From private to board of trustees: ensuring the life of a camp.

In 1984 Camp Agawam faced the ultimate challenge of its existence; its owners had decided that after 35 years of owning and directing the camp, they wished to retire. The camp, located in Raymond/Casco, Maine, had been founded by the family in 1919. Unfortunately, no other family members were ready to assume control of the camp. It appeared that Agawam would close. But after informing some of the camp's alumni of their desire, the owners were thrilled to learn that a different prospect awaited their summer camp - one that would not just save Agawam in the short term, but one that would ensure the camp's future by establishing it as a nonprofit educational corporation.

Twelve years after its creation, the Agawam Council operates a Camp Agawam that is stronger than ever financially and has a full complement of campers and staff every year.

Getting Started

After the owners announced their plans to retire, a group of alumni dedicated to continuing the Agawam tradition immediately began to recruit additional alumni to join the cause. In just a few weeks, they added 15 alumni to the team.

The group had three primary tasks: to incorporate Camp Agawam as a nonprofit educational organization, to raise the money required to purchase the camp and to fund initial operations, and to find an executive director to lead the way.

Addressing the legal issues

Certain individuals within the group were responsible for each of these key tasks. An attorney in the group, along with outside legal counsel, managed the process of incorporating Agawam in the State of Maine and meeting the complex Internal Revenue Service requirements needed to achieve 501(c)(3) status. Both Agawam and the Main Idea, a free, week-long camp experience for less fortunate boys from the communities surrounding the camp, fell under the umbrella of nonprofit educational institutions supported by the public. As part of the incorporation procedure, articles of incorporation and bylaws governing the Agawam Council were prepared.

Raising money

As vital as the legal issues were, the most critical aspect of the effort was to purchase the camp. A letter was sent to approximately 100 alumni asking for major donations to purchase the camp and to solidify the future of Agawam. The response was very favorable, not only in terms of the funds raised, but also in its ability to establish a network of key alumni to solicit contributions from other former Agawam campers, counselors, and parents.

Once a price for the camp had been agreed upon with the owners, a tiered payment schedule was established, enabling the owners to receive partial payments as the fundraising continued. By the middle of 1985, nine months after the conception of the nonprofit Agawam, two-thirds of the funds needed had been raised. The remaining one-third, however, proved to be the more difficult donations to obtain; the group took until 1988 to make its final payment.

Creating a governing body 

The Agawam Council structure was dictated in part by the laws of incorporation. A comprehensive system was developed involving three divisions: a board of trustees, standing committees, and an auxiliary association. The board, consisting of no more than 25 term directors, has voting power and is the nucleus of the Agawam Council. The board is governed by its officers (president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary). The standing committees provide the nuts and bolts of policy making. Each standing committee focuses on an aspect of camp and its operation and provides findings and recommendations to the board. As necessary, subcommittees are also formed to address specific needs of the council. The auxiliary association is designed to increase public awareness of Camp Agawam.

Reasons for success

The transition from private ownership to a nonprofit organization was extremely successful for a variety of important reasons.

Owner participation

The owners' participation in the process was critical. The learning curve required of the Agawam Council and the new executive director would have been significantly longer if the owners had not been involved. To this day the owners provide ongoing support and regularly attend the annual meetings.

Alumni participation

Another key factor in the transition was the enthusiastic participation and generosity by camp alumni. Dozens of individuals, all of whom donated significant amounts of time, brain power, and financial support, committed themselves to making sure that Camp Agawam survived. And perhaps most importantly, all of these people shared a clear understanding of Agawam and what it stood for. They not only wanted Agawam to survive as an entity, they wanted to ensure that all of its positive attributes would be maintained along the way.

Capital campaign

As Agawam moved into the 1990s, the Agawam Council embarked on a major capital campaign to secure the camp's financial security into the 21st century. The council initiated the Agawam Council Challenge in 1992 with the objective of raising $1,150,000 in contributions. The dollar goal was set to support three long-term needs of the camp: $500,000 in an endowment fund to support the Main Idea and camperships during the regular camp season; $350,000 for the Campus and Physical Plant Fund to upgrade certain buildings and facilities; and a Preservation Trust of $300,000 to provide a buffer against economic downturns and to also allow for the protection of the camp's the natural beauty and environment through potential land acquisition.

Unlike the first fundraising effort in 1984, the Agawam Council decided to use an outside fundraising group for the capital campaign. The fundraisers proved invaluable in setting the objectives, creating the strategies, and executing the tactics needed for reaching Agawam's financial targets.

A full-time fundraiser was assigned to the project for six months. Working out of Agawam's offices, she brought much needed professionalism to the campaign while gaining valuable knowledge about the camp.

After two years, the Agawam Council Challenge generated pledges of over $1,350,000, exceeding the goal by $200,000. The council members agreed that these results would not have been generated without the resources provided by the fundraising company, justifying the fee paid.

Today, Camp Agawam is as healthy as it has ever been in its 77-year history. The council has purchased land adjacent to camp to allow for additional activities and to provide insulation from potential long-term real estate development. The camp's financial condition is sound, camp facilities have been improved, and camper enrollment is consistently full.

RELATED ARTICLE: Principles of fundraising

Some basic principles of fundraising should be followed, regardless of the type of fundraising activity.

* Seek fundraising counsel or training before planning the campaign.

* Recruit capable volunteers to raise the funds.

* Provide a training program for the volunteers.

* Develop attractive, succinct, and clear descriptive materials.

* Acknowledge every gift and recognize the giver in some fashion.

* Use the funds for the purpose for which they are raised, and report back to the giver.

* Maintain careful accounting of all gifts, including pledges. Under new accounting rules, pledges are considered income in the year they were made, not the year they are paid.

From Basic Camp Management, by Armand and Beverly Ball. The basic answer book for camp directors. Available from the American Camping Association Bookstore. Call 800-428-CAMP.

Bob Fryer began his association with Agawam as a 9-year-old and has been a camper, counselor, Main Idea volunteer, committee member and director. He is director of business development for WKLB Radio in Boston and lives in Wilmington, Mass. with his wife, Liz, and their two children. Bob returns annually as a volunteer staff member at the Main Idea at Camp Agawam.

Stu Upson spent eight years as a camper and counselor at Agawam between 1968 and 1976. He has been a director of Agawam Council for the past five years, including three years as the board's vice president. He is currently vice president, sports marketing for First USA Bank and lives in New Canaan, Conn. with his wife, Kate, and their two daughters.