Sounds Of Hope Ltd

What Sounds Of Hope Ltd does

Sounds of Hope, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, by Jeanne Junge (Artistic Director) and Tom Surprenant (Program Director). It operates two annual residential camp programs for international youth: Songs of Hope™, a six-week overnight performing arts summer camp for children aged 10 and older, and Global Reach™, a two-week overnight arts and cultural immersion camp for young adults aged 16-22. Both programs are housed in dormitory facilities rented from Concordia University in Saint Paul. Each summer the organization draws participants from 8-15 countries (including China, Vietnam, Italy, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Guatemala, Jamaica, Israel, and Turkey, among others), totaling up to 75 participants per session at a participant-to-staff ratio not exceeding 4:1. Following a multi-week rehearsal period, participants present 25-30 concerts at venues across Minnesota — including nursing homes, theaters, care centers, and outdoor amphitheaters — as part of a community outreach and brand-building tour.

Revenue is generated through four streams: participant tuition (Songs of Hope 2025 charges $1,950 for first-time participants, with 15% sibling discounts and a $1,000 adult companion fee), tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations, merchandise sales (including the "Year to Hope" CD at $15 and branded T-shirts at $12), and foundation/government grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (annual recipient since 1994), and corporate supporters including Macy's, Target, 3M, and the General Mills Foundation. Recruitment occurs through international delegations, school partnerships, Sister Cities connections, and individual applications; a structured alumni pipeline (ComeBack Kids up to age 16, then Junior Team staff leaders) sustains long-term community engagement. The organization has received multiple awards, including 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award Finalist status and Arts Achievement Awards.

Name

Sounds Of Hope Ltd

Legal name

Sounds of Hope, Ltd.

Website

https://soundsofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sounds of Hope, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that runs international performing arts and cultural-immersion summer camps in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving up to 75 youth aged 10-22 from 8-15 countries annually through its Songs of Hope and Global Reach programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Performing Arts and Cultural Exchange Camps

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ)

Keywords

• Performing arts camps
• Youth cultural exchange
• International summer programs
• Arts education nonprofit
• Concert tours community

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Paul

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees charged to camp participants. Songs of Hope 2025 charges $1,950 total for first-time participants ($300 per week for 6+ weeks). Additional revenue from companion fees ($1,000 USD). 15% sibling discounts available.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individual contributors, businesses, and volunteers. Organization is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including the 'Year to Hope' CD ($15.00) featuring songs from participating countries and Songs of Hope T-shirts ($12.00) in various sizes.
4. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Grant funding from arts foundations and government arts agencies including National Endowment for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, and Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. Corporate support from Macy's, Target, 3M, General Mills Foundation, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sounds of Hope, Ltd. delivers residential performing arts and cultural exchange summer camps for international youth, anchored by the Songs of Hope™ six-week overnight program (ages 10+) and the Global Reach™ two-week overnight program (ages 16-22). Participants rehearse music from many countries and tour across Minnesota performing 25-30 concerts each summer. Operations are housed in dormitory facilities at Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Product overview

Sounds of Hope Ltd operates two main residential camp programs: Songs of Hope™ is a six-week overnight performing arts summer camp for children aged 10-14 from countries worldwide, featuring intensive rehearsals followed by a three-week concert tour. Global Reach™ is a two-week arts and cultural immersion camp for young adults aged 16-22, offering hands-on U.S. cultural experiences through various art forms. Both programs are held at Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The organization also sells merchandise including the Year to Hope CD and branded T-shirts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Songs of Hope™: Six-week, overnight performing arts summer camp for kids aged 10 and older from around the world, featuring international participants learning and performing music from many countries
• Global Reach™

Products and services

• Songs of Hope™ Six-week, overnight performing arts summer camp for children aged 10 and older from countries worldwide, held at Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Participants learn and perform music from many countries while living in community with kids from other cultures, followed by a three-week concert tour performing 25-30 concerts across Minnesota.
• Global Reach™ Arts & Cultural Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved English language skills, greater social confidence, and more serious attitude about school
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Lark ToysminorOthersLocal business supporter that provides concert venue space and has provided logo for support recognition.
• Stahl Construction CompanyminorOthersLocal construction company supporter with logo featured in support recognition.
• Concordia University, Saint PaulcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity campus where both Songs of Hope and Global Reach programs are housed in dormitory facilities. Located in a quiet, residential neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, halfway between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis (Twin Cities).
• Minneapolis Sister CitiesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational city partnership program that hosts Songs of Hope performances during Minneapolis Sister Cities Day events.
• International Schools and Organizations (Delegation Partners)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchools and organizations from countries worldwide that recruit and organize delegations to participate in Songs of Hope. Partners include individual schools, children's programs, Lion's Clubs, and past participant family networks.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Music Festival: Residential summer orchestra and chamber-music training program for youth and young adults. Comparable performing-arts summer intensive model targeting young musicians.
• Rustic Pathways: Provider of teen international summer programs combining cultural immersion, community service, and adventure across multiple countries. Comparable international youth cultural-exchange business model.
• Camp Broadway: New York-based performing-arts summer program for young people built around musical theater training, rehearsals, and public performances. Comparable youth performing-arts summer experience centered on staged shows.
• World Learning (Experiment in International Living): Operator of the Experiment in International Living, an immersive cross-cultural youth exchange program with homestays and group programs across multiple countries. Directly comparable international cultural-exchange model for teens.
• Concordia Language Villages: Minnesota-based nonprofit operating residential summer immersion villages focused on world languages and cultures for youth. Highly comparable as another nonprofit residential cultural-immersion summer camp in the same state.
• Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program: Intensive multi-week summer music performance program for high-school-age musicians run by Berklee College of Music. Comparable residential performing-arts summer format targeting youth.
• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Premier U.S. summer performing arts program for youth offering intensive music, dance, theater, and visual arts training with overnight campus format. Closest direct comparable as a residential, audition/open-enrollment performing arts summer camp.
• Global Leadership Adventures: High-school summer programs combining service-learning and cultural immersion in international destinations. Comparable teen-focused, international-recruitment summer program model.
• French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts: Residential summer camp in New York offering performing arts training in music, theater, dance, and circus for children and teens. Comparable overnight performing-arts camp for youth.

Broad incumbents

• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Major nonprofit international educational exchange organization offering high-school and college programs including language, cultural, and gap-year experiences. Broader incumbent serving overlapping youth international-exchange mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@soundsofhopecamps
• Facebookfacebook.com/sounds.hope
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearesoundsofhope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Sounds Of Hope Ltd