Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
It's about what you CAN do! Adventure. Optimism. Self-reliance. Ambition.
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
EIN: 80-0470847
Mission
The Wampler Foundation mission is to “To provide life changing experiences to children with physical disabilities."
Notes from the nonprofit
Future Plans and Goals -- The foundation has already begun working on the upgrades and much needed improvements on a unique wilderness facility that the foundation was gifted by an anonymize donor in 2022. This 129 acre property is a very unique facility to this special population of children and it will enable the foundation continue our programs over the next couple of decades. We know it will excite and inspire the kids to learn more about themselves in the great outdoors when the facility upgrades are completed in October of 2025. We are also actively working on our endowment for the future of the good of the foundation with a $25 million goal by 2025. Our endowment was started in 2021 and is managed by the Parasol Foundation in Incline Village, NV. and the fund has just under $2 million as of this writing.
Ruling year
2010
Founder
Mr. Stephen J. Wampler
Co- Founder
Mrs Elizabeth D Wampler
Main address
941 Orange Avenue Ste. 440
Coronado, CA 92118 USA
Formerly known as
Wheelchair Adventure Mountain Programs
EIN
80-0470847
Human services
Youth organizing
Population served
Children and youth
Adolescents
People with disabilities
NTEE code
Youth Development Programs (O50)
Youth Development Programs (O50)
Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (P99)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
The foundation is working to address the overwhelming number of physical disabled children left behind in their education and upbringing among their peers. The kids are eager to learn and would love the opportunity to further their education. The foundation is also working on an endowment for the operational expenses.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Camp WAMP
The Camp WAMP program is a number of magical places where kids with physical disabilities can explore a whole new world in a safe nurturing environment. The High Sierras of California is an area usually inaccessible to many people that are disabled. They kids are able to camp under the stars, fish, learn about nature and learn they can do anything.
Camp Wamp at Deer Lake
Camp WAMP provides outdoor education programs to physically disabled youth in the high Sierras.
Where we work
Accreditations
American Camping Association (ACA) - Accreditation 2022
Awards
Local Hero 2013
American Red Cross
50 People to Watch 2008
San Diego Magazine
Robert Watson Humanitarian Award 2009
Rotary Club
Affiliations & memberships
American Camping Association 2018
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of free participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Camp WAMP
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The foundation sponsors 150 disabled children for a week of outdoor adventures. We operate 6 weeks over the summer only. The camp has been shut down for the past 2 years because of COVID19.
Number of children who have an innate motivation to master and control their environment
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Camp WAMP
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The foundation has grown over the past several years and just purchased a new facility in the high Sierras of California this past year.
Number of children able to exercise appropriate control in independent and group activities
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Economically disadvantaged people, People with disabilities
Related Program
Camp WAMP
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
All 60 participants were able to show appropriate control through the week in group activities.
Number of students showing interest in topics related to STEM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Camp WAMP
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The programs are based on STEM and al 60 kids show different levels in the program.
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?
The foundation has already begun working on the next phase of our environmental education plans from its original programs started at Hawley Lake in 2004 and other programs throughout the western US. We will be building a unique wilderness facility and experiences to this special population of children over the next 48 months. We know it will excite and inspire the kids to learn more about themselves in the great outdoors.
Now that we have our own property, we are able to serve a larger amount of kids every year. The property is 129 acre high Sierra wilderness camp near Lake Tahoe with a private 9 acre lake. The property consists of 18 buildings with over 17,000 Sqf. of indoor living space.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The foundation has been in the news world wide in the past couple of years because of the founders epic climb up the face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The foundation has premiered it's documentary film in the spring of 2013 that has already won 38 awards. The film "Wampler's Ascent" will be the fund raising tool for the foundation for the foreseeable future. The foundation has a number of large sponsors that have partnered to sponsor the foundation for years to come.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
A majority of our capital comes from corporate and private foundation grants. Also the foundation has two fundraising events a year. This year we are attempting to raise over $1.2 million in addition to the very generous donation to purchase the property from an anonymous donor. (In the past several years the foundation has raised between $200k and 350k. So far to date we have raised $800,000 toward the project with commitments from two smaller foundations. By continuing to foster our current relationships and build on new ones we will be able to achieve out goals....
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The foundation was gifted a new property to conduct our programs and we are currently making improvements to the property and making a world class facility foe the largest under severed population in the world.
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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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Physically disabled youth
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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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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We are training much more on ethnic and non-binary staff situation that may arise during our program dates.
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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, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2021 info
0.00
Months of cash in 2021 info
3.9
Fringe rate in 2021 info
0%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
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: Oct 01 - Sep 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
This snapshot of Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.’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 | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $18,549 | -$39,025 | -$83,022 | $78,517 | $75,237 |
| As % of expenses | 7.7% | -8.5% | -16.4% | 19.1% | 11.4% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $14,371 | -$39,025 | -$83,022 | $78,517 | $66,679 |
| As % of expenses | 5.8% | -8.5% | -16.4% | 19.1% | 10.0% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $260,547 | $573,738 | $585,783 | $489,589 | $733,906 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 14.8% | 0.0% | 2.1% | -16.4% | 49.9% |
| Program services revenue | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 96.7% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $241,998 | $458,022 | $506,787 | $411,072 | $658,669 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 1.5% | 0.0% | 10.6% | -18.9% | 60.2% |
| Personnel | 0.0% | 8.7% | 21.5% | 27.9% | 23.7% |
| Professional fees | 30.8% | 40.1% | 18.0% | 23.2% | 1.4% |
| Occupancy | 2.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.9% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 66.3% | 51.2% | 60.5% | 48.9% | 71.0% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $246,176 | $458,022 | $506,787 | $411,072 | $667,227 |
| One month of savings | $20,167 | $38,169 | $42,232 | $34,256 | $54,889 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $266,343 | $496,191 | $549,019 | $445,328 | $722,116 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 0.6 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 4.6 | 3.9 |
| Months of cash and investments | 0.6 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 4.6 | 3.9 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | -4.0 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $11,402 | $161,973 | $78,951 | $157,468 | $216,233 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $36,270 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | -798.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $157,468 | $224,147 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total net assets | -$79,690 | $161,973 | $78,951 | $157,468 | $224,147 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Founder
Mr. Stephen J. Wampler
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation began sponsoring programs in the High Sierra at properties free of charge during the months of July and August and will continue into the foreseeable future.
Steve is testament to the value of attending the programs, personally attributes it as a pivotal contribution to his success in life.Disabled with cerebral palsy, he went onto graduate from University of California at Davis with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering, he married and has two beautiful children. Steve also founded a successful business in San Diego in 1995.
Approximately 1,825 disabled kids have been through the camp since its inception in 2002 and many have also enjoyed the personal development that Steve Wampler has achieved as a direct result of the wilderness experiences.
Co- Founder
Elizabeth Wampler
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Inc.
Board of directorsas of 05/01/2023
Board of directors data
Mr. Stephen Wampler
CEO
Term: 2002 - 2040
6196068188 Elizabeth Wampler
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation
Term: 2002 -
Stephen Wampler
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation
Elizabeth Wampler
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation
Alan Kinzel
Marilyn Rees
Jason Anderson
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
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/18/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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