Send A Kid To Camp

Overview

Since 1984, the Foundation has offered a grant to support students during the summer months. We are thrilled to announce the next cycle of the Send a Kid to Camp grant opening this fall to continue to help provide enriching summer camp experiences for children in the Triangle. We recognize how important these experiences are and the lasting, positive impact they can have on a child’s development. Our goals for this cycle include increasing access to summer camps, especially for those who might otherwise be unable to attend due to financial constraints, and combating summer learning loss. We are seeking proposals dedicated to providing summer camp programming and experiences that are responsive to the diverse needs of families in the Triangle.

(Please note: The Foundation is not able to make grants to individual families or to camps serving children outside our four-county service area).

Grantmaking

Send A Kid To Camp grants will be $20,000 per year for two years (calendar years 2026 and 2027).  Funds may be used to support needs related to camp programming for K-12 students residing in Triangle Community Foundation’s service area: Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofit, 501c3 youth-serving organizations based in and serving one or more Triangle counties (Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham). (Projects with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply.)
  Organizations must provide summer camp programming.
  Organizations must meet the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy.
  Only one application per organization will be considered.

Evaluation Criteria

Foundation staff work with volunteer advisory committee members to review proposals and reach grantmaking decisions. In reviewing grant proposals, the Foundation will use the following evaluation criteria:

• Alignment with one or both of Send A Kid To Camp’s program goals:
  Increasing access to summer camp, especially for those who might otherwise be unable to attend due to financial constraints (e.g. scholarships to camp)
  Decreasing summer learning loss
  Commitment to participant and family engagement – How does the organization involve participants and/or family members in informing or planning camp programming?
  Need and impact of funding on summer camp programming.
  Organizational financial health

Important Dates

Application Opens:             Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025
Informational Webinar:     Monday, September 15 at 2 pm.

Proposal Deadline:            Monday, October 6th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Target decision date:        Thursday, January 15th, 2026

Applications must be submitted before 11:59pm on October 6th, 2025.

Reporting Requirements

Grantees will be asked to submit an interim report during the mid-point December 2026 and final grant report due February 2028.