7. Planning a Camp: Budget, Fees, Registration & Reporting

Budget Planning

Core Budget Categories

Campground rental / Insurance costs: rates may differ for children, youth, and adults; may differ by accommodation type (site, dorm, etc.); check for differing seasonal rates (summer, spring, fall, winter). Food supplies: total number of campers and staff multiplied by cost per person. Lifeguards: estimate $750 per lifeguard. Stipend for cook or other staff. Guest ministry: honorarium, travel, meals. Transportation (bus). Program supplies / activities: craft materials, sports equipment, spiritual practice resources. Admin and supplies. Medical and first aid: supplies, replacements. Subsidies: set aside funds to ensure access for all.

Download the Camp Budget Template to plan your budget. It has six tabs. The Budget Planner lists every expense category — campground and facilities, food and kitchen, staffing, program and ministry, transportation, administration, and a 10–20% contingency — next to a revenue section, then auto-calculates your net position, cost per camper, and a suggested base fee. The Fee Calculator figures the fee including HST and models early-bird, sibling, bring-a-friend, and LIT (50%) rates. The Food Cost Estimator uses $12 per person per day and a $1,000 kitchen stipend for a week-long camp (divide by the number of days for shorter camps). Three working trackers come built in: the Registration Tracker records each camper, fee type, amount paid, and balance due, and totals your registrations and revenue; the Expense Log records every purchase with receipt numbers and a running total; and the Donation Tracker records gifts and splits them into scholarship and general funds for receipting. Complete the yellow cells and the formulas do the rest. Mercedes is a resource for planning menus and estimating food costs. Standardized rates expected by end of March 2026.

Cost-Per-Camper Calculation

In this example, set your base fee at $230-$250 to ensure break-even with a small buffer.

Fee example: $330 + HST or $375 including HST. Note: HST is not part of your revenue — it goes to government. Consider early bird rates and bring-a-friend rates.

Budget Tips for Growth

Budget conservatively on revenue. Assume 80% of capacity, not 100%.

Track year-over-year costs. Food and campground costs inflate. Adjust fees accordingly.

Build in a buffer. Add 10-20% contingency for unexpected costs.

Fee Structure & Subsidies

Fees must cover costs while remaining accessible. This is a tension—manage fees intentionally. Lowest price is at last year's camp.

Registration Strategies to Discuss with Mission Centre

Early Bird Discount: "$40 off before March 31" creates urgency and helps with planning.

Sibling Discounts: $25-50 off per additional child, or 10% off second child. Encourages families to send multiple children.

Bring-a-Friend: "$25 off for you and your friend" builds community.

Drive a Carload: $50 gas credit to staff and parents who fill a car from their community. Solves transportation barriers, supports cohorts, sustains community.

LIT Opportunity- discuss with Director of Camping & Campgrounds

Offer: Attend camp at 50%, donate fee and get receipt, free and lead following year. Solves many issues. Builds future staff. Mentors future roles. Reduces leakage. Extends ages. Helps fill their secondary school volunteer hours.

Subsidy Principles

Keep it simple and respectful. Avoid requiring extensive documentation or proof of need.

Make it available to all. Even families not linked to a local congregation should have access.

Normalize asking. Include subsidy info in all promotional materials. "Financial assistance available—just ask."

Subsidy form available - confidential process. Discuss with Director of Camping & Campgrounds

Invite donations. Give people the option to pay more to support others. "Pay it forward" works.

Registration Systems

Early registration drives growth. Aim to have registration at Camp—provide dates for next year's camp.

Use an online system. Collect all critical info upfront: medical needs, dietary restrictions, accessibility requirements, and photo release. Send immediate confirmation email with key details and next steps. Set clear payment deadlines and send reminders. Track registrations weekly and adjust outreach if numbers lag. This system empowers all camps with feedback from campers and staff conducted by Mission Centre.

DRAFT Proposed Revisions — Business Manager Processes

DRAFT — Proposed changes from February 22, 2026 Camping Summit. Not yet finalized.

Applicability: Changed from “Unique in Canada” to “Common in Canada.” All activities will use a standardized method.

Budgets: Submitted to MCFO. No change.

Advance Requests: Submitted to MCFO. No change.

Revenue: Changed from manual registration to Registration System with online and QR codes.

Payments: Changed from manual tracking forms and manual payments to electronic tracking forms and e-transfers.

Forms: Changed from manual records to electronic records.

Taxes: GST, HST only. No change.

Final Reporting: Changed from “Unique in Canada” to “Common in Canada.” All activities will use a standardized method.

Correspondence: Cc to Director. No change.

Reporting Requirements

Share registrations with Mission Centre (Peter Mitchell is leading a registration system task force). Proper records for insurance, photo release, certification and payments are important. Common reports include: Final budget vs. actual spending. Number of campers and staff by age group. Incident reports (medical, behavioural, safety). Subsidies granted and total financial assistance provided. Post-camp feedback survey is completed by Mission Centre so if you wish to add questions (that may be possible if in touch early).

Post-camp reporting includes: Financial reporting (expenses and revenue — see Forms & Documents for templates). Participant information: participant list and contact information for campers and staff, birth dates for children and youth, donor information for receipting, camper days. Video and music licensing reporting (note: outdoor showing of movies is not included in the current license — see Appendix B). Incident reports involving emergency services (see Section 9). Other incidents of risk that are beneficial to know about for managing future camps.

Financial Reporting Timeline

Report to the Mission Centre at two points. Send a pre-camp report 4–6 weeks before camp: registration count against target, revenue collected against budget, scholarship requests and awards, and any budget concerns. Send a post-camp report within 30 days: final registration numbers, actual revenue and expenses against budget by category, your net surplus or deficit, and recommendations for next year.

Use a simple budget / actual / variance format:

The aim is a small surplus that supports scholarships and campground improvements.

Volunteer Reimbursement & Purchases

When a volunteer buys supplies for camp, follow one process every time. The volunteer keeps the receipt and completes an Expense Reimbursement Request. You review and approve within 7 days. The form goes to the Mission Centre treasurer, who issues a cheque within 14 days. Always require original receipts.

You can reimburse program supplies, food and kitchen supplies, first aid supplies, camp travel (mileage- submit gas receipts), and communication costs tied to camp.

Set spending limits so approvals happen before money is spent:

For purchases over $500, get 2–3 quotes and submit a Purchase Request to the Mission Centre before buying. The Mission Centre can pay the vendor directly, or you can buy and submit for reimbursement with receipts.

Fundraising, Sponsorship & Donations

A scholarship fund lets you say yes to every child. Set aside 5–15% of camp revenue for scholarships, invite designated donations, and ask local businesses to sponsor campers ($250 sends one child) or donate food and gear.

Make specific asks. "$250 sends one child to camp." "$500 covers all craft supplies for the week." "$400 covers one day of meals." Recognize sponsors at clear levels:

See Appendix C for a congregation email and a local-business letter you can adapt.

Issuing Donation Receipts (CRA Rules)

The Mission Centre is a registered charity and issues the official receipts. You collect the donor information; the Mission Centre treasurer issues the receipt.

Every official receipt must carry the eleven CRA-required elements (Regulation 3501): the statement "Official Receipt for Income Tax Purposes," the charity name and address, the charity's CRA registration number, a unique serial number, the place issued, the date the gift was received, the donor's name and address, the eligible amount, the CRA website (canada.ca/charities-giving), and an authorized signature.

Volunteers cannot deduct out-of-pocket costs directly. They need to submit receipts which are attached to the expense claim form. The method used is that which CRA endorses: the volunteer submits receipts, the charity reimburses by cheque, the volunteer writes a cheque back as a donation, and the charity issues a receipt. This creates a clear paper trail. Volunteer time, donated professional services, personal expenses, and vehicle use without mileage records can never be receipted.

If a donor receives something of value (say, a fundraiser dinner), the receipt shows the amount paid, the value of what they received, and the eligible amount (the difference). Example: a donor pays $100 for a dinner worth $40, so the eligible amount is $60.

This is guidance, not legal or tax advice. Check specific situations with the Mission Centre treasurer.

Payment & Refund Process (CMC Official, August 2026)

Registration for camps is through our website registration process, with payment by e-transfer, cheque, or credit card. Processing fees may apply for payment by credit card through Corsizio. Discounts are available for early registration or bring-a-friend. Application for a subsidy is made to the Mission Centre — see 2026 Subsidy Application Form below.

Application

Complete the registration process online, including all waivers, for each camp being attended.

Payment Options

E-transfer, credit card at time of registration, or deferred payments by cheque. Approved subsidies are managed by the Mission Centre. The mission centre covers the Stripe fees.

Refunds

The camp registrar or director makes a written request to the Camping Team for refunds of the processing fee or camp registration.

Mission Centre Camping Specialist Responsibilities

Weekly, forwards e-transfer payments and refund requests to Accounting for processing. Upon written request, refunds directly to the credit card of the person who made payment.

2026 Subsidy Application (CMC Official Form)

Complete the subsidy application and submit it to the Director of Camping and Campgrounds at least two (2) weeks prior to the registration deadline (four (4) weeks prior to the event).

The application captures: applicant name and camper name (if different); address, phone, and email; the event and its registration fee; the amount to be paid by the applicant; the amount of subsidy requested; and a brief explanation of why the subsidy is requested.

Procedure for Payment of Subsidies

The Director will consult with the Bishop of Canada to confidentially discuss and make decisions on subsidy requests. Upon notification of approval, the attendee is required to register online using Corsizio. The applicant can pay their portion if applicable and select pay-at-a-later-date. The Camping and Retreat Coordinator will facilitate payment of the approved amount and will forward confirmation of payment to the camp director once it has been completed.

See Appendix J for the full form.