OUR HISTORY
The Indian & Forest Acres Scholarship Foundation was incorporated in 2017 to send children needing financial assistance to our Camps. The Foundation aims to give kids from a variety of backgrounds the opportunity to attend camp and become "good citizens" of Our Summer Place. The culmination of a 20-year dream, The Foundation was created from the ground up: mission statement, by laws, website, application materials, finances and logo. A committed group of alumni and camp community members from around the country works constantly to raise funds, recruit applicants, and foster awareness of The Foundation.
The Board was prepared to send its inaugural cohort of Campership Award recipients to Indian Acres during the Summer of 2020, however, Covid-19 suspended the camping season. But we were thrilled to send our first group of Award Recipients to both Indian & Forest Acres for the Summer of 2021.
FOUNDATION FACTS
- We are proud to say that 100% of your donation funds Campership Awards.
- The Indian & Forest Acres Scholarship Foundation is a Maine Incorporated 501(c)3 organization.
- The Foundation is operated entirely by volunteers from both Indian Acres and Forest Acres.
- While The Foundation happily works in partnership with Indian & Forest Acres Camps in order to accomplish its mission, it is fully independent and answers only to its own Board of Trustees.
- The Indian & Forest Acres Scholarship Foundation reserves the sole right to determine eligibility of candidates and granting of Campership Awards.
- The Foundation receives a 60% discount on tuition from Indian & Forest Acres Camps for each Campership Award recipient.
- We recruit Campership Award applicants from both our alumni and “current camper” families.
- We have relationships, via our alumni, with several nonprofit organizations that specialize in serving low-income families, and we work with each to identify possible Campership Award applicants.
- Our application cycle begins November 1st and closes February 15th, and Campership Awards are granted by April 1st.
- All potential Campership Award recipients must be rising 3rd through rising 9th graders for the summer during which he/she would like to attend camp.
- Campership Award recipients are chosen based on need, interest, and compatibility with our camp communities.
- Decisions on eligibility to receive a Foundation Campership Award are based on the Foundation's evaluation of the individual circumstances and qualities presented by each applicant and his/her family, as presented by the application materials and interviews, and not according to a predetermined set of eligibility criteria.
- The Foundation works entirely by committee, with each Board member serving on at least one committee: Campership Awards, Major Gifts/Corporate Sponsorships, Fundraising, Young Alumni, Social Media.