Camp Quality

About Camp Quality:

Founded in 1988, Camp Quality Canada (CQ) provides camp experiences to kids with cancer and their siblings. During cancer treatment, kids miss out on learning, exploring, and playing. While CQ is unable to increase quantity of life, it works to improve the quality of life of kids with cancer. Camp Quality Canada is a branch of the international Camp Quality family.

CQ’s summer camps run for one week per year at six locations across Canada. Every camper is matched with a trained, adult volunteer. Campers and their companions participate in activities, including swimming, hiking, canoeing, and archery. CQ works with a medical team to ensure that a registered nurse or doctor is always on site. There is one medical professional per 15 campers. For youth aged 14-18, New Heights is a week of camp designed to promote leadership. Breaking Borders is open to 14 cancer survivors aged 18-25 who arrange an outdoor adventure for themselves. In past years, Breaking Borders trips have included sea kayaking in New Brunswick, sailing in Georgian Bay, and exploring British Columbia. Each year, over 350 children and young adults participate in CQ camps. Assuming 350 campers, the total operating cost per camper in F2017 was $3,638, an increase of 8% from F2015. 

CQ also has puppet shows which visit elementary schools to teach kids the importance of caring for one another and how to treat kids with major illnesses. The shows are presented to approximately 23,000 students each year.

Financial Review:

Camp Quality Canada is a small charity, with donations and special events revenue of $980k in F2017. Administrative costs are 17% of revenues and fundraising costs are 24% of donations. For every $1 donated, 59 cents go to the cause, falling below Ci’s reasonable range. Yet donors need to adjust this ratio: Camp Quality is spending down its funding reserves by spending more on its camp programs. With this increase in spending, if donated dollars are taken as a percent of spending rather than revenue, then 68 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci's reasonable range.

CQ has $1.9m in funding reserves which could cover program costs for 2.2 years. Camp Quality's management is working hard to spend down surplus reserves so more children can go to camp.  

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Camp Quality Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 13, 2018 by Madison Kerr.