National Camp Accreditation Program
2023 Camping Attendance and 2024 Intent to Operate Submission Information
What is the Camping Attendance Report and Intent to Operate Submission all about?
Why: Camping attendance is a key, leading indicator of the health of our Scouting program! Camping attendance information illustrates how well a unit’s outdoor program is functioning and can be a leading indicator of Scout retention. All councils, no matter if you operate a Long-term camp or not, need to complete the camping attendance information request form.
Tracking annual camping attendance can also be a positive marketing and PR opportunity for Scouting. The BSA is regularly contacted by news outlets to showcase the best camps and outdoor programs Scouting offers.
Providing these positive camping numbers and stories helps tell Scouting’s story in our communities. Additionally, sharing with donors and other Scouting supporters how many Scouts attend camp is an exciting way to demonstrate Scouting’s impact!
What: Prior to 2020, the National Council asked for an annual “camping report”. This previous version was tied to the Journey to Excellence program and was submitted via the online camping manager. Then, somewhat redundantly, similar information was collected during the annual NCAP “Intent to Operate”. Now, both a simpler request for camping attendance and the annual NCAP Intent to Operate submission have been combined to ease the burden on local council staff and volunteers.
How: 2023 camping attendance information and 2024 NCAP Intent to Operate(s) must be submitted through the online submittal system. Please utilize the link at the bottom of this page after you have read all of the information and instructions.
When: All 2023 camping attendance information and 2024 NCAP Intent to Operate(s) must be submitted no later than October 31, 2023. The online submission system will open on August 25, 2023.
Who has to complete these forms?
Every local council must complete the 2023 Camping Attendance Information submission that provides data on how many of their council members camped at various council organized camps from September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023.
If a local council also intends to operate a camp property(s) and/or long-term camp(s) in 2024, they must also submit this information.
Key Definitions for Camping Attendance and Intent to Operate Submissions
Camp property: A camp property includes any property over which a BSA council exercises long-term control that is made available to BSA units or individuals for use in BSA-branded program activities. A BSA camp property does not include the following:
- Property held for use, investment, or sale that is not made available to BSA units or youth for use in BSA program activities;
- Service centers and Scout shops where activities of a primarily office or sales nature occur, except that Scout shops located in conjunction with a BSA camp (e.g., a camp trading post) are covered by the standards. A COPE or climbing course located at a service center or Scout shop is subject to the standards.
Day Camp: Programs reported in this category must have been conducted by the council in accordance with the National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP). Day camp is an organized, two-to-five-day program for any Scout age youth, under certified leadership at an approved site, during daylight or early evening hours, but not overnight. See NCAP Standard SA-001.
Questions regarding Day Camp attendance will be asked for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scout youth. If you did not have day camp attendance in one or more of these categories, simply mark that question with a zero.
Long-Term Camp: Programs reported in this category must have been conducted by the council in accordance with the National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP). A long-term camp is a council-organized camp of four nights or more that operates under council-retained leadership and can include static campsites, transient campsites, adventure or trekking programs, or some combination thereof.
Questions regarding long-term camp attendance will be asked for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scout youth. Long-term camps may include “resident” camp programs, week-long training programs etc. so long as they meet the definition of “long-term camp”. See NCAP Standard SA-001. If you did not have long-term camp attendance in one or more of these categories, simply mark that question with a zero.
What information is being asked for in the 2023 Camping Attendance Report?
The information requested includes:
- Cub Scout Day Camp attendance information
- Cub Scout Long-term camp attendance information
- Scouts BSA Day Camp attendance information
- Scouts BSA Long-term camp attendance information
- Venturing & Sea Scouts Long-term camp attendance information
- Long-term camp staff information
Utilize this form to collect 2023 camping attendance before you input the data into the online portal.
Which type of camps must submit a 2024 Intent to Operate?
NCAP requires an intent to operate be submitted annually for every camp property(s) and long-term camp(s) operated by BSA councils (see NCAP Standard AO-802). Intent to operate(s) will only be approved for council’s authorized to operate long-term camps on that specific camp property according to their current Authorization to Operate.
2024 Intent to Operate application: Camp Properties with Long-Term Camps
The first group of questions will be for any camp property that operates a long-term camp on the property.
You will need to know:
- Name of the property and its address
- Name of all the long-term camps that are operated on this property (for example you may have more than one camp program: Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing or Sea Scouts, or a reservation with more than one camp)
- 2024 Dates of operation (Start and End) for each of the long-term camp(s)
- Requested dates for 2024 NCAP Assessment (1st and 2nd choices)
- Type of long-term camp (Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, Venturing/Sea Scouting)
- Camp Director Name and Contact Information
- Camp Website
- Whether you will operate one of the following programs:
- All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV)
- Personal Watercraft (PWC)
- Pistol, Chalk ball/Paintball, Cowboy-Action, Sporting Arrows
- Trek Program (according to definition of “trek” in NCAP Standard PS-218)
- What type of other camping programs take place at this camp property
- Day Camps
- Short-term camps
- Scout Unit camping
- Non-Scout facility rentals
Utilize this form to collect 2024 Intent to Operate data before you input the data into the online portal.
What happens when I have entered all of the camp information on these camps?
Once you have entered all of the information on the camp properties that hold long-term camp programs – you will be asked about any camp properties that do not host any long-term camps.
2024 Intent to Operate application: Camp Properties with No Long-Term Camps
You will need to know:
- Name of the property and its address
- What type of camping programs take place at this camp property
- Day Camps
- Short-term camps
- Scout Unit camping
- Non-Scout facility rentals
- Camp Website
- Whether you will operate one of the following programs:
- All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV)
- Personal Watercraft (PWC)
- Pistol, Chalk ball/Paintball, Cowboy-Action, Sporting Arrows
- Trek Program (according to definition of “trek” in NCAP Standard PS-218)
Utilize this form to collect 2024 Intent to Operate data before you input the data into the online portal.
2023 Camping Attendance Information & 2024 Intent To Operate Submission Step by Step Process
| Step 1 | Gather 2023 Camping Attendance Information (see above data and information gathering sheet as reference). To see a sample the entire form, click here. |
| Step 2 | Gather 2024 Council NCAP contact information (see above data and information gathering sheet as reference). To see a sample the entire form, click here. |
| Step 3 |
Gather 2024 operating dates of all long-term camp(s), camp director name, website, and whether you will operate programs indicated above. |
| Step 4 |
Using the submission link below enter the online reporting portal. |
| Step 5 |
Submit 2023 Camping Attendance Information (only one time per council). If you will not operate a long-term camp on a camp property in 2024, then this is your final step. |
| Step 6 |
Submit each camp property that hosts a long-term camp(s). Camp properties that host more than one long-term camp must enter each long-term camp separately. For definition of camp property and long-term camp, please see NCAP standard SA-001). Please have all your information ready because you cannot come back into the portal once you leave it. |
| Step 7 |
Submit each camp property that does not host a long-term camp(s), if any. |
| Step 8 |
National Council reviews 2024 Intent to Operate(s) upon receipt and sends confirmation to operate within 90 days of submission. |
