United Camps, Conferences & Retreats

What United Camps, Conferences & Retreats does

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1970 and headquartered in Petaluma, California. It operates a portfolio of nine camp, conference, and retreat centers across the United States — five in California, two in Colorado, and one each in Massachusetts and Michigan — serving nonprofits, schools, religious communities, family groups, and adult retreats. Core offerings include per-person lodging in cabins and lodges, flat-rate whole-building rental, meal programs, and event-insurance guidance. Several properties, including Loch Leven, hold American Camp Association accreditation.

UCCR's revenue model is built on per-person lodging pricing (typically $80–$170 per night for adults), flat-rate building rentals for group buyouts, ancillary meal services, and event-insurance referral income. The organization is closely affiliated with Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denominations and partners with the WOLF School for outdoor education and the California Coast Music Camp (a relationship dating to 1992). Distribution runs through the company website (Squarespace), Stripe payments, and increasingly through consumer short-term-rental channels such as Airbnb for selected properties like Cedar Lodge. UCCR also monetizes internal expertise by offering operations-consulting services to other camp and conference operators.

UCCR runs on a conventional, low-technology stack with no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed data assets. Notably, the company has begun extending beyond its owned portfolio by listing properties on Airbnb and launching themed programming (women's wellness retreats, Father-Daughter weekends, the Fly Your Kite summer camp). The Craigville Retreat Center in Massachusetts was added to the managed portfolio in 2015, the most recent meaningful geographic expansion.

Name

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats

Legal name

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats

Website

https://uccr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating nine camp, conference, and retreat centers across California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Michigan, serving nonprofits, schools, religious groups, and families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retreat and Conference Venue Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB)

Keywords

• Camp rental services
• Retreat venue rentals
• Conference center management
• Nonprofit hospitality services
• Group lodging facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Petaluma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental and Lodging: UCCR generates revenue through renting its camp, conference, and retreat facilities to groups. Pricing is typically per-person for lodging with meal service, or flat rates for renting entire buildings. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Meal Service: Optional meal service is offered to guests, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner with accommodation for special dietary needs (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian/vegan). There may be additional charges for meal service and special dietary accommodations.
3. Event Insurance Services: UCCR provides step-by-step guidance on purchasing event insurance for groups, with Certificate of Insurance (COI) required for most organized groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperative that manages 9 camp, conference, and retreat centers across the United States, renting lodging, meeting spaces, and meal services to nonprofit groups, schools, religious communities, and family gatherings. The network includes venues in California (Applegate, Blazing Mountain, Camp Arroyo, CGC Camp, Loch Leven, Monte Toyon), Colorado, Michigan, and Massachusetts, supported by a dedicated reservations team and pre-visit tours.

Product overview

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages a network of 9 camp, conference, and retreat centers across the USA—five in California (Applegate Jesuit Retreat Center, Camp Arroyo, CGC Camp, Loch Leven Camp & Retreat Center, and Monte Toyon Camp), two in Colorado (Blazing Mountain), one in Michigan (Crystal Conference Center), and one in Massachusetts (Craigville Retreat Center). The core offering consists of venue rentals for groups, providing lodging accommodations, meeting spaces, and meal services tailored for nonprofit organizations, schools, religious communities, and family gatherings. Accompanied offerings include affiliated outdoor education programs through WOLF School, summer camps via Fly Your Kite, professional operations/management services for facility owners, event insurance guidance, and catering with special dietary accommodations. UCCR serves diverse group types including youth retreats, adult retreats, church groups, schools, college groups, sports groups, family reunions, and corporate offsite meetings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Applegate Jesuit Retreat Center A Jesuit-affiliated retreat center in Applegate, Placer County, California, designed for groups of 15-130 guests (105 overnight; +25 additional in summer only). Features include Toyon Lake, forest surroundings, and contemplative spaces.
• Blazing Mountain Retreat Center A retreat venue in Crestone, Colorado, for nonprofit contemplative practice groups, offering peaceful mountain settings.
• Camp Arroyo A camp and retreat venue in Livermore in the East Bay, California, with disabled access, an amazing pool, and 47 minutes from SF Airport. Offers lodging for 144 guests and up to 300 during the day, featuring an art yurt.
• CGC Camp (Community of the Great Commission) A Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) affiliated camp and retreat center in Foresthill, Placer County, California, for groups of 10-104 with additional guest accommodations from May through October. Home to the Fly Your Kite summer camp program.
• Craigville Retreat Center A Cape Cod retreat center with beach access in Centerville, Massachusetts, accommodating groups of 30 to 146 guests. Features 11 lodging options including cottages, apartments, Manor, Sunset Lodge, and Craigville Inn, with private beach access overlooking the salt marsh of Nantucket Sound.
• Crystal Conference Center A camp, conference, and retreat center with beachfront property on Crystal Lake in Frankfort, Michigan, for non-profit groups of 10-150. Seasonal operation (May through October) offering lodging in lodges, houses, and dorms with shared bathrooms.
• Loch Leven Camp & Retreat Center A 160-acre camp and retreat center in the San Bernardino Mountains near Redlands, California, accommodating groups of up to 150 people. Features Campbell Lodge (built 1928), Cole Hospitality Rooms, dorm cabins, tent platforms, pool, and dining hall seating 150. ACA accredited.
• Monte Toyon Camp A camp and conference center secluded among coastal redwoods in Aptos, Santa Cruz County, California, for groups of 30-146. Features rhododendron garden, Helgeson Hall, and proximity to WOLF School outdoor education programs.
• WOLF School (Web of Life Field School) An affiliated outdoor education school offering science camps and summer programs, operating at UCCR venues including Monte Toyon and CGC Camp. Provides field studies, California history programs, and team building activities.
• Fly Your Kite Summer Camp Sleepaway outdoor educational programs and summer camps at CGC Camp combining immersive education focused on life skills (Creating, Fixing, Leading, Speaking, Adapting) with activities including ziplining, archery, boating, mountain biking, and swimming.
• Meal Service & Catering Inclusive homemade meal service offered at all UCCR venues, accommodating special dietary needs including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Some venues offer self-catering with fully stocked commercial kitchens.
• Operations Services Professional camp and retreat facility management services including expert tips, self-assessment surveys, and operational consulting for facility owners.
• Event Insurance Guidance Step-by-step guidance on purchasing event insurance and Certificate of Insurance (COI) for groups, simplifying the insurance process for retreat organizers.
• Venue Tours & Reservations Pre-visit facility tours and reservation services with a dedicated reservations team available Monday through Friday 8am-5pm PST to help groups select appropriate venues and check availability.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• California Coast Music Camp (CCMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992CCMC has partnered with UCCR for 28 years hosting music camps at UCCR facilities. The partnership began in 1992 at Monte Toyon, moved to Camp Gualala for 16 years, then to Community of the Great Commission (CGC). CCMC welcomes up to 125 musicians for 2-week sessions with approximately 40 staff and 85 students weekly.
• WOLF School (Web of Life Field School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOLF School is an affiliate organization that runs outdoor education programs at UCCR venues, particularly at Monte Toyon. The partnership creates unique experiential learning programs combining camp facilities with environmental education. Joint initiatives include family camps and collaborative facility improvements.
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - Pacific Southwest RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCCR manages camps owned by mainstream Christian denominations including the United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The Disciples of Christ has owned Loch Leven since 1956. These denominational partnerships form the foundation of UCCR's nonprofit cooperative structure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center: A Methodist-affiliated conference and retreat center in North Carolina. Highly comparable to UCCR's model: a single-denomination nonprofit operating retreat/lodging facilities for faith-based and nonprofit groups, with similar mission-driven pricing and group programming.
• Ridgecrest Conference Center (Lifeway): A Baptist-affiliated conference and retreat center operated by Lifeway Christian Resources in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Directly comparable as a denominational conference/retreat venue hosting church groups, nonprofit retreats, and family gatherings.
• Mount Hermon Conference Center: A Christian camp, conference, and retreat center in the Santa Cruz Mountains redwoods. Highly comparable to UCCR's Monte Toyon in terms of setting (California redwoods), faith-based audience, and bundled lodging/meeting/programming model.
• Sky Ranch: A network of Christian camps and retreat centers across multiple states. Comparable to UCCR in operating a multi-site faith-based camp/retreat portfolio serving church groups, youth, and family retreats.
• The Wilds Christian Camp & Retreat Center: A nonprofit Christian camp and retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. Comparable to UCCR's Loch Leven as a faith-based, ACA-style accredited camp offering lodging, meals, programming, and conference facilities for church and nonprofit groups.
• YMCA of the Rockies: A large nonprofit conference and retreat operation (Estes Park and Snow Mountain Ranch, CO). Comparable to UCCR in operating mountain retreat facilities serving groups, families, and conferences with bundled lodging/meals/activities at mission-driven pricing.
• WinShape Retreat: A faith-based retreat and conference center operated by the WinShape Foundation. Comparable to UCCR in providing group retreat facilities with Christian programming, lodging, and meals for nonprofits and church organizations.
• Kanakuk Kamps: A Christian youth camp network with multiple U.S. locations. Comparable to UCCR in operating multi-site faith-based camp facilities serving youth and family programming, with similar lodging and meal service models.

Broad incumbents

• Kampgrounds of America (KOA): The largest U.S. franchise network of campgrounds (500+ locations). A broader incumbent in the U.S. camp/lodging space; not a faith-based retreat operator but comparable in operating a multi-site camp portfolio serving leisure travelers and groups across diverse U.S. geographies.

Others

• Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA): An industry association representing Christian camps and conference centers. Directly adjacent to UCCR's market and serves many of the same denominational-owned properties, making it a relevant ecosystem/peer organization rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uccrcamps
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitedCampsConferencesRetreats

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 United Camps, Conferences & Retreats