Ready to Register?

Registration Opens January 15th, 2025

2025 Summer Camp Dates

  • Catoctin, Opequon,
    & Shiloh
  • Session One:
    June 28 – July 12

    Kindling Session A:
    June 28 – July 5

  • Session Two:
    July 13 – July 26
  • Session Three:
    July 27 – August 10

    Kindling Session B:
    July 27 – August 3

  • Teen Adventure (Year 1) &
    TA Leadership Training (Year 2)
  • Main Session:
    June 28 – July 20
  • Session Two:
    July 13 – July 26
  • Session Three:
    July 27 – August 10

    Kindling Session B:
    July 27 – August 3

*Kindling Sessions are offered for 9 or 10 year old campers at Catoctin, Opequon, and Shiloh. They’re very much still full blown overnight camp programs, geared toward letting your family see if our programs are the right fit for your camper. Campers 11 years or older are not eligible for Kindling Sessions.

If you have any questions about the summer calendar, deposits, tuition, or financial aid, please do not hesitate to contact us.

BYM Camps logo

2025 Summer Camp Rates

We offer Sliding Scale Tuition so that every child can attend BYM Camps!

Supporter Level:
$1650+ per week
Operating Cost Level:
$1375 per week
Supported Level I:$1100 per week
Supported Level II: $825 per week
Scholarship Level:$0 – $700 per week

What Does Each Level Mean?

Supporter Level: Every dollar paid above the Operating Cost of camp is a non-refundable tax-deductible donation, and directly supports campers who need financial aid. Please pay what you can and help us keep camp accessible for all!
Operating Cost Level: Paying at this level allows BYM Camps to break even and run our program safely and effectively each summer, but it doesn’t allow us to support campers and families who need financial aid.
Supported Level I: Paying at this level helps cover the bare-bones cost of running camp, but it does not cover essential expenses like facility maintenance, equipment purchases, and the development of new activities.
Supported Level II: These rates are subject to availability based on donations. In an effort to help as many families as possible, we ask that you stretch your budget as much as you can.
Scholarship Level: These rates are reserved for families with the greatest need. Families paying $825 per week can register online. If you need to pay a lesser amount, please email our staff at info@bymcamps.org and we will see if we can help!

How Much Should You Pay?

We ask each family to take an honest look at their finances and contribute what they can. As a guide, read the descriptions below and choose the category which has the most statements that are true for your family. We expect that returning families will pay the same amount or more than previous years, unless there has been a significant change in circumstances.

Supporter Level

  • After all my bills are paid and I have put money aside for my future goals, I have enough money left over to spend on opportunities for my children.
  • Finances are not a deciding factor when choosing what activities my children can participate in.
  • I don’t need to access my savings to send my child to camp.
  • I have a second home or am able to rent a vacation home.
  • I have a higher-end car.
  • I can pay for extensive educational opportunities for my children, such as international travel or private school.

Operating Cost Level

  • After all my bills are paid and I have put money aside for my future goals, I have some money left over to spend on opportunities for my children.
  • Finances play a small role in deciding what activities my children can participate in.
  • I don’t need to access emergency savings to send my child to camp.
  • I own my home or rent a higher-end property.
  • I have a newer, reliable car.
  • I am employed.
  • I am able to buy new clothes, toys, etc.
  • I don’t stress about occasionally spending money on going out to eat, to a concert, or other non-essential experiences.
  • I can take vacations a few times per year.

Supported Levels

  • After all my bills are paid, I may need to choose between putting money aside for my future goals or paying for opportunities for my children.
  • Finances play a large role in deciding what activities my children can participate in.
  • I may need to access my savings to send my child to camp.
  • I have stable housing.
  • I have an older car.
  • I am employed.
  • My kids may qualify for state assistance for health care.
  • Going out to eat or to a concert can feel like a financial reach.
  • I can take a vacation every year or two.

Scholarship Level

  • After all my bills are paid, there is no money left over. Or I may not be able to pay all my bills.
  • My children cannot participate in extracurricular activities without financial support.
  • I have no access to savings.
  • I rent lower-end or have unstable housing.
  • I have an unreliable car or no car.
  • I am unemployed or underemployed.
  • I qualify for government assistance including SNAP.
  • For financial reasons, I can rarely take my child to restaurants or concerts.
  • I cannot take a vacation because of the financial burden.

Deposits, Cancellations, & Refund Policies

Before May 15: $250 deposit is required upon registration.

After May 15: full tuition is required upon registration.

  • Deposits are non-refundable, unless you are requesting reduced tuition through the Sliding Scale or other means.
  • Unpaid balances for any and all family members must be reconciled in order for a camper to be registered.
  • No tuition reduction will be made for a late arrival or an early departure.
  • Payment can be made by credit card through our online registration system, or by check through the mail.

Registration cancellations made before April 1 are eligible for a tuition refund, except for the non-refundable deposit.

Families are responsible for the full amount of tuition if a cancellation is made after April 1, except in cases of severe illness, injury, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstance.

  • Families who request reduced tuition through the Sliding Scale have two weeks from confirmation of their rate to accept and confirm registration, or to withdraw their registration and receive a refund of the deposit.
  • There will be no refund if a camper is asked to leave during the session for an infraction of a camp rule, for disruptive behavior, or if a camper is voluntarily withdrawn.

How to Register

Registration for Summer 2025 opens on January 15th.

1. Getting Started

For NEW families: WELCOME! We are thrilled that you’ll be joining our community this summer. To register, you’ll need to make a new online account in our registration portal.

For RETURNING families: Everything will be pretty similar in 2025, as we’ll have the same registration portal through CampBrain.  If you need any help accessing that account, please let us know! It’ll save you (and us) a lot of time if you use your pre-existing account instead of creating a new one.

2. Complete that Registration

Our registration system is entirely online. All camp and session selections, registration forms, and tuition payments can be done through your online account. However, if you are unable to complete any part of the registration process, please do not hesitate to contact us (brian@bymcamps.org) for assistance.

Your camper’s registration is complete when:

  • All of your account information is up-to-date and accurate
  • You have selected a camp and session for your camper
  • You have made the minimum deposit payment of $250 per camper.
  • You have received a confirmation email indicating that the process is complete. If you do not see an email within 24 hours, please contact us (brian@bymcamps.org) and we will check on the status of your registration.

What about all of the forms?

  • Most forms are required to be completed upon registration
  • Medical forms will be due by June 1st
  • At any point, you can reach out to us with questions, or to update your camper’s information, because we know there are changes that can happen between registering for camp and arriving at camp!
  • Even though summer might feel far away, we get to work immediately reviewing information and preparing to welcome your child to our camps, so we may be in touch to ask more questions, to ensure we do our best to set everyone up for success this summer.

3. You’ve completed your registration! What now?

Hooray! We can’t wait to see you this summer! Until then, here are a few things to keep in mind, and a few ways to stay connected:

  • We will put you on our email list for all summer announcements, updates, reminders, and other necessary information that’ll help you and your camper prepare for camp. Among other communications, you’ll receive The Spark, our newsletter for parents and families.
    • The email addresses we’ll use are those put down for Parent/Guardian #1 and Parent/Guardian #2. Let us know if you’d like us to add additional email addresses to send these messages to.
  • The full balance of your tuition is due by May 15, prior to the start of camp.
    • You may make payments of any amount at any time between when you register and the tuition deadline.
    • You are also able to set up an automatic payment plan within the registration system. If you have any questions or need any help, please call or email right away.
  • The 2025 Family Handbook and packing list will be sent out prior to camp. In the meantime, please refer to last summer’s Handbook and packing list on our Family Resource Center page to get a sense of how to prepare for the summer.

Questions?

We can’t wait to welcome you to BYM Camps in 2025! Whether this is your first summer as a part of our community, or if you’re a long-time member, we want the registration process to be as seamless as possible. If you ever have any questions or need any help with your camper’s registration, please feel free to contact us and we’ll do everything we can to get your camper to camp!

Sliding Scale FAQs

Why did you make this change to the sliding scale?

For the past three years we’ve had a Sliding Scale with an “Operating Cost” level that represented our break-even per-camper number, and a “Full Cost” level that represented the per-camper cost if we were to include necessary and essential medium- and long-term investments. We then sought to fundraise to offset the financial aid given to families through the lower three levels of our Sliding Scale.

We’ve realized that it is better – more sustainable, more predictable, and more tangible – if we build the possibility for donations into the sliding scale, and have those donations align with the financial aid we then give out through this sliding scale tuition system. And then, separately, we will focus our other fundraising efforts on financing those medium- and long-term investments.

Ultimately, families should not see nor feel much difference in how the Sliding Scale functions, but with more clarity and transparency we will hopefully continue to combine radically equitable access to our transformational camp program, with a more predictable and sustainable financial model that allows us to keep doing this good and essential work.

What should I pay?

We ask that each family will use our community’s core values of Integrity, Community, Equity, and Stewardship when they choose how much to pay. Our trust in our families enables us to accept camp registrations and sliding scale decisions on the honor system, as we work together to make camp possible for everyone. We know that overnight camp is expensive, but we think it is worth it, and we want it to be an experience that’s accessible for as many campers and families as possible.

Please use our “How Much Should You Pay?” guide to help decide which bracket is a good fit for your family. Keep in mind that we offer convenient interest-free payment plans as well. We also ask that returning families pay the same or more as previous years, unless you have a significant change in circumstances.

Are spaces in the Supported Levels limited?

Spaces for campers paying less than the Operating Cost Rate ($1375 per week) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If spaces are no longer available in the bracket you’ve chosen, your camper will be placed on a wait list. Families paying at the Supporter Level will expand our ability to register families paying less than the Operating Cost Rate, and we will create additional spaces in Supported Level I and Supported Level II. Thanks to the generosity of our families and our community, we’ve historically been able to make sure no-one is turned away for financial reasons.

What if I pay more than the “Operating Cost” rate?

Tuition paid above the “Operating Cost” rate of $1375 per week will be officially documented as a non-refundable tax deductible donation to the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Camping Program.  We track these donations to offset campers paying less than the Operating Cost.  You will receive a receipt with your registration confirmation email to use for tax purposes.  Around 30% of families are able to contribute more than the Operating Cost rate, which allows us to extend our scholarship budget to support more families with greater financial needs.

Who receives the Supported Level rates?

Around 40% of campers at BYM Camps pay less than the Operating Cost of camp.  Some families just need a little assistance to make camp feasible, while others require full scholarships. BYM Camps does its best to work with social service agencies, as well as individual families, to register youth who are in foster care, youth who are refugees or New Americans, youth from historically marginalized communities, and other kids who may have less access to summer camp.

How do you use my tuition dollars?

We’re so glad you asked!  The majority of tuition dollars are for the salaries and benefits of our staff.  The second largest line item is upkeep for our four camp properties, including both the land, and the buildings and equipment that are on it.  The third largest item is food and food service, and the fourth is supplies and equipment for our programs.  BYM Camps does not make a profit beyond what is needed to save for future needs.

Will what I pay impact my child’s camp experience?

No. Tuition amounts are confidential and will not impact your child’s experience.

I can’t pay the minimum amount.  What are my options?

Please give us a call or email.  If there are adequate funds available, we will do our best to get your child to camp!  Keep in mind that we offer interest-free payment plans.

Are there other ways to get help paying for camp?

Many churches, Quaker meetings, schools, community groups, and clubs offer scholarships for campers.  Often school guidance counselors can give advice about where to find other help paying for camp. BYM Camps is happy to work with social service agencies to make camp a possibility.

Is there still a Sliding Scale Family Worksheet?

No, but we trust that families will use our community’s core values of Integrity, Community, Equity, and Stewardship when they choose how much to pay. We will follow up with a family if we have any questions about their registration.

Are there payment plans available?

Yes! After selecting your tuition level and completing the other parts of the registration process, you will be able to select among several different payment schedules, including “Pay in Full” or “Monthly Payment Plan”. All balances must be fully paid by May 15th, unless arranged otherwise with the Program Manager.

Okay, I’m ready! Where do I click to register?

Gender-Inclusive Summer Camp

All of the BYM Camps are gender-inclusive, and our community (and by extension, our registration system) is not divided by an individual’s sex assigned at birth. Instead, we support each community member to be in housing that most aligns with their gender identity. BYM Camps includes non-binary and transgender staff and youth, and we work to model inclusivity in many ways, and invite all community members, as they feel comfortable, to share their gender pronouns. BYM Camps is a community where campers and staff use the full spectrum of gender pronouns and identify with the full non-binary spectrum of gender.

To learn more about what gender looks like at BYM Camps, click here.