Camping And Education Foundation

What Camping And Education Foundation does

Camping And Education Foundation (CEF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1962 that delivers youth outdoor education, with roots tracing to the founding of its Kooch-i-ching camp in 1925. The foundation operates residential summer wilderness camps (Kooch-i-ching for boys, Ogichi Daa Kwe for girls) and the Owakonze wilderness outpost, supplemented by the Urban Wilderness Program that brings nature-based learning into partner schools. Programs serve youth ages 8-18 through canoe tripping, wilderness leadership expeditions, and STEM-based curricula such as boatbuilding and skin-on-frame canoe construction, with a mobile makerspace that extended reach during the pandemic.

The foundation is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio during the winter and in International Falls, Minnesota during the summer operating season. Its programmatic surface has expanded beyond traditional residential camps into school-based delivery through partnerships with approximately 35 schools across six states, reaching roughly 3,000 students annually. Beyond enrollment, CEF runs multi-city community events, alumni gatherings, and international receptions to maintain a multi-generational donor and alumni base.

Revenue is sourced from three streams: tuition and fees cover approximately 65% of operating expenses, the Annual Fund (donations) covers approximately 25%, and endowment draw covers approximately 10%. The foundation completed a $10.5 million Expedition 2016 capital campaign and posted a record Annual Fund of approximately $825,000 in 2019. Construction of the Shuman Urban Wilderness Center broke ground in February 2026, indicating continued infrastructure investment in the urban program.

Name

Camping And Education Foundation

Legal name

Camping & Education Foundation

Website

https://www.campingedu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Non-profit foundation operating wilderness camps (Kooch-i-ching, Ogichi Daa Kwe, Owakonze) and the Urban Wilderness Program, serving youth ages 8-18 through canoe tripping, STEM-based outdoor education, and wilderness leadership across the Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Youth outdoor education
• Wilderness summer camps
• Experiential education programs
• Nonprofit youth services
• STEM boatbuilding curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Tuition and program fees cover approximately 65% of operating expenses. Families pay for camp sessions at Kooch-i-ching, Ogichi Daa Kwe, and Owakonze, as well as Urban Wilderness Program participation.
2. Annual Fund Donations: The annual fund supports staff salaries, scholarships, instructional programming, campsite maintenance, and operations. Currently approximately $1,000,000 per year, covering 25% of expenses.
3. Endowment Draw: Draw from the organization's endowment covers approximately 10% of operating expenses.
4. Merchandise Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce store selling commemorative books, photobooks, and apparel including titles like '120 Years of Wilderness Tripping' ($100), 'From The Great Central Fire' ($100), 'Toward Magnetic North' ($75), 'This Place is Full of Memories' ($75), and 'Celebrating Our History' ($50).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Camping & Education Foundation operates wilderness summer camps and year-round outdoor education programs for youth. Its core offerings include Kooch-i-ching (boys wilderness camp), Ogichi Daa Kwe (girls wilderness camp), Owakonze (remote wilderness outpost), the Urban Wilderness Program (school-based STEM boatbuilding), and Arctic Expeditions. Programs develop leadership, character, outdoor skills, and resilience in youth aged 8-18 through canoe tripping and experiential learning.

Product overview

The Camping & Education Foundation operates a portfolio of outdoor education programs centered on wilderness camping and canoe tripping. The core offerings include Kooch-i-ching (boys camp), Ogichi Daa Kwe (girls camp), Owakonze Wilderness Outpost, and the Urban Wilderness Program. Additional offerings include Arctic Expeditions for advanced trippers, a podcast called 'From The Great Central Fire', and a merchandise store featuring commemorative publications. The programs are designed to develop leadership, outdoor skills, and character in youth through immersive wilderness experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kooch-i-ching: Wilderness camp for boys located on Deer Island, Rainy Lake, Minnesota, offering canoe trips and traditional camp experiences.
• Ogichi Daa Kwe
• Owakonze
• Urban Wilderness Program
• From The Great Central Fire

Products and services

• Kooch-i-ching (Boys Wilderness Camp) A traditional wilderness camp for boys located on Deer Island in Rainy Lake, Minnesota, offering canoe tripping expeditions, in-camp activities, and leadership development programming.
• Ogichi Daa Kwe (Girls Wilderness Camp) A wilderness camp for girls offering the same wilderness tripping experiences and in-camp activities as Kooch-i-ching, located on its own campus on Rainy Lake.
• Owakonze Wilderness Outpost A remote wilderness outpost on Rainy Lake, Minnesota, serving as a base for advanced wilderness canoe trips including week-long expeditions for city teens.
• Urban Wilderness Program A year-round STEM-based educational program teaching boatbuilding (including Skin-on-Frame canoe construction), paddling, and camping skills to urban students through partnerships with 35 schools across six states.
• Arctic Expeditions

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3,000 students served annually through Urban Wilderness Program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Adventure CrewcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Cincinnati-based nonprofit with mission to connect city teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventure. For the last three summers, Adventure Crew students embark on week-long canoe and camping trips at Owakonze. Partnership described as natural fit with simple, fun, challenging approach. Owakonze serves as capstone experience for Urban Wilderness Program participants.
• National Recreation FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Long-time close partner and generous supporter of the Camping & Education Foundation. Missions align deeply around helping young people access the outdoors and grow through meaningful outdoor experiences. Provided early support for Urban Wilderness Program launch in Cincinnati. Featured on NRF blog highlighting Foundation's expanded impact.
• Unbridled MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFilm production company that visited Kooch-i-ching, Ogichi Daa Kwe, and created promotional videos for the Foundation. Mike Walsh, Executive Producer and Kooch-i-ching alum, led production team. Videos capture beauty and distinctive features of camps.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: Major national youth services operator with overnight/summer camps, outdoor programs, and urban youth engagement. Much broader portfolio; competes for community-program funding and families but not a wilderness specialist.
• Boy Scouts of America (Scouting America): Large national youth organization with residential camps, outdoor skill-building, and character development. Broader scale and broader mission; competes for the same youth/family pool but is not a wilderness-canoe specialist.
• Girl Scouts of the USA: National youth organization serving girls with outdoor programming, badges, and camp experiences. Overlaps with Ogichi Daa Kwe's girls camp and Outdoor/STEM programming; much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Student Conservation Association: Nonprofit providing youth outdoor service, conservation, and career-pipeline programs. Comparable youth-outdoor-education mission but focuses on conservation service rather than wilderness canoe tripping.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Outdoor education and recreation nonprofit offering youth programs, wilderness skills, and guided outdoor experiences. Comparable outdoor-education focus but regional to the Northeast U.S.

Direct peers

• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Nonprofit wilderness education provider teaching leadership and outdoor skills through expeditions. Direct peer on wilderness education methodology, though NOLS skews older students and has more global reach.
• Outward Bound USA: Nonprofit experiential education organization delivering wilderness-based character and leadership programs for youth. Highly comparable mission, expedition-based curriculum, and nonprofit funding model.
• Adventure Crew: Cincinnati-based nonprofit connecting urban teens with nature through outdoor adventure and expeditions. Highly comparable mission to the Urban Wilderness Program and Owakonze partnership pipeline.
• Camp Fire: National youth development nonprofit offering camps, outdoor programs, and SEL-focused enrichment. Direct peer in nonprofit youth-camp programming with similar hybrid outdoor/educational positioning.

Others

• National Recreation Foundation: Funded supporter and aligned partner of the Foundation since 2015. Functions as a peer foundation in the outdoor-youth-recreation space but in a grantmaker capacity rather than direct program operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9HbLKz3e5e5vTqZ3e5vTqZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camping-and-education-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Camping And Education Foundation