Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
Live With. Live Beyond.
Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
EIN: 81-0472959
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Camp Mak-A-Dream has been nationally recognized for providing meaningful, life-enriching programs to those affected by cancer. This year we expanded our programs to include caregivers. Those caring for someone with cancer face compounding and devastating stress, trauma and emotional turmoil culminating in compassion fatigue. \n\nAs we have witnessed for 25 years, camps are a unique setting in which people with a common experience or perspective can come together with others who inherently understand. They collectively enjoy new adventures, learn a new skill or discover something new about themselves. Through recreational activities, focused small group discussions, professionally facilitated workshops and spontaneous connections with others, participants can create lasting communities of support, develop skills to help manage the physical & emotional impact of cancer and gain resilience to bolster them in the weeks and months to come.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Kids Camp
Kids Camp is for children who have personally experienced cancer. Often times they miss out on the normal part of being a child and may be more familiar with their hospital than with the playground or their school. This session is designed to let “kids be kids”. Activities are fun-filled, inclusive and adapted to meet the needs of those with different abilities. Camp gives them an opportunity to try new things, feel normal and remember what it is like to be a kid.
Teen Camp
Teens with cancer often feel that they are not in control and that most of the important decisions in their lives have been made by others. For many, the trip to Camp is their first time away from the family and friends that have provided them with care and support through their cancer diagnosis. Independence is an essential skill required for those entering adulthood. This camp session is designed to help teens explore who they are, encourage peer bonding and make choices for themselves.
Siblings Camp
Children and teens with a sibling or parent with cancer may be burdened with grief, fear or survivor’s guilt. They may not feel comfortable talking about their needs, worried that they would be contributing to an already stressful situation. Sharing these experiences with peers that truly understand is a reminder that they are not alone. Sessions for siblings are designed to provide opportunities for participants to explore and share feelings about their experience with cancer.
Young Adult Conference
Young adults attending camp are not only facing the normal challenges that come with adulthood but the additional challenges that come with having had cancer. These sessions provide opportunities to share experiences and resources, in addition to addressing real-life issues like the financial impact of cancer, fertility and sexuality issues and the importance of self-care. Each individual attending the young adult conference comes with a different set of goals and expectations, therefore, everything is optional. This program is designed to provide information, respite and adventure so that participants can choose which sessions will help them to get what they need from their week at camp.
Heads Up Conference (Brain Tumor Survivors)
Brain tumor survivors often face long-term effects of both their disease and its treatment, which may include vision or hearing loss, impulse control, cognitive delay, or a loss of affect. Many feel socially isolated and struggle finding employment or the accommodations they need at school. Our Heads Up Conferences are unique experiences designed to help brain tumor survivors develop skills and link them to resources that can help them achieve their personal goals. Professionals join us for these sessions, offering interactive workshops on a wide range of topics including nutrition, employment issues, exercise and sexuality. Small group chats are scheduled daily and focus on issues impacting the brain tumor survivor community, like bullying, dating, disclosure and depression. In addition to providing these teens and young adults with tangible resources, the Camp experience connects them with a network of continued support that lasts well beyond their week in Montana.
Women's Retreat & Ovarian Cancer Retreat
Women with cancer are often forced to balance their own health care needs with roles as professionals, caregivers, mothers, daughters and wives. During the five day retreats we offer workshops, discussion groups, an off campus field trip, entertainment, other recreational activities enabling them to set aside daily routines, focus on their own needs and develop a core community of support.
Family Camp
Family Camp is our newest program. This session is geared towards families with a child 12 or younger with cancer. A cancer diagnosis affects more than the person with cancer, it impacts the entire family. This session will allow a family to experience all of the fun that camp has to offer together. Families will have the opportunity to spend quality time with each other and share adventures with other families going through similar journeys.
Caregiver Retreat
Caregivers are often unconditionally devoted to their loved one with cancer and seemingly endlessly empathetic. Although these strong traits often contribute to high quality care of their loved ones, caregivers are extremely vulnerable to compassion fatigue and psychosocial & physical burnout. At this retreat, cancer survivors and their caregivers will learn and explore self-compassion, mindful practices and practical self-care strategies through interactive presentations, contemplative exercises and dialogue. They will have the opportunity to attend Camp together to experience respite, recreation and reconnection aimed at bolstering resilience and strengthening their relationship.
Where we work
Awards
Best Website 2018
Children's Oncology Camping Association International
Affiliations & memberships
Children's Oncology Camping Association International 2023
St. Jude's Children's Hospital 2023
Children's Brain Tumor Foundation 2023
Friends of Camp Mak-A-Dream 2023
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteer health care providers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We measure this as successful if increasing assuming we also strategically add programs. Some volunteers serve more than one session but are only counted as 1 volunteer.
Number of returning volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
There were 48 returning volunteers and 66 new volunteers in our camp programs in 2022.
Number of camps offered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2022, we returned to in-person programming, but combined some sessions and limited capacity at each session due to COVID mitigation strategies.
Number of children served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These numbers reflect all of our participants (not including our collaborative family camps).
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We aim to be an innovative provider of meaningful experiences for those impacted by cancer. We hope to provide a supportive community in which survivors learn to live with and beyond their cancer diagnosis. We strive to utilize our resources in the most cost-effective manner in order to be able to provide services to as many participants as possible. We want to offer exceptional programs that foster partnerships and future advocates.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In 2020, we had to move to a virtual format due to the COVID pandemic. To create the on-line programming, we followed these guidelines:\n\n• Provide opportunities for our community to connect despite the pandemic \n• Welcome and engage new participants and introduce them to a supportive community \n• Provide respite and joy to survivors and families to help them through these uncertain times\n• Offer educational workshops to help survivors and families gain strength and resiliency \n\nWe created a detailed strategic plan in 2019 and constantly refer back to that in our staff and board meetings and when setting our yearly organization goals. This plan is firmly built upon our core values of:\nCompassion- We genuinely care for others and promote self-care and wellness for participants, volunteers and staff alike.\nAccountability- We are responsible stewards of all our resources and place the health and safety of our participants above all.\nMutual Respect- We appreciate and value our team and various constituents. We wholeheartedly embrace the diversity we represent. \nPartnership- We are endlessly grateful for our many partnerships with donors, volunteers and other organizations that make Camp possible.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have 25 years of experience in providing quality programming for those impacted by cancer. We have grown strategically over those years including our newest programs of family camp and caregiver retreats. We have a purpose-built facility (free from debt) that allows us to host inclusive camps and retreats that allow survivors and their families to learn, form lifelong friendships and bolster their resiliency while participating in our carefully crafted, age-appropriate programs and activities. In response to the COVID pandemic in 2020, we created robust, online virtual camps to reach our participants during a time when they were feeling particularly isolated and alone.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We are proud to have provided this experience to more than 8,000 participants from all 50 states and 6 countries in our 25 year history. We are excited about the new platforms we've embraced during this difficult year and look forward to incorporating continued virtual experiences in the years to come to reach even more survivors. We look forward to welcoming participants back to an in-person experience when it is safe and prudent to do so including building upon our newest programs, family camp and caregiver retreats. We are developing more wellness programming to help survivors "live beyond" cancer and exploring additional partnerships as opportunities for collaboration.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
19.99
Months of cash in 2022 info
7.7
Fringe rate in 2022 info
19%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $160,527 | $128,165 | $304,042 | $697,850 | -$128,806 |
As % of expenses | 12.1% | 9.9% | 32.1% | 82.8% | -9.3% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$77,677 | -$118,169 | $64,234 | $468,373 | -$354,557 |
As % of expenses | -5.0% | -7.6% | 5.4% | 43.7% | -21.9% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $1,342,630 | $1,515,487 | $1,165,974 | $1,543,987 | $1,301,431 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | -14.8% | 12.9% | -23.1% | 32.4% | -15.7% |
Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Investment income | 5.1% | 4.8% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 3.2% |
Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
All other grants and contributions | 87.3% | 90.0% | 94.4% | 96.6% | 93.7% |
Other revenue | 7.6% | 5.2% | 2.2% | 0.6% | 3.1% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $1,322,503 | $1,300,621 | $948,239 | $842,851 | $1,392,169 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | 3.1% | -1.7% | -27.1% | -11.1% | 65.2% |
Personnel | 56.5% | 52.0% | 62.8% | 62.3% | 56.7% |
Professional fees | 1.3% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
Occupancy | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Interest | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Pass-through | 0.0% | 4.2% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 10.9% |
All other expenses | 41.5% | 41.9% | 34.5% | 35.1% | 30.6% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
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Total expenses (after depreciation) | $1,560,707 | $1,546,955 | $1,188,047 | $1,072,328 | $1,617,920 |
One month of savings | $110,209 | $108,385 | $79,020 | $70,238 | $116,014 |
Debt principal payment | $68,168 | $87,605 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $268,026 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $1,739,084 | $1,742,945 | $1,267,067 | $1,142,566 | $2,001,960 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 4.8 | 3.5 | 7.5 | 15.9 | 7.7 |
Months of cash and investments | 10.6 | 10.7 | 18.7 | 30.1 | 14.7 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 5.0 | 4.1 | 9.2 | 19.9 | 8.6 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $525,445 | $379,782 | $594,470 | $1,115,908 | $887,612 |
Investments | $643,973 | $779,585 | $880,723 | $995,688 | $815,167 |
Receivables | $2,171 | $81,000 | $58,500 | $167,580 | $18,256 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $6,978,442 | $7,125,280 | $7,148,174 | $7,173,216 | $7,441,242 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 47.2% | 49.6% | 52.8% | 55.9% | 56.9% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 2.8% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.6% |
Unrestricted net assets | $4,151,824 | $4,033,655 | $4,097,889 | $4,566,262 | $4,211,705 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | $326,467 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | $647,737 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $974,204 | $1,156,539 | $1,196,824 | $1,283,180 | $1,056,248 |
Total net assets | $5,126,028 | $5,190,194 | $5,294,713 | $5,849,442 | $5,267,953 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director/CEO
Dr. George Laufenberg
Prior to joining Camp, George has worked primarily in education, government, and the non-profit worldthrough which he has developed deep skills in leadership, strategy, communications, and program design. Throughout, his work has been animated by a single question: how do people change their worlds? Across contexts ranging from wilderness therapy, to university classrooms, to senior executive service in state government, the answer has been remarkably consistent: its about relationshipsdeep, meaningful connectionsthrough which people come to better understand, and to trust, just how much power they have to imagine and create a new set of possibilities, for themselves and others.
Originally from the East Coast, George earned a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Princeton University, where he taught for six years. He lives in Missoula, Montana with his family.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Childrens Oncology Camp Foundation
Board of directorsas of 12/13/2023
Board of directors data
Dan McGee
Building Mind and Body
Term: 2021 - 2024
Andrew Larson
First Security Bank
Laurie Carter
Pediatric Hospitalist, Missoula Pediatric Associates
Blake Underriner
Underriner Motors
Kylie Kretz
PNP, oncology
Keith Fichtner
Edward Jones
Aaron Neilson
Neilson, Swanson, Dietrich Northwest Law Firm
Allie Maffit
Pediatric Oncologist, Logan Health
Jenny Baker
Oncology Pharmacist, Community Medical Center
Laura Churchman
ALPS
Kelly Scariano
Private Practice, LCSW
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes