, and families across Northeast Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Education and Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Experiential education programs
• Summer youth camps
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Corporate team building
• Social emotional learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberlin

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

Revenue model

1. Summer Day Camps: Revenue from summer camp programs including Earth Camp, Adventure Camp, and Teen Leadership Camp. Fees range from $270-$305 per week per camper with additional charges for bus transportation. One-time seasonal revenue stream during 8-week camp season.
2. Zipline Canopy Tours: Guided canopy tour experiences generating revenue from individuals and groups. Weekly rates $84-94 per person. Adventure experiences lasting approximately 2.5 hours. Revenue reinvested in youth programs per nonprofit mission.
3. Team Building Programs: Customized team building experiences for corporate, nonprofit, and school groups. Programs can be delivered on-site or off-site at client locations. Pricing varies by group size and program customization.
4. Social & Emotional Learning Programs: Life School SEL curriculum delivered at Common Ground or client schools. Pricing at $700/day at Common Ground for up to 15 students, or $325/hour or $1,950/day at client schools. My Lens My Life anti-bullying program at $3,500 for 8 sessions.
5. Facility Rentals: Rental of The Lodge, Grounds, or combined spaces for events, meetings, and celebrations. Variable pricing from $400-$1,700 depending on space and day of week. Includes catering options.
6. Adventure Activities: Tree climbing ($39/person), party packages ($390-$1,680), Classic Camp Day ($40/person), and firewalk events ($69/person). Group pricing tiers for various adventure experiences.
7. Donations & Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Common Ground receives donations to support operations and financial aid. Donations help subsidize camp fees for underserved youth and fund capital improvements like the Healing Garden revitalization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a 30-acre outdoor campus in Oberlin, Ohio, providing experiential education programs including summer camps, zipline tours, team building programs, social emotional learning (SEL) programs, and facility rentals. Founded in 1994, the center serves youth, families, schools, and corporate groups through hands-on outdoor experiences.

Product overview

Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal is a nonprofit organization offering experience-based programming for youth and adults across 30 acres in Oberlin, Ohio. The portfolio consists of adventure activities (zipline canopy tours, tree climbing), summer day camps (Earth Camp, Adventure Camp, Teen Leadership Camp), educational programs (Life School SEL, Canopy Classroom, My Lens My Life anti-bullying), team building programs for youth and adults, and venue rentals. The organization reinvests proceeds from public-facing adventure activities into youth programming and serves approximately 70% of campers through financial assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Life School: Social and emotional learning (SEL) / soft skills program focusing on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making. Taught at Common Ground and various schools throughout Northeast Ohio for more than ten years.

Products and services

• Summer Camps
• Zipline Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• 27% more students improve academic performance through SEL programs (per CASEL research)
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLife School and My Lens My Life programs align with Ohio Department of Education K-12 Social and Emotional Learning Standards. This alignment ensures program credibility and enables schools to meet state curriculum requirements.
• CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrograms use CASEL framework and five core competencies for SEL implementation. CASEL's research and standards validation supports program effectiveness claims and curriculum development.
• Nordson CorporationminorOthersElizabeth Irizarry, Director of Marketing at Nordson Corporation, serves as President of the Board of Directors, providing governance leadership.
• John P. Murphy Foundation & Kulas FoundationminorOthersLou Grasso, Vice President of John P. Murphy Foundation and Kulas Foundation, serves as Vice President of the Board, providing nonprofit sector expertise.
• Oberlin Kids Community CollaborativeminorOthersJenn Keathley, Director of Oberlin Kids Community Collaborative, serves as Secretary of the Board, providing community connection.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Committee for Children: National nonprofit publisher of SEL curricula including Second Step, widely adopted in K-8 schools. Represents the incumbent, scaled, digital SEL curriculum provider against which Common Ground's experiential SEL offering competes.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio: Regional youth development organization serving Northeast Ohio with after-school, summer, and SEL programming. Comparable in target demographic, geography, and community-based youth programming model.
• YMCA of Greater Cleveland: Regional YMCA serving Northeast Ohio with summer camps, youth programs, and team building. Comparable in customer overlap (families, schools, corporate groups) and regional footprint to Common Ground's programs.

Direct peers

• Camp Nuhop: Ohio-based residential and adventure camp serving youth with behavioral, emotional, and learning challenges. Most directly comparable to Common Ground's experiential education and adventure-based youth programming model in the same regional market.
• Project Adventure: National organization providing adventure-based experiential education, team building curricula, and SEL-aligned programming for schools and groups. Closely comparable to Common Ground's Life School SEL and team building programs in terms of methodology and target buyers.
• Camp Timberlane: Traditional overnight summer camp in Wisconsin offering nature-based programming for youth ages 7-16. Comparable to Common Ground's Earth Camp, Adventure Camp, and Teen Leadership Camp in terms of mission, activities, and customer segment.
• Hocking Hills Canopy Tours: Zipline canopy tour operator in Hocking Hills, Ohio offering guided canopy tours and group adventure experiences. Comparable to Common Ground's flagship zipline canopy tour product and adventure tourism revenue model.
• Mohican Adventures: Outdoor adventure operator in Loudonville, Ohio offering zipline canopy tours, team building, and group activities on a rural property. Closely comparable to Common Ground's zipline and team building revenue streams in the same Ohio geography.

Others

• CASEL: National collaborative that defines the SEL framework and competencies that Common Ground's curriculum aligns with. Treated as an enabling ecosystem partner rather than a competitor; included to capture the standards-ecosystem dimension of Common Ground's SEL positioning.

Regional players

• Camp Cheerful (Achievement Centers for Children): Ohio-based overnight and day camp for children and adults with disabilities. Comparable to Common Ground in regional Ohio footprint and mission-driven youth programming, though focused on a specialized population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thecommongroundcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/common_ground_center
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/common-ground-the-cindy-nord-center-for-renewal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Common Ground - The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal