ACA’s 20/20 Vision Brutal Truths II

20 Million Campers 20,000 ACA Customers By the Year 2020

Key Points from Brutal Truths I According to the US Census Bureau, there are an estimated 53,317,926 children ages 5 – 17, as of July 1, 2006 There are approximately 11,000,000 children and youth who attend camp. Of those, only 10% attend ACA camps. The number attending all camps is less than 20% of the total population of children The number attending ACA camps is less than 2% of the total population of children

Key Points from Brutal Truths I Of the estimated 12,000 camps in the US, only 2,700 are accredited by ACA Our own research tells us that over 90% of the public doesn’t know what accreditation by ACA means (nor what ACA is) As an organization and as individuals, we are passionate about the camp experience. But so are the operators of the other 9,300 camps in the United States who are NOT accredited by ACA.

FACTS ABOUT OUR SECTIONS

GEOGRAPHY 5 sections include one state, 4 sections include parts of one state, 10 sections include multiple states, 5 sections include parts of multiple states Jurisdictions of Sections range from 2,368 square miles to 823,939 square miles

GOVERNANCE 7 are separately incorporated with separate Articles of Incorporation – Illinois, Michigan, New England, New York, Northland, Rocky Mountain, Southern California/Hawaii 24 different Section Boards (and Section Presidents) 24 different sets of Section By-Laws Variety of ways that Section Boards operate: monthly meetings, quarterly meetings, bi-annual meetings (no set pattern)

STAFF 23 different Section Executives with different job descriptions and different responsibilities 8 are full time 14 are part time 1 is a contractor shared with 2 sections 8 sections have multiple employees (4 have one additional employee, 4 have multiple additional employees)

BUDGET 7 sections have a budget of less than $50,000 8 sections have a budget between $50,000 - $100,000 2 sections have a budget between $100,000-$150,000 2 sections have a budget between $200,000-$250,000 5 sections have a budget over $250,000 (current highest is $1,500,000)

MEMBERSHIP Average annual growth in membership is 2.3% per year.

MEMBERSHIP - Current Between members: 1 section Between members: 3 sections Between members: 4 sections Between members: 5 sections Between members: 4 sections Between members: 3 sections Between members: 4 sections

ACA CAMPS Average annual growth in ACA camps is 2.5% per year.

ACA CAMPS - Current Between ACA camps: 4 sections Between ACA camps: 12 sections Between ACA camps: 4 sections Between ACA camps: 3 sections Greater than 300 ACA camps: 1 section

BRUTAL TRUTHS From the Section’s own annual reports in 2007, many Sections have expressed concern about their own viability. Note: These questions were not asked on the report, they simply were asked to identify any challenges they have. They self-reported:

BRUTAL TRUTHS 54% ended the 2007 year with deficit budgets

BRUTAL TRUTHS 33% reported that they do not have the resources to serve all of their current members

BRUTAL TRUTHS 46% reported that they have not been able to attract enough volunteers to do the work of the Section

BRUTAL TRUTHS 21% reported that they do not have enough paid staff to do the work of the Section

BRUTAL TRUTHS 50% reported that they need help attracting non-dues revenue

BRUTAL TRUTHS 38% of the Sections did not comply with the financial reporting requirements of the charter, including a number that were not compliant with the law regarding filing IRS Form 990

Questions to Think About When Considering Your Section

BRUTAL QUESTIONS If the annual growth in membership is 2.3% and the annual growth in ACA camps is 2.5%, what will we do differently to meet our goal of 20,000 customers by the year 2020? Current rate of growth would leave us far short. When ACA grows to 20,000 customers serving 20 million campers will your Section have the capacity to serve those customers and camp families?

BRUTAL QUESTIONS Does your Section provide immediate and easy access to professional services locally – that is, is your phone and answered daily if not live answered? If your Section shares a State with another Section are you duplicating efforts in accreditation administration, public awareness and public policy, or are you cooperating efficiently?

BRUTAL QUESTIONS Even if your Section does not share a State with another Section, are you partnering to provide services to use resources effectively? Is your Section fully loaded with staff and volunteers in order to meet the current charter? Will you be able to support additional help as we reach 20/20?

BRUTAL QUESTIONS Does your Section operate in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and ordinances? Does your Section operate under generally accepted financial and fiscal policies and abide by all financial reporting laws?

BRUTAL QUESTIONS Does your Section employ an Executive Director? What support does he or she provide? Such as: Is he or she a Secretary, or do they provide more leadership to the Section? Is this what you want/need for the future?

BRUTAL QUESTIONS Does your Section conduct, or participate in conducting a Section member needs assessment, work with ACA to ensure both parties’ needs assessments are valuable and not repetitive, and most importantly, develop member services to meet the needs of the Section members and the ENDS?

Questions for Discussion by Your Board. Please provide feedback to the Work Group through

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1.How aware is your Section of the 20/20 Vision? – Have you followed up on the commitment you made to the 20/20 Vision at the 2008 Council of Delegates Meeting? ( – What additional information do you need about this vision?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 2. What is best about our association and its structure today? – For members? – For the public? – What must we keep in the future no matter what?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 3. What’s not working or could be better?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 4. If we were creating ACA from scratch today, what type of system for delivering services to both the public and to members would you recommend? – Dream big! – Go for it ! – Think “outside the box”!

Thank You. Reminder. Please provide feedback from your Board discussions to: