camp wilson

What camp wilson does

YMCA Camp Willson is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit overnight youth camp and outdoor education center operating on a 500-acre property in Bellefontaine, Ohio, approximately one hour from Columbus and Dayton. Founded in 1918 and operated as part of the YMCA of Central Ohio network, the camp serves children ages 6-17 through Traditional Camp, Ranch Camp (horseback riding), Fishing Camp, Frontier Camp (wilderness survival), and Counselor-in-Training leadership programs, with 156 sleeping spaces across 13 cabins. Year-round programming extends to seasonal weekend camps for kids, teens, and families; adult retreats including Women's Weekends and Men's Camp; curriculum-aligned Outdoor Education for school groups; and Groups & Rentals of the facility for external organizations.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer registration model through the CampBrain platform, supplemented by phone inquiries and school group direct bookings. Pricing is structured as per-week unit pricing ($800/week Traditional, $850/week Ranch, $450 Mini Weeks, $1,500 for the two-week Ranch program), with separate family camp and adult retreat tiers and a $50/week discount for YMCA of Central Ohio members. Revenue is diversified across registration fees, Annual Campaign donations, financial assistance infrastructure, and facility rental income. The technology stack is limited to third-party SaaS (CampBrain registration, SmugMug photos) with no proprietary platforms.

The organization is differentiated by dual accreditation from the American Camp Association and Praesidium Inc. (2022-2025), a 70% seasonal staff return rate that supports a 1:6 staff-to-camper ratio, a 47% annual camper return rate, and 100+ years of brand equity under the YMCA umbrella. No AI capabilities, proprietary technology, or growth-stage funding events are disclosed; the operating model is mature, asset-intensive (real estate and seasonal labor), and dependent on consumer registration volume plus donor support.

Name

camp wilson

Legal name

YMCA Camp Willson

Website

https://ymcacampwillson.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YMCA Camp Willson is a nonprofit overnight youth camp and outdoor education center on 500 acres in Bellefontaine, Ohio, serving children ages 6-17, families, school groups, and adult retreat attendees through traditional summer camps, specialty sub-camps, weekend programs, and facility rentals since 1918.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Camp and Outdoor Education Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAMAJAD), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

Keywords

• Youth overnight camp
• Outdoor education programs
• Summer camp services
• Family camping retreats
• School group field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellefontaine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Camp Registration Fees: Primary revenue stream from summer camp registrations. Traditional camp: $800/week; Ranch camp: $850/week; Mini weeks: $450; Two-week Ranch program: $1,500. Weekend camps and family camps priced separately.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual Campaign fund drives and individual donations support financial assistance programs, enabling access for families who cannot afford full camp fees.
3. Group Rentals and Outdoor Education: Schools and organizations book outdoor education trips and group facilities. Fees for archery ($50/hour), boating ($100/hour), and other programmed activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YMCA Camp Willson operates overnight youth summer camps (Traditional, Ranch, Fishing, Leadership Training, Frontier, and Mini Week programs for ages 6–17), seasonal weekend and family camps, year-round outdoor education for school groups, and group facility rentals. Programming is delivered on a 500-acre property in Bellefontaine, Ohio, with a 1:6 staff-to-camper ratio and dual ACA and Praesidium accreditation.

Product overview

YMCA Camp Willson is a traditional summer camp and outdoor education center offering a portfolio of overnight and weekend camping programs. The core offerings include Overnight Summer Camp with multiple program tracks (Traditional Camp, Ranch Camp, Fishing Camp, and Leadership Training programs), Weekend Camps for kids, teens, and adults (including Family Camps, Women's Weekend, and Men's Camp), Outdoor Education for school groups, and Groups & Rentals for facility bookings. The camp spans 500 acres in Bellefontaine, Ohio, with programs operating since 1918, serving children ages 6-17 and families throughout the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overnight Summer Camp Multi-week overnight summer camp programs for youth ages 6–17, including Traditional Camp tracks (Rangers, Pathfinders, Trailblazers, Teens), Ranch Camp with horseback riding, Fishing Camp, Frontier Camp (wilderness survival), Mini Week condensed programs, and Counselor-in-Training/Wrangler-in-Training leadership development. Activities include swimming, hiking, kayaking, water trampoline, horseback riding, and fishing.
• Weekend Camps Seasonal weekend camp experiences for kids, teens, families, and adults, including Fall Camp (Halloween activities), Winter Camp, Spring Camp, Family Camps at Memorial Day and Labor Day with cabin accommodations, Women's Weekend retreats, and Men's Camp. Cabin-based and activity-based programming throughout the year.
• Outdoor Education Year-round outdoor education programs for school groups (public and private) that complement classroom curriculum. Programs include adventure classes, life sciences, physical sciences, living history, outdoor skills, and evening programs, led by trained staff. Multi-day overnight or day-trip field trips are booked directly by schools.
• Groups & Rentals Facility rental services for groups, schools, churches, scouts, corporate retreats, and reunions to book camp spaces and programmed activities. Programmed activities include archery ($50/hour), boating ($100/hour), climbing wall, giant swing, riflery, fishing, gaga ball, hiking, and sports complex. Cabins, dining hall, and meeting spaces are available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of staff return annually, creating experienced, consistent supervision with 1:6 staff-to-camper ratio
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• YMCA of Central OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp Willson is a part of the YMCA of Central Ohio network. The YMCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating multiple branches across Central Ohio. The parent organization provides operational support, brand credibility, membership discounts, and financial assistance infrastructure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YMCA Camp Chief Ouray: Overnight youth camp operated by the YMCA of the Rockies in Colorado, offering horseback riding, traditional camp, and family programming. Comparable YMCA-affiliated overnight camp with similar ranch/equestrian and youth-development value proposition.
• YMCA Camp Tecumseh: Indiana YMCA overnight camp and outdoor education center serving school groups and families. Comparable in scale, programming mix (traditional camp + outdoor ed), and the same parent-network affiliation model as Camp Willson.
• Camp Towanda: Privately operated premier co-ed overnight camp in Pennsylvania for ages 7-17. Comparable traditional multi-activity overnight camp with strong repeat-camper base and similar pricing band, serving a similar demographic from the same broader region.
• Camp Pinnacle: Private co-ed overnight camp in North Carolina offering multi-activity programming. Comparable traditional overnight camp targeting ages 6-17 with structured activity offerings and a similar multi-week session model.
• Frost Valley YMCA Camp: Large YMCA overnight camp in New York offering traditional, equestrian, and adventure programs plus robust year-round outdoor education for schools. Comparable end-to-end mix of summer youth camp and B2B school-group outdoor education.
• YMCA Camp Kern: Overnight youth camp and outdoor education center operated by the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. Highly comparable to Camp Willson as another Midwestern YMCA overnight camp offering traditional activities, equestrian programming, and school-group outdoor education on a large owned property.
• YMCA Camp Fitch: Long-running YMCA overnight camp on Lake Erie in Pennsylvania offering traditional, ranch, sailing, and family programs. Directly comparable as a regional YMCA camp with similar ACA accreditation, multi-generational families, and similar pricing/seasonality profile.

Emerging players

• Calvin Center: Nonprofit outdoor education and retreat center in Indiana serving school groups and youth organizations. Comparable in mission and the outdoor-education/retreat niche, though smaller in overnight youth camp programming than Camp Willson.
• Nature's Classroom: Network of outdoor education campuses offering multi-day school-group programming. Comparable in the Outdoor Education/B2B school-group segment, where Camp Willson also competes for school contracts, though Nature's Classroom operates across multiple states rather than a single site.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Central Ohio: Parent nonprofit organization operating multiple branches across Central Ohio including Camp Willson. Directly relevant as the umbrella organization providing brand, fundraising, and operational infrastructure to the subject company.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ymcacampwillson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ymca-camp-willson

Compliance2 records

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 →

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