Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers Awarded American Camp Association Network Planning Grant

Chicago, IL - January 21, 2026. Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers (ECCC) has been awarded a Network Planning Grant from the American Camp Association (ACA) as part of the Association’s Character at Camp Grant Program. The grant will support a year-long, collaborative planning process among Episcopal camps to strengthen character development through a new curriculum for teens and young adults focused on leadership development and civic engagement.

The ACA Network Planning Grant provides funding to support coordination, shared learning, and strategic planning among networks of camps committed to advancing character development. Through this grant, ECCC will convene a cohort of Episcopal camp leaders to design a shared framework for character formation rooted in the Baptismal Covenant and grounded in values of integrity, leadership, and belonging.

“This grant affirms what we see every day across our network. Episcopal camps are forming leaders of character through community, creativity, faith, and connection to creation,” said the Rev.  Jess Elfring-Roberts, Executive Director of ECCC. “This planning year will allow us to listen deeply, learn from one another, and build the foundation for a model of leadership development training that reflects the values and lived experience of Episcopal outdoor ministry.”

Over the course of the planning year, participating camps will engage in facilitated conversations, data gathering, and a collaborative, week-long think tank to explore how character development is already being lived out in camp settings and how it can be strengthened intentionally across camp programs in the Episcopal Church. This work will focus on Heart (interpersonal skills), Mind (intellectual growth), and Will (intrapersonal development), the three core character domains identified by the ACA.

The year-long planning grant period will lay the groundwork for a future implementation grant proposal, positioning Episcopal camps to scale effective character development practices that can be shared across the broader camp community.

“Camp is often the place where people first experience feeling fully loved, affirmed, and celebrated for being their authentic selves within the Church. That experience has a profound and lasting impact. We see young adults joining the Church or discerning calls to ministry through their experiences at camp. Episcopal camps and conference centers serve as a vital leadership pipeline in the Episcopal Church.” Elfring-Roberts added. “This grant allows us to move beyond individual programs and into collective impact, strengthening and expanding formation for the next generation of Church leaders. By planning together, we are building a stronger, more connected network- one that can better serve young people, families, and faith communities in a rapidly changing world.”

Founded in 1989, Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers supports nearly 100 Episcopal camps and camp programs, conference centers, and retreat ministries across the United States. ECCC equips leaders, strengthens operations, and advocates for the vital role of outdoor and retreat ministry in the life of the Church.