Camp Onyahsa

What Camp Onyahsa does

YMCA Camp Onyahsa is a nonprofit traditional co-educational resident summer camp founded in 1898, operated as a branch of the Jamestown Area YMCA on a 160+ acre lakeside campus on Lake Chautauqua in Dewittville, New York. The camp serves youth ages 5–15 through a portfolio of programs including Traditional Resident Camp, Teen Camp, Leader-in-Training, the Joheh-Goh Day Camp, and specialized sessions for youth with Type I Diabetes (Yowidica), adults with developmental disabilities (Resource Center Camp), and youth with disabilities and their siblings (Kids and Sibs Day Camp). It also operates off-season programming — Monthly Weekend Camps from September through May, a Spring Women's Wellness Retreat, and year-round facility rentals for scouts, schools, retreats, and conferences. The organization is staffed year-round by a small administrative core of approximately six employees (Camp Director, Administrative and Group Services Director, Program Director, Waterfront Director, Day Camp Director, Teen Camp Manager) plus seasonal staff, and is governed by a volunteer Camp Advisory Committee.

The camp generates revenue through a three-tier tuition structure (Tier 1 at $695/week for resident camp reflecting true cost, with subsidized Tier 2 and Tier 3 rates for Chautauqua County residents), day camp tuition ($350/week Tier 1), facility rentals (mid-August through May), Onyahsa Association memberships ($50/year), donations, capital campaigns, and an online camp store. Pricing is deliberately held at approximately half the national YMCA camp average through local donor subsidization. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer via the camp website, UltraCamp registration platform, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, community outreach, and word-of-mouth from returning campers and alumni. The organization holds American Camp Association accreditation and New York State Department of Health licensure, has completed two $1.5M+ capital campaigns (Centennial 1998–2001 and Fantastic Future 2015–2020), and is currently fundraising for an Inclusive Health Center renovation.

Name

Camp Onyahsa

Legal name

YMCA Camp Onyahsa

Website

https://onyahsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YMCA Camp Onyahsa is a nonprofit traditional summer camp founded in 1898 on Lake Chautauqua in Dewittville, NY, serving youth ages 5–15 through resident, day, and specialized medical/disability programs, plus off-season camps, retreats, and facility rentals. It operates as a branch of the Jamestown Area YMCA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Summer Camps and Outdoor Education

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAMAJAJ

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus)

Travel & Hospitality/Vacation Rentals & Short-Term Stays/Campgrounds, Glamping & RV Parks

SECONDARYTHAMAJAD

Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds

Travel & Hospitality/Vacation Rentals & Short-Term Stays/Campgrounds, Glamping & RV Parks

SECONDARYTHAGAOAI

Group Camping & Scout Camps

Travel & Hospitality/Lodging & Accommodation/Camping & Glamping Facilities

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Residential youth camps
• Youth day camps
• Special needs camps
• Camp facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Dewittville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from weekly resident camp sessions ($695 Tier 1 per week), mini-camps ($350 Tier 1), day camps ($350 Tier 1), and monthly weekend camps ($50 per weekend). Revenue is seasonal, concentrated during summer months with some year-round revenue from monthly September-May programs.
2. Facility Rentals: Year-round rental income from hosting scouts, outdoor education programs, picnics, retreats, parties, birthdays, reunions, school outings, conferences, and business meetings. Available mid-August through May.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Revenue from annual fall fundraiser events, Onyahsa Association membership fees ($50 annually), scholarship fund donations, Youth Development Fund contributions, and Amazon Wishlist supply gifts. Capital campaign for Health Center renovation underway.
4. Onyahsa Association Membership: Annual membership fee of $50 per participant that supports camp operations and endowment. Waived for YMCA members.
5. Camp Store: Online merchandise sales including shirts, sweatshirts, and hats. Proceeds support the Youth Development Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

YMCA Camp Onyahsa operates a traditional co-educational resident summer camp on 160+ wooded acres on Lake Chautauqua in Dewittville, NY, offering overnight youth camps, day camps, specialty inclusion programs for youth with diabetes and developmental disabilities, year-round monthly weekend camps, and a women's wellness retreat. Revenue is generated through camper tuition, facility rentals, donations, fundraising, association memberships, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

YMCA Camp Onyahsa is a traditional co-educational resident summer camp offering a portfolio of camp programs. The core offerings include Youth Resident Camps (Traditional Camp, Teen Camp, and Leader-in-Training), Day Camps (Joheh-Goh), and specialized programs for youth with diabetes (Yowidica), developmental disabilities (Resource Center), and youth with disabilities and their siblings (Kids and Sibs). Off-season programs include Monthly Camps from September-May and a Spring Women's Wellness Retreat. Additional services include facility rentals and an online camp store. The camp is located on Lake Chautauqua in Dewittville, NY and has operated since 1898.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Resident Camps: Traditional overnight camp programs for ages 5-15 with weekly sessions from June-August.
• Joheh-Goh Youth Day Camp
• Yowidica Camp
• Resource Center Camp
• Kids and Sibs Day Camp
• Monthly Camps: Sept.-May
• Spring Women's Wellness Retreat

Products and services

• Youth Resident Camps Traditional overnight camp sessions including Traditional Camp (ages 7-14), Teen Camp (ages 13-15), Leader-in-Training Camp (age 15), and Micro/Mini-Camp sessions for ages 5-12. Weekly sessions offered June through August with three-tier pricing structure.
• Joheh-Goh Youth Day Camp Week-long summer day camp sessions Monday through Friday for children ages 5-12, offering traditional outdoor activities at the 170-acre lakefront site on Lake Chautauqua. Includes breakfast and lunch daily with three-tier subsidized pricing.
• Yowidica Camp (Youth with Diabetes Camp) Tuition-free overnight session for youth ages 7-15 with manageable Type I Diabetes, offering traditional camp activities with specialty medical and nutrition staff. Fully funded by the Big Fish Triathlon annual fundraiser.
• Resource Center Camp Overnight program for adults with developmental disabilities offered in collaboration with the Resource Center of Jamestown, providing inclusive camp experiences with specialized staffing and accessibility accommodations.
• Kids and Sibs Day Camp Tuition-free day camp for youth with developmental disabilities and their siblings residing full-time in Chautauqua County. Provided through collaboration with Prevention Works as lead agency, staffed by experienced direct support personnel, camp staff, and Special Education volunteers plus a registered nurse.
• Monthly Camps (September-May) Monthly two-day overnight programs held on the third weekend from September through May for children ages 5-12, offering seasonally-appropriate camp activities at $50 per weekend (includes 4 meals). First session free for new campers; ninth session free after purchasing 8 sessions.
• Spring Women's Wellness Retreat Weekend retreat for women ages 18+ featuring instructor-led workshops including yoga, mindfulness, crafts, guided hikes, and wellness programming. $250 per person includes 4 home-cooked meals, snacks, cabin accommodation, and instruction.
• Facilities Rentals and Partnerships Year-round facility rentals available mid-August through May for scouts, outdoor education programs, picnics, retreats, parties, birthdays, reunions, school outings, conferences, and business meetings.
• Camp Onyahsa Online Store Year-round online store selling camp merchandise including shirts, sweatshirts, and hats. Proceeds support the Youth Development Fund.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 1,000 youth annually from diverse backgrounds
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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.

• Prevention WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead agency coordinating Kids and Sibs Day Camp for youth with developmental disabilities and their siblings in Chautauqua County. Contact: Laurie Reynolds at [email protected] or (716) 664-3608. Program is tuition-free for eligible participants.
• Resource Center of JamestowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Resource Center Overnight Camp serving adults with developmental disabilities. Joint program development with specialized staffing and accessibility accommodations.
• Big Fish TriathlonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual fundraiser that fully funds the Yowidica Camp (youth with diabetes camp), making it tuition-free for participants ages 7-15 with manageable Type I Diabetes.
• Jamestown Area YMCAcoreOthersParent organization and branch affiliation. Camp Onyahsa is a branch of the Jamestown Area YMCA, which shares staff resources, mission alignment (youth development, healthy living, social responsibility), and administrative support at 101 East Fourth Street, Jamestown, NY.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Camp Towanda: Traditional co-ed residential summer camp in Honesdale, PA serving a similar Northeast family demographic with weekly overnight sessions, multiple activity areas, and tiered programming by age. Closest direct comparable in geography and operational model for an Upstate NY camp.
• Cedar Lake Camps: Long-established traditional residential summer camp in Indiana with both overnight and day camp tracks, specialty sessions, and ACA accreditation. Comparable as a legacy nonprofit-affiliated traditional camp with multi-generational programming.
• Camp Pinewood: Traditional co-ed residential camp in the Adirondacks region of New York offering classic overnight activities, small-camper community philosophy, and seasonal summer programming — a near-direct regional comparable.
• Camp Pinnacle: Traditional residential summer camp in Hendersonville, NC with diverse weekly session offerings, lake/waterfront programming, and broad activity mix. Comparable as a legacy traditional youth camp in a smaller-region catchment.
• Lake of the Woods Camp: Residential summer camp in Decatur, MI serving youth with traditional activity programming and small-group philosophy. Comparable as a traditional nonprofit-style resident camp with similar scale and mission focus.
• YMCA Camp Kitakiwan: Midwest YMCA-affiliated resident camp with overnight sessions, leadership programs (LIT), and ACA accreditation. Direct YMCA-system peer within the same national network as Onyahsa's Jamestown Area YMCA parent.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the Rockies: One of the largest and longest-running YMCA resident camp and conference center operations in the US (Estes Park, CO). Comparable as a legacy YMCA-affiliated camp with year-round programming, facility rentals, and broad youth/family programming; significantly larger but structurally the same model.
• Camp Fire (national youth development org): National nonprofit youth development organization operating traditional resident camps and community programs nationwide. Comparable as a peer nonprofit youth-development umbrella offering camp experiences in similar categories.

Others

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National nonprofit youth development network offering summer programming, residential camps, and youth development experiences. Adjacent comparable as a nonprofit peer operating summer camp programming for the same demographic segments.

Emerging players

• Camp IHC (Independent Hebrew Camps): Long-running nonprofit-affiliated resident camp with traditional programming and ACA accreditation. Comparable as a nonprofit/affiliated traditional camp serving a defined community with summer-resident session structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Onyahsa
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampOnyahsa
• Instagraminstagram.com/onyahsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camp-onyahsa

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 Camp Onyahsa