Valuable Help for Church Camp Property
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Though we offer camp management services to all types of nonprofits, we do specialize in working with church-run properties.
Our clients tell us that running a church camp property is a challenge.
When we partner with nonprofit church-owned camps and retreat centers we help make sure every aspect it takes to run a camp property goes smoothly.
We find that many camp and retreat facilities today are struggling to manage the budget, manage the facility, and run summer programs. Many of the volunteer leaders who are making decisions about the running of the facility seek to hire experts, yet due to a lack of funds, they think it is not possible to partner with organizations like ours.
What if you could not only lessen the annual debt but break-even or have a positive return? Would you be interested now?
As a nonprofit ourselves, we specialize in partnering with church owned properties and know exactly how to take struggling facilities and turn them into busy, thriving organizations to augment their outreach to their communities.
Many of the unique church owned properties we work with have commonality; they are:
Mission Based.
Every church denomination has a mission. It may vary from welcoming people from diverse populations to simply loving one’s neighbor. Church sponsored camp programs may include this mission into the teachings during the camp or retreat. Every denomination has a slightly different emphasis or flavor regarding their persuasion and instruction of their camp and retreat participants.
Run by Volunteers.
Most church sponsored programs are organized and carried out by volunteers. Some churches may have a few paid staff who coordinate, organize, and lead programs at the camp or retreat site during their scheduled events. However, most leaders in the church are volunteers. Many summer camp counselors take a week off work and often pay their own way to be at camp even though they are serving in a leadership position.
Blessed with Sacred Space.
The camp and retreat property that a church owns is considered sacred space and holy ground to its members. If the property has been established for decades, the impact of the programs over the years on the church participants is especially significant. Lives are changed for the better and some people feel called to a life of service or ministry. Lifelong friendships are created, and many people feel church summer camp enhanced their understanding of themselves, their family, spirituality, and the wider community.
UCCR understands the exceptional relationship that churches have with their camps and retreat centers. We use our 52 years of experience to support your mission and partner together to address the concerns or your facility.
We recognize the mission of each church denomination with integrity.
UCCR staff are respectful of the church’s mission and will work with ministry staff to ensure congruency and compatibility with the owner group is regarded with soundness.
We respect volunteers.
We love working with the many volunteers who spend time working as camp counselors, chaplains, directors, and nurses. Many of the church volunteers work in partnership with UCCR site staff to facilitate workdays to repair and refurbish the site.
We honor cherished land.
UCCR understands the affinity church owners have with their property. We actively participate in enhancing the property for customer use while remaining ecological stewards of the land.
We respect inclusivity.
We understand the importance of diversity and inclusivity and live by our policy: acceptance and participation in programs at UCCR are the same for everyone without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin.
We do this at the same time as we are saving you money.
Can you use help with:
We have a full staff that specializes in each of these areas and can help you finally have the camp-owned property run with efficiency by experts. This leaves you time to focus on fulfilling your mission while we run every aspect of the camp property, including marketing your facility and booking to community groups. From marketing to cooking meals, we offer full-service camp and retreat property management.
Where does our expertise come from?
In 1970, UCCR was incorporated as a non-profit cooperative by an ecumenical group of ministers in Northern California who sought to combine their efforts for management of their church camp and retreat properties. The original denominations represented were the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ, the American Baptists, The United Methodists, and the Presbyterian Church USA. Though UCCR has managed some non-church related properties since then, church camps and retreats continue to be the preeminent type of facility we manage and, therefore, our specialty.
Schedule a discovery call today with our team of experts - contact.
