Maine Summer Camps

What Maine Summer Camps does

Maine Summer Camps (MSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization headquartered in Portland, Maine, with eight staff supporting the Maine youth camping industry for more than a century. MSC serves three constituent groups: families seeking summer camp experiences for children, Maine youth camp operators, and businesses supplying goods and services to camps. Core offerings include the Find-A-Camp directory tool listing 145+ member camps, a Summer Camp Jobs board for seasonal staffing, the Junior Maine Guide Program (a youth outdoor skills certification operated jointly with the Maine State Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife since 1937), and the Level Ground Initiative (a tuition-free camp scholarship program for underserved, immigrant, and refugee children launched in 2018).

The underlying technology is intentionally lightweight and not a differentiator: a WordPress-based public website and CMS, PayTrace/Nationwide for payment processing, and Google Analytics for traffic analysis. No mobile application, no AI/ML features, and no proprietary software products are disclosed; the Find-A-Camp tool functions as a structured directory rather than a sophisticated matching platform.

MSC's business model is a hybrid nonprofit membership and donation-funded operation. Revenue is generated from annual membership dues paid by more than 150 camp and business members, fees from events and programs (including the Junior Maine Guide's $34 Art of Outdoor Living manual), and charitable contributions directed at general operations, camperships, and the Level Ground Initiative. The organization distributes its services through its website, an annual in-person camp fair in Portland, virtual job fairs, email newsletters, and community partnerships with schools and nonprofits. Notable recent financial support includes a $100,000 L.L. Bean donation for camperships plus $25,000 for Level Ground administration in 2023.

Name

Maine Summer Camps

Legal name

Maine Summer Camps

Website

https://mainecamps.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maine Summer Camps is a Portland, Maine-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization serving 150+ member camps, Maine families, and camp-business vendors through directory tools, advocacy, the Junior Maine Guide Program, and the Level Ground Initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Camp Association Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Summer camp directory
• Youth camp membership
• Outdoor education programs
• Camp scholarship program
• Nonprofit camp association

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Maine Summer Camps is financially supported in large part by dues from its more than 150 business and camp members. These membership dues fund the organization's operations and programs including the Level Ground Initiative and Junior Maine Guide Program.
2. Event Fees: Revenue generated from events, workshops, camp fairs, job fairs, and sponsorship opportunities available to members.
3. Program Fees: Fees for the Junior Maine Guide Program including the Art of Outdoor Living program at $34.00 with shipping.
4. Donations: Charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting MSC programs including general operating, educational events, camperships, the JMG program, and the Level Ground Initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Maine Summer Camps is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization that supports and promotes Maine youth camps through a Find-A-Camp directory of 145+ member camps, a Summer Camp Jobs Board, camp and business membership programs, an annual camp fair, the Junior Maine Guide outdoor skills certification program (jointly with Maine State Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife), and the Level Ground Initiative scholarship program that funds tuition-free camp experiences for underserved, immigrant, and refugee children.

Product overview

Maine Summer Camps is a nonprofit membership organization that operates primarily as a directory and resource platform connecting families with Maine youth camps. The core offerings include the Find-A-Camp Tool for searching 145+ member camps, a Summer Camp Jobs Board for staffing, plus two specialized programs: the Level Ground Initiative (providing tuition-free camp experiences to underserved children) and the Junior Maine Guide Program (outdoor skills certification for youth). The organization also publishes a blog and manages member business services including payment processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Find-A-Camp Tool
• Summer Camp Jobs Board
• Level Ground Initiative
• Junior Maine Guide Program
• Camp Membership
• Business Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 160 underserved children served in single season through Level Ground Initiative
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Maine State Department of Inland Fisheries & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1937Joint partnership established in 1937 by the Maine State Legislature to operate the Junior Maine Guide Program, an outdoors skills program for youth ages 9-18 promoting Maine wilderness recreation and environmentally responsible land use practices.
• King Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Level Ground Initiative, helping identify and work with immigrant and refugee children and their families to make camp experiences possible since the program's inception in 2018.
• Portland Community SquashcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Level Ground Initiative, contributing expertise in identifying and supporting children from underserved populations to access summer camp experiences.
• Prosperity MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Level Ground Initiative, helping identify and refer children from immigrant and refugee communities to access tuition-free camp experiences.
• American Camp Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSC aligns with ACA and ACA New England for advocacy, standards development, and professional support. MSC played a key role in working with ACA to resolve regulatory issues affecting Maine camps and camps nationwide.
• Camp BishopswoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating camp in Level Ground Initiative since the program's inaugural year in 2018, providing full scholarships for Level Ground campers including supplies, equipment, uniforms, trips, travel, and medical costs.
• Agassiz VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating camp in Level Ground Initiative, hosting 14 Level Ground campers in 2024. Aligns with Agassiz's mission to provide a nurturing community that welcomes all and assists in developing each child's personal vision.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MySummerCamps: Online camp directory and resource site serving families seeking summer programs; directly comparable to MSC as another digital camp-discovery channel competing for the same family audience.
• American Camp Association: National nonprofit membership association advancing the camp industry through accreditation, advocacy, and professional development; directly comparable to MSC's role as the Maine state-level association serving 150+ youth camps.
• SummerCamps.com: National camp search and directory platform helping U.S. families find overnight, day, and specialty camps; competes head-to-head with MSC's Find-A-Camp tool on directory and matching capabilities.

Others

• Independent Sector: National membership coalition of nonprofits and foundations; comparable to MSC as a membership-supported nonprofit operating with a small staff to convene members, advocate on policy, and advance a sector agenda.

Regional players

• American Camp Association New England: Regional chapter of ACA covering New England; serves many of the same MSC member camps through joint accreditation, events, and advocacy and represents a comparable regional membership association layer.

Emerging players

• CampMinder: Camp management software platform serving summer camps with registration, billing, and family communication; adjacently comparable to MSC's role as the digital backbone of Maine's camp ecosystem.
• Active Network Camps (Camps with Friends): Camp discovery platform with optional registration and activity planning features; overlaps with MSC's Find-A-Camp directory on family discovery for overnight and day camps and represents an emerging digital-first peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maine-summer-camps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Maine Summer Camps