Camp Bow-Isle

What Camp Bow-Isle does

Camp Bow-Isle is a non-profit, registered charity operating a Christian Science-based residential camp and outdoor education center on a 200-plus-acre property at 871 Green Road, Bowen Island, British Columbia, situated within the Howe Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Founded in 1960 by a group of Christian Scientists seeking a spiritually grounded outdoor environment for their children, the organization has operated continuously for over 60 years and is incorporated in the United States as Camp Bow-Isle, LLC while registered as a Canadian charity (#13232-1621 RR0001) with a parallel US 501(c)(3) entity, Friends of Camp Bow-Isle.

The organization's core product is a portfolio of seasonal camp programs serving members of the Christian Science community. Youth Programs offer two-week residential sessions for ages 8–17 in separate girls' and boys' formats, integrating camp activities, Sunday School, and testimony meetings. Adult and family offerings include six-day Family Camps, Women's Weekend, Men's Weekend, and a newly launched 20s/30s Camp with ocean-based out trips. Specialized Skills Week programs (mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoneering, surfing in Tofino) target senior campers. The Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre, a separate operating line, delivers day and overnight outdoor education programs to K–12 school groups September through May, with capacity for up to 70 day students or 50 overnight students, and also rents facilities to external groups during the shoulder season.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (1) per-session camp fees for youth, family, and adult programs; (2) tax-deductible donations to the General Fund and directed/estate gifts via the Canadian charity and the US 501(c)(3); (3) annual Guild membership dues (approximately $20 CAD per person) for the British Columbia Camping and Recreation Guild for Christian Scientists; and (4) Outdoor Centre school-program fees and facility rentals. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on referrals through the Christian Science church network, partnerships with DiscoveryBound and TMC Youth, alumni word-of-mouth, and a calendar of in-person camp shows across North American cities. Registration is handled through the third-party CampBrain platform. Headcount is reported at 1–10 on a year-round basis, scaling seasonally with camp counselors and outdoor educators.

Name

Camp Bow-Isle

Legal name

Camp Bow-Isle, LLC

Website

https://bowisle.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Camp Bow-Isle operates a Christian Science-based residential camp and outdoor education center on Bowen Island, BC, serving youth (ages 8–17), families, and adults with faith-integrated outdoor recreation programs, plus K–12 school groups via the Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Summer Camps & Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

Keywords

• Summer youth camps
• Family camp retreats
• Outdoor education programs
• Facility rental services
• Faith based camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Denman Island

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Camp Session Fees: Fees charged for youth camp programs (ages 8-17), family camps, adult programs, and skills week programs. Sessions are typically two weeks for youth and six days for family camps.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to the General Fund, directed donations for specific purposes (camperships, special projects), and estate planning gifts. Camp Bow-Isle is a Registered Charity (#13232-1621 RR0001) in Canada and Friends of Camp Bow-Isle is a 501(c)(3) in the US.
3. Guild Membership Dues: Annual membership dues for the British Columbia Camping and Recreation Guild for Christian Scientists ($20 per person or $15 according to different sources), providing voting privileges at Annual General Meetings.
4. Outdoor Centre Facility Rentals: School groups and organizations rent the facility from September through May. The Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre serves schools for day trips (up to 50 students) and overnight programs (up to 50 students).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Camp Bow-Isle operates multi-week and weekend Christian Science summer camps on Bowen Island, BC for youth (ages 8–17), families, and adults (women's, men's, 20s/30s, and Skills Week programs) featuring waterfront activities such as canoeing, kayaking, sailing, archery, drama, music and arts. Year-round it runs the Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre, a school group and facility rental program, and raises supporting funds through donations and an annual Guild membership.

Product overview

Camp Bow-Isle is a Christian Science camp offering a portfolio of residential and day programs across its Bowen Island, BC location. The core offerings include Youth Programs (Girls Camp and Boys Camp for ages 8-17) with two-week sessions, Family Camp for multi-generational participants, and specialized Skills Week programs (mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoning, surfing). Additional programs include Women's Weekend, Men's Weekend, and a new 20s/30s Camp for young adults. The Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre serves school groups during the shoulder seasons (September-May) with educational outdoor programming and team-building activities. The camp also offers facility rentals for external groups and provides financial assistance through campership funds. The camp is surrounded by Howe Sound, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and operates from over 200 acres of forested property.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Girls Camp
• Boys Camp
• Skills Week
• Family Camp
• Women's Weekend
• Men's Weekend
• 20s/30s Camp
• Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre (school & group programs)
• Outdoor Centre facility rentals
• The Guild of Camp Bow-Isle membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% participation in flying squirrel ropes course element
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Pine Ridge Bible Camp: A non-profit Christian summer camp in Ontario offering multi-week youth and family programs with outdoor activities. Comparable as a Canadian faith-based residential camp with a similar non-profit operating model.

Emerging players

• Camp Qwanoes: A large Christian residential camp on Vancouver Island, BC, offering youth programs with outdoor activities similar to Camp Bow-Isle. Comparable as a faith-based British Columbia summer camp competing for some of the same family demographic, though broader evangelical rather than Christian Science.
• Camp Cherith: A network of Christian camps across Canada offering youth and family programs with outdoor recreation. Comparable to Camp Bow-Isle's geographic Canadian footprint and faith-based family programming model.

Broad incumbents

• Kanuga: A faith-based Episcopal conference and camp center in North Carolina offering youth camps, family retreats, and adult programs. Comparable as a religious non-profit operating multi-generational residential programs with outdoor recreation integrated into spiritual programming.
• YMCA Camp Elphinstone: A well-established British Columbia residential camp on the Sunshine Coast operated by the YMCA of Greater Vancouver, offering outdoor recreation programs for youth and families. Comparable as a regional outdoor recreation camp with overnight accommodations and similar activity programming.

Direct peers

• Camp Woodlands: A Christian Science family and youth camp operating in New York state. Comparable as a non-profit, faith-based, multi-generational residential camp serving the same Christian Science demographic across North America.
• Camp Lebanon: A Christian Science camp in Minnesota providing youth, family, and adult programs with traditional outdoor activities integrated with spiritual study. Operates as a 501(c)(3) and shares the same community-led GTM through Christian Science churches.
• CedarS Camps: A long-standing Christian Science youth and family camp in Missouri offering multi-week residential programs with spiritual programming and outdoor recreation. It is the closest direct peer given shared faith affiliation, youth/family programming, and donation-supported non-profit structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/campbowisle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/campbowisle

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 Bow-Isle