R.M Pyles Boys Camp

Name

R.M Pyles Boys Camp

Legal name

R.M. Pyles Boys Camp

Website

https://pylescamp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development and Wilderness Education Programs

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212), Child and Youth Services (62411), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Wilderness leadership camp
• Nonprofit mentoring services
• Youth scholarship program
• Community youth outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The camp relies entirely on charitable donations from individuals, families, and alumni. Nearly 100% of monthly donors are alumni or friends/family of alumni.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual fundraising events and sponsorships from corporations including Chevron, Weyerhaeuser, and numerous oil/gas industry companies.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations including Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation ($3,500 per youth), Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation (horse program), and North American Camp Trust ($20,000).
4. Alumni Contributions: PACM alumni committee has raised nearly $100,000 since 2015 for sponsor-a-boy fund. Alumni contribute through in-kind donations, volunteer time, and direct financial support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

R.M. Pyles Boys Camp provides a free, multi-year wilderness leadership camp experience and year-round mentoring program for low-income, disadvantaged boys aged 12-14 from Southern California. The program is structured as a five-year progression (Camper, Lioneers, Voyagers, Trailblazers, PLT) culminating in Counselor positions, supplemented by a College Scholarship Program and Winter Outreach mentorship. All programs are offered at no cost to participants and are funded entirely through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and annual fundraising events.

Product overview

R.M. Pyles Boys Camp is a prevention-based nonprofit organization offering a multi-year wilderness camp experience supplemented by year-round mentoring for low-income, disadvantaged boys aged 12-14. The core program is structured as a five-year ladder: First Year Camper Program (12-day wilderness experience), Winter Outreach Program (year-round mentorship), Lioneers (2nd Year), Voyagers (3rd Year), Trailblazers (4th Year), and Pyles Leadership Training (5th Year) leading to Counselor positions. Supporting programs include the College Scholarship Program (established 1977, $1.19M awarded to 567 recipients), the Pyles Alumni Committee Members (PACM) alumni organization, the annual Kern County BBQ fundraiser, and the Selector Program community partnership network. The camp is offered at no cost to participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• First Year Camper Program A 12-day wilderness leadership experience for boys aged 12-14 featuring horseback riding, ROPES course, archery, athletics, arts and crafts, nature and stargazing programs, and a 5-day wilderness trip in the Golden Trout Wilderness area.
• Winter Outreach Program Year-round mentorship and support program for campers including reunions, field trips, community meetings, personal contacts via phone/email/letters, and a yearbook to reinforce positive lessons learned during camp.
• Lioneers Program (Year 2) Second-year program building on the first-year foundation, with emphasis on fun, leadership, teamwork, and life skills. Boys spend time in the Golden Trout Wilderness area known as Lion Meadows.
• Voyagers Program (Year 3) Third-year program for campers who completed first and second years, focusing on leadership skills, team building with fellow campers and staff, and work ethic. Final year as a camper before becoming staff.
• Trailblazers Program (Year 4) Fourth-year program where participants enhance life skills and provide service to current and future Pyles campers through daily work details, meal preparation, clean-up efforts, and workshops on communication, financial literacy, organizational skills, coping skills, educational development, and career readiness.
• Pyles Leadership Training (PLT) Program (Year 5) Fifth-year program where participants learn necessary skills to become Pyles camp counselors, including Leave No Trace, CPR and First Aid, Outdoor Living Skills, conflict resolution, behavioral management, and camp philosophy.
• Counselor Program Counselor positions for program graduates who advance through the camper pathway. Over 90% of counselors are alumni of the program. Counselors are eligible for the Scholarship Program.
• College Scholarship Program Established in 1977 to assist deserving staff members attend colleges, universities, and technical schools. Since 1977, has awarded $1,193,164 to 567 individuals. In the past 20 years, $650,766 has been issued to 133 recipients.
• Kern County BBQ Annual Fundraiser Annual fundraising event held at Lake Ming in Bakersfield, California, with approximately 3,000 attendees. Major fundraiser supporting camp operations, featuring tri-tip dinner, raffle prizes, and entertainment.
• Horse Program Horsemanship and horse care program offered to campers, revived in 2024 with support from the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation and alumni farrier Matthew 'Bodean' McDonald.

Quantifiable outcome

• Education Focus increased by +0.61 (Parent Impact Survey) - remarkable boost in academic motivation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 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 minor and core.

• American Camp AssociationminorOthers · 1 January 2025ACA accredited camp meeting industry standards for safety and program quality
• Western Association of Independent CampsminorOthers · 1 January 2025Member camp inducted in 2022, providing industry networking and standards
• IBEW Local 11minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Introduced boys to trade union opportunities through hands-on demonstrations, mentorship, and open dialogue about pathways to rewarding careers in trades.
• Tejon Ranch ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Alumni participate in conservation work projects including trash removal with Tejon Ranch Conservancy
• PACM (Pyles Alumni Committee Members)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015501(c)(3) alumni organization raising funds and providing mentorship. Since pre-inception June 2015, has raised nearly $100,000 for sponsor-a-boy fund. Represents diverse alumni professionals providing ongoing support.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Fire (formerly Camp Fire Boys and Girls): National youth development nonprofit with a strong outdoor/camping programming tradition and SEL-focused mission. Closely comparable to Pyles as a multi-year youth enrichment organization with prevention orientation and outdoor programming for diverse youth populations.
• Fresh Air Fund: Nonprofit providing free summer outdoor experiences to New York City youth from low-income communities. Directly comparable to Pyles in serving disadvantaged youth at no cost through outdoor camp programming, with a similar referral-based intake model.
• Outward Bound USA: National wilderness-based experiential education nonprofit serving youth through outdoor leadership programs. Closely comparable to Pyles' wilderness leadership programming model (ROPES course, wilderness backpacking, character development in outdoor settings), though typically fee-based and shorter-term.
• Police Athletic League (PAL): National youth development nonprofit partnering with law enforcement to provide prevention programming for at-risk youth. Highly comparable to Pyles given the organization's explicit law enforcement referral pipeline (LA County Sheriff, LAPD, Oxnard PD, Ventura County Sheriff) and at-risk youth prevention mission.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National nonprofit focused on mentoring relationships for youth, including those facing adversity. Directly comparable to Pyles' year-round Winter Outreach mentoring component and at-risk youth target population, though delivered via 1:1 mentoring rather than residential programming.

Others

• Girl Scouts of the USA: National youth development organization with outdoor camping programming and multi-year advancement ladder, serving girls. Comparable to Pyles in organizational model (gender-specific, outdoor programming, multi-year progression) but serves a different beneficiary demographic.

Broad incumbents

• National 4-H Council: National youth development organization with outdoor/leadership programming and university extension ties. Comparable to Pyles in its youth development orientation, multi-year engagement model, and college scholarship pathway support.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large, established youth development organization serving at-risk youth through club-based programming. Comparable to Pyles as a referenced referral partner (Boys & Girls Clubs appear in Pyles' distribution channel) and as a broader peer serving similar low-income youth populations.
• YMCA of the USA: Large national youth development organization with residential camps and character-building programming. Comparable to Pyles in mission scope (youth character development, multi-year engagement) and camp programming, but operates broader services portfolio beyond wilderness leadership.
• Boy Scouts of America (Scouts BSA): Established youth character-development organization with outdoor adventure programming and multi-year advancement ladder. Comparable to Pyles' multi-year ladder structure and outdoor/wilderness-based leadership programming for boys.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGRh07L6cJTOU0Gqmsmqjpg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/rmpyles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/r.m-pyles-boys-camp
• Instagraminstagram.com/pylesboyscamp

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 R.M Pyles Boys Camp