Free template · Business plan
Summer camp business plan template (free)
A summer camp business plan covers ten things: a one-page summary, the camp and its weeks, the families you serve, the site, the rules and insurance, your team and ratios, price and enrollment targets, the marketing calendar, the financial plan with a break-even, and the funding request. The full template is on this page. Copy it.
No email gate and no download. Every section has the questions to answer and a fill-in sentence to start from. The financial model uses example numbers, clearly labeled, with the arithmetic shown so you can swap in your own. It is written for a first-year day camp in rented space, from the seat of a founder whose programs grew to 75+ school sites.
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What should a summer camp business plan include?
Match the plan to the reader. The SBA describes two formats: a traditional plan, which it says lenders and investors commonly request, and a lean plan that can fit on one page. For a camp, a landlord or school host reads the site, insurance and safety sections first. A lender reads the numbers first.
| Section | What it proves | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Executive summary | You can say what the camp is, who it serves and what you need, in one page. | 1 page |
| 2. The camp | The program is specific: ages, weeks, hours, daily schedule. | 1 page |
| 3. Families and market | Real families near you want this, and you know what they pay today. | 1 page |
| 4. Site | You have a place, in writing, that fits your headcount. | Half a page |
| 5. Rules, licensing and insurance | You know which agency oversees you and what your host requires. | Half a page |
| 6. Team, ratios and training | You can supervise every camper, every hour. | 1 page |
| 7. Price and enrollment targets | The price comes from costs, and you know your minimum per week. | Half a page |
| 8. Marketing and registration calendar | Families will hear about it in time to book. | Half a page |
| 9. Financial plan | The season makes money at a realistic fill, and you know the cash you need before day one. | 2 pages |
| 10. Funding request and appendix | What you are asking for, what it buys, and the documents behind every claim. | 1 page plus documents |
Sources, checked September 17, 2026: U.S. Small Business Administration, Write your business plan (sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan); SCORE, Business Plan Template for a Startup Business, a free worksheet version you can take to a SCORE mentor. Section lengths are our suggestion.
The template, sections 1 to 5
How do I write each section of a summer camp business plan?
Answer the questions under each heading in plain sentences, then replace the brackets in the fill-in line with your facts. Write section 1 last. Keep every claim tied to a document you can hand over: a site agreement, an insurance quote, a written answer from your state agency.
1. Executive summary (write it last)
Answer: What is the camp, in one sentence? Who is it for? Where and when does it run? Who runs it, and why are you the person to do it? What does the season earn at your planned enrollment? What are you asking the reader for?
Fill in: [Camp name] is a [theme] day camp for kids ages [X to Y] in [city]. We run [N] weeks from [date] to [date] at [site], [hours] each day. At [N] campers a week and $[price] a week, the season brings in $[revenue] against $[costs]. We break even at [N] campers a week. We are asking for [amount, space or partnership] to [use].
2. The camp: program, ages, weeks and hours
Answer: What happens in a camp day, hour by hour? What is the theme of each week? What ages do you group together? What are drop-off and pickup times? Do you offer extended care? What does a camper go home able to do or show?
Fill in: Each week runs Monday to Friday, [start] to [end], with extended care from [time] to [time] for $[price]. Campers are grouped by [age or grade completed]: [groups]. Week themes: [list]. A sample day: [schedule]. On Friday, families see [showcase or take-home].
3. Families and market
Answer: Which families are you for: which neighborhoods, which schools, which ages? What do they do with their kids in summer today, and what does it cost them? Which ten camps would a parent compare you with, and what does each charge per week and per hour? What do you offer that those don't?
Fill in: Our families live within [N] minutes of [site] and have kids at [schools]. Comparable camps charge $[low] to $[high] a week for [hours]. We price at $[price] because [reason]. We are different in [one or two specifics].
4. Site
Answer: Where will camp run? Is the agreement signed, and for which dates and hours? What does it cost, and what is included: rooms, outdoor space, bathrooms, storage, custodial? What is the rain and heat plan? How many campers does the space hold?
Fill in: Camp runs at [site name and address] under a [use agreement or lease] dated [date], for [dates and hours], at $[rate] per [week]. The rate includes [list]. The space holds [N] campers. Indoor backup: [room]. One controlled door for drop-off and pickup: [which].
5. Rules, licensing and insurance
Answer: Which state or county agency oversees day camps where you are, and what did it tell you in writing? Does child care licensing apply, or does an exemption? What permits and inspections come with the site? What insurance limits does your host require, and who is named as additional insured?
Fill in: [Agency] confirmed on [date] that our camp is [licensed, permitted or exempt] under [rule as the agency cites it]. Our host requires general liability of $[limits] naming [host] as additional insured. Our broker quoted $[amount] for [coverage list] on [date]. Every adult completes [background check process] before day one.
This template is general information from people who run kids programs. It is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Camp rules differ by state and county, and they change. Start with the American Camp Association's state laws and regulations pages and confirm with the agency itself.
The template, sections 6 to 10
What goes in the team, pricing, marketing and funding sections?
Show the reader you can supervise every camper, fill every week and account for every dollar. Name your ratio and where it comes from. Set a minimum enrollment for each week. Put dates on your marketing. State the amount you are asking for and list exactly what it buys.
6. Team, ratios and training
Answer: What ratio will you hold, and whose standard is it? How many counselors does that mean at planned enrollment and at capacity? Who directs the camp, and who covers when the director is out? What does training week cover? How is each role paid, and have you settled that with an accountant?
Fill in: We hold one adult for every [N] campers ages [X to Y], following [ACA standards or state rule]. At [N] campers we run [N] counselors plus a director who is free of a group. Counselors are at least [age], screened by [process], and trained for [N] hours on [safety, emergencies, behavior, supervision, pickup]. Backup director: [name or role].
7. Price and enrollment targets
Answer: What does one week cost you to run, and what does each camper cost in supplies? What price does that produce at the enrollment you expect? What is your break-even per week, and what minimum will you publish? What discounts, payment plans and scholarship seats will you offer, and what does each cost you?
Fill in: One week costs $[fixed] to run plus $[per camper] per camper. At $[price], we break even at [N] campers and publish a minimum of [N]. Capacity is [N]. We plan for [N]. Early registration saves families $[amount] until [date]. Siblings save $[amount]. Families can pay in [N] installments.
8. Marketing and registration calendar
Answer: When does registration open? Through which channels will families hear about it, in what order, and what does each cost? Who already trusts you: schools, a parent group, last year's families? What is your registration goal by month?
Fill in: Registration opens [date], [N] months before day one. Channels, in order: [school newsletters, parent groups, local camp listings, flyers with a QR code]. Goal: [N]% of seats by [date], [N]% by [date]. Budget: $[amount]. Families register, sign the waiver and pay at one link.
9. Financial plan
Answer: What are your one-time startup costs? What does the season budget look like at planned enrollment, at capacity and at a bad-case fill? Where is break-even? How much cash goes out before tuition comes in, and what covers it? If the director is you, what do you get paid?
Fill in: Use the three tables below: the season model, the break-even and cash table, and the startup cost checklist. A lender will also ask for projections beyond year one, so add a second and third summer with your growth assumption stated: [more weeks, a second site, a higher fill].
10. Funding request and appendix
Answer: How much are you asking for, from whom, and on what terms? What exactly does it buy, line by line? When does tuition repay it? What can you show: site agreement, insurance quote, agency email, budget, your resume, references from schools or families?
Fill in: We are requesting $[amount] as a [loan, line of credit, partner contribution or rent deferral] to cover pre-season costs of $[amount] between [month] and [month]. Tuition collected from [month] repays it by [date]. Attached: [list of documents].
From the operator's seat
enrops founder Arielle Hammond spent a decade in public education, leading schools, then built Journey to STEAM, which runs kids STEM programs at 75+ school sites. The lesson from those sites: the reader who matters most in year one is usually your site host. Hosts say yes to clean paperwork, a named contact and a clear pickup plan. Write sections 4, 5 and 6 so a principal or facilities manager could approve you from those three pages alone.
One-page financial model
How do I estimate summer camp enrollment, revenue and costs?
Count camper-weeks. Multiply weeks by the campers you expect each week, which is lower than capacity, then by your weekly price. Subtract the costs that rise with each camper, then the costs you pay whether the week fills or not. What is left pays you and funds next summer. Every number below is an example.
EXAMPLE assumptions, made up for this template: a day camp for ages 9 to 14, 8 weeks, capacity 30 campers a week, planned enrollment 24 a week (80%), priced at $299 a week. 8 x 24 = 192 camper-weeks.
| Line | Math (example numbers) | Season amount |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ||
| Tuition | 192 camper-weeks x $299 | $57,408.00 |
| Costs that rise with each camper | ||
| Payment processing | 192 x $9.23. Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 on the $307.97 a family pays by card. | $1,772.16 |
| Supplies, shirt and snacks | 192 x $25 | $4,800.00 |
| Costs you pay at any enrollment | ||
| Counselors | 30 campers at 1 adult to 10 means 3 counselors. 3 x 40 hours x $18 x 8 weeks | $17,280.00 |
| Director | 45 hours x $28 x 8 weeks. If this is you, this line is your pay. | $10,080.00 |
| Training week | 3 counselors x 20 hours x $18 = $1,080, plus director 30 hours x $28 = $840 | $1,920.00 |
| Payroll taxes and workers' compensation | Example rate of 10% x $29,280 in wages. Get your real rate from your payroll provider. | $2,928.00 |
| Site rental | $1,200 a week x 8 weeks | $9,600.00 |
| Insurance | Quote from your broker, at the limits your host requires. Example placeholder. | $1,800.00 |
| Marketing | Flyers, listings, signs | $1,200.00 |
| Background checks | 4 adults x $50 | $200.00 |
| Permits and licenses | Ask the agency | $300.00 |
| Admin: accounting, phone, first aid kits | Season total | $1,000.00 |
| Registration software | enrops is free for businesses. Your only cost is Stripe's standard processing, counted above. | $0.00 |
| Total of the costs you pay at any enrollment | $17,280 + $10,080 + $1,920 + $2,928 + $9,600 + $1,800 + $1,200 + $200 + $300 + $1,000 | $46,308.00 |
| Result at planned enrollment | ||
| Total costs | $46,308.00 + $1,772.16 + $4,800.00 | $52,880.16 |
| Left after costs | $57,408.00 - $52,880.16 | $4,527.84 |
Example only. Wages, rent, insurance, tax rate and every other cost are assumptions made up for this template. They are not benchmarks, and they are not figures from any real camp. The counselor ratio follows American Camp Association standards of one adult for every 10 day campers ages 9 to 14, and your state may set its own. The $9.23 follows enrops pricing: the family pays the 3% enrops service fee ($8.97 on $299), and Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 on the $307.97 total. Your Stripe rates may differ. Sources, checked September 17, 2026: American Camp Association, How to Choose a Camp: Safety Tips; Stripe, Pricing and fees.
Read the last line twice. In this example a first summer at 80% full pays the director and leaves $4,527.84. A plan that shows a thin first summer is a plan a reader can believe, and it is why the break-even table matters more than the revenue line. To build your own price from costs, use the guide to setting camp and class prices and the camp and class pricing calculator.
How many campers do I need to break even?
Divide the costs you pay at any enrollment by what you keep from one camper-week. The SBA's formula is fixed costs divided by price minus variable costs. In the example: $46,308 / ($299 - $9.23 - $25) = 174.9, so 175 camper-weeks, or 22 campers a week across 8 weeks of a 30-camper camp.
| Line | Math (example numbers) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| What you keep per camper-week | $299.00 - $9.23 processing - $25.00 supplies | $264.77 |
| Break-even for the season | $46,308 / $264.77 = 174.9, so round up | 175 camper-weeks |
| Break-even per week | 175 / 8 weeks = 21.9, so round up | 22 campers, 73% full |
| Bad case: 60% full | 144 x $264.77 - $46,308 | -$8,181.12 |
| Planned: 80% full | 192 x $264.77 - $46,308 | $4,527.84 |
| Capacity: 100% full | 240 x $264.77 - $46,308 | $17,236.80 |
Example only. Source for the formula, checked September 17, 2026: U.S. Small Business Administration, Break-even point (sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/calculate-your-startup-costs/break-even-point).
Cash you need before day one
A camp spends in spring and earns in summer, unless registration opens in winter. List what goes out before the first Monday. That total is the most you would need to borrow. Every early registration shrinks it.
| Pre-season outlay | Math (example numbers) | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Site deposit | 25% x $9,600 | $2,400.00 |
| Insurance | Quote from your broker. Example placeholder, paid up front. | $1,800.00 |
| Marketing | Season total | $1,200.00 |
| Permits and background checks | $300 + $200 | $500.00 |
| Training week, with payroll taxes | $1,920 x 1.10 | $2,112.00 |
| First supply order | 2 weeks x 24 campers x $25 | $1,200.00 |
| Admin | Half of $1,000 | $500.00 |
| Cash out before day one | $2,400 + $1,800 + $1,200 + $500 + $2,112 + $1,200 + $500 | $9,712.00 |
| Registrations that cover it | $9,712 / $289.77 kept per $299 registration after processing = 33.5 | 34 camper-weeks paid early |
Publish a minimum for every week and a date you decide by. A common rule is break-even plus two campers. The reasoning, and how to tell families, is in when to cancel a class or camp week for low enrollment. On timing cash, read cash flow for a kids enrichment business.
What startup costs belong in a summer camp business plan?
List one-time costs and recurring costs separately, the way the SBA recommends, and put a source next to each number: a quote, a rate sheet or an agency fee page. The SBA says to count at least one year of recurring expenses. For a seasonal camp, add the cash you need between your first expense and your first registration.
| Cost | Where the number comes from | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up the business | ||
| EIN | $0. The IRS says you never have to pay a fee for an EIN. | One-time |
| Entity filing and local business license | Your secretary of state and your city or county fee pages. | One-time, some renew |
| Accountant or attorney setup | Ask for a flat fee. | One-time |
| Business bank account | Your bank's fee schedule. | Recurring |
| Permission to operate | ||
| Camp permit, license or inspection | The state or county agency that oversees camps where you are. | Each season |
| Background checks, per adult | The process your state and your host name. | Each hire |
| First aid and CPR certification | Your training provider's price per person. | Renews |
| General liability and accident insurance | Quote from your broker, at the limits your host requires. | Each season |
| Site and equipment | ||
| Site deposit and rental | The host's rate sheet and your signed agreement. | Deposit one-time, rent weekly |
| Equipment you keep | Tables, bins, sports and craft equipment, first aid kits, radios. | One-time |
| Supplies you use up | Price per camper per week. | Weekly |
| Camp shirts | Printer quote at your planned headcount. | Each season |
| People | ||
| Hiring costs | Job posts and your interview time. | Each season |
| Training week wages | Hours x rate x headcount. | Each season |
| Payroll setup, taxes and workers' compensation | Your payroll provider and your state. | Recurring |
| Finding families and taking payment | ||
| Website, flyers, signs, listings | Quotes, plus your own time. | One-time and seasonal |
| Payment processing | Stripe's standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction. | Per payment |
| Registration software | enrops is free for businesses. | $0 |
| Cash reserve | Your cash-before-day-one total, plus one bad week. | One-time |
Sources, checked September 17, 2026: U.S. Small Business Administration, Calculate your startup costs; IRS, Get an employer identification number; Stripe, Pricing and fees.
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What does the 12-month calendar for a summer camp look like?
Count back from a mid-June first day. Decide the model and read the rules by September. Lock the site and insurance in the fall. Set the budget and price in November. Open registration in December or January. Hire from January to March, apply for permits in April, train in May, run in summer, review in August.
| Month | Plan work | Money |
|---|---|---|
| July | Visit camps like yours while they are running. Choose ages, theme, weeks and hours. | No spend |
| August | Read your state and county camp rules. Email the agency your facts and keep the reply. | No spend |
| September | Form the business, get the EIN, open the bank account. Draft plan sections 2 to 5. | Filing fees |
| October | Tour sites. Ask each host for its insurance requirements in writing. Get broker quotes. | No spend |
| November | Sign the site agreement. Build the season model, set the price, the minimums and the refund policy. | Site deposit, insurance |
| December | Build registration and test it on a phone. Open registration with a payment plan. | First tuition arrives |
| January | Push early registration through schools and parent groups. Post counselor roles. | Marketing spend |
| February | Interview with a sample activity. Make offers. Start background checks. | Background checks |
| March | Confirm the team. Check enrollment against each week's minimum. | Tuition builds |
| April | Apply for the permit if one applies. Order supplies and shirts. Write the daily schedule. | Permit, supplies |
| May | Train the team on site. Collect health forms and pickup lists. Decide thin weeks by your published date. | Training wages |
| June to August | Run camp. Review each week against break-even. Survey families in the last week. | Weekly payroll and rent |
| After the last week | Thank the host, set next summer's dates, update this plan with real numbers. | Close the books |
The full procedure, with sources for each step, is in how to start a summer camp. Before you announce, run the 9-point camp registration checklist. Running school-year programs too? Use the after-school and summer camp calendar.
What do lenders, landlords and partners look for in a camp business plan?
Lenders look for repayment: projections, cash needs and what secures the loan. The SBA says a funding request should explain how much you need over the next five years and what you will use it for, backed by forecasts, with monthly or quarterly detail in year one. Hosts and partners look for safety, insurance and a clean pickup plan.
- A lender: the season model, the break-even table, the cash-before-day-one table, years two and three, and any collateral. The SBA's guide says to list collateral in the financial section.
- A landlord, school or church host: your certificate of insurance at their limits, your ratio, your background check process, your pickup procedure and a named contact.
- A business partner: who owns what, who does what, and what happens if one of you leaves. Put it in writing with an attorney before you sign a site.
- You, next March: the minimum for each week and the date you decide.
Choosing a structure first? Read nonprofit, LLC or franchise: how to set up a kids program. SCORE built its template, linked above, to be reviewed with a SCORE mentor.
Source, checked September 17, 2026: U.S. Small Business Administration, Write your business plan, sections "Funding request" and "Financial projections".
Section 8, handled
How will families register and pay?
Your plan needs one sentence here, and a lender will like this one: families register, sign the waiver and pay at one link, and tuition lands in the camp's own Stripe account. On enrops, each week is its own session, siblings and multiple weeks share one checkout, and payment plans split the total into the installments you set.
enrops is free for businesses. Families pay a small enrops service fee, included in the price they see first: a $299 week shows as $307.97, or $304.98 when they pay by bank and save. Your only cost is Stripe's standard processing.
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New registration
Program name
When and where
Price
Families pay $307.97. Use $307.97 anywhere you advertise this program.
Illustration of enrops screens. Sample program, names and prices.
Summer camp business plan questions
Is this summer camp business plan template free?
Yes. The whole template is on this page in plain text, with no email gate and no download to request. Copy the section headings, questions and fill-in lines into a document, then replace the example numbers in the tables with your own.
How long should a summer camp business plan be?
As long as its reader needs. The SBA says a lean plan can fit on one page, and a traditional plan, which lenders and investors commonly request, can run to dozens of pages. For a first-year day camp, eight to ten pages plus your documents covers every section in this template.
Are the numbers in the financial model real?
No. Every wage, rent, insurance and supply figure is an example made up for this template, labeled as an example, so you can follow the arithmetic. They are not benchmarks and they are not any real camp's figures. Replace each one with a quote, a rate sheet or an agency fee.
What should I put on the insurance line?
A written quote from a broker who insures camps, at the limits your site host requires, with the host named as additional insured if they ask for it. Swimming, field trips and transportation change the price. We don't publish an estimate because your activities and your site decide it.
How many weeks should a first-year camp run?
Run the number of weeks you can fill past break-even and supervise well. In the example on this page, each week needs 22 of 30 campers to break even. Fewer full weeks beat more thin weeks, and you can add weeks next summer with real demand data.
Do I need a business plan if I'm not borrowing money?
Yes, a short one. Your site host will ask for parts of it, and the break-even table tells you which weeks to run, what minimum to publish and when to decide. Skip the funding request and keep the rest.
What price should I use in the plan?
Build it from your costs at the enrollment you expect, add your margin, then check it against ten camps a local parent would compare you with. The guide to setting camp and class prices walks through the worksheet, and the pricing calculator does the arithmetic.
Open registration while the plan is still warm.
Create one week, connect Stripe, share the link. Families register and pay in one place, and the money lands in your own Stripe account.
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