There isn't one right price for camp. There's the price that covers the costs, the price families can manage, and the share the church is willing to carry. Setting a price is choosing where those three meet, on purpose.
Here's a way to work it out, using a summer camp for 45 campers: lodging at $195 a camper, two charter buses at $850 (each seats 40), and a $1,200 speaker. That comes to $11,675.
1. Find the Break-Even Price
Divide the total cost by the number of people who pay. $11,675 ÷ 45 is about $259. That's what each camper would pay if the church covered nothing.
Leaders who come for free still need a bed, meals, and a seat on the bus. Add their costs to the total, but divide only by the people who pay. That raises the break-even price a little.
2. Decide the Church's Share on Purpose
If the church will put $2,000 toward camp, take that off first: ($11,675 − $2,000) ÷ 45 = $215. Fundraising works the same way. A bake sale that raises $1,000 takes about $22 off every camper's price.
- Total cost
- $11,675
- The church will cover
- − $2,000
- Left for families to pay
- $9,675
- Price per camper: $9,675 ÷ 45
- $215
3. Count Discounts and Scholarships
Every discount is money you won't collect. An early-bird price $25 lower for 10 campers is $250. Five scholarships of $90 are another $450. That $700 has to come from somewhere: a slightly higher standard price, a little more fundraising, or a bigger church share. Any of those can be right. Leaving it out of the math isn't.
4. Test What Happens If Attendance Changes
Costs don't all move with attendance. Per-person costs do. Fixed costs don't, so they're shared by fewer people when fewer come. And costs that come in whole units jump.
- 40 campers: one bus, $9,850 in total
- $246 each
- 41 campers: two buses, $10,895 in total
- $266 each
- 45 campers: two buses, $11,675 in total
- $259 each
The 41st camper is the most expensive one you'll take. Knowing where those steps are helps you set a registration cap, or plan for the second bus on purpose.
5. Leave Room for Surprises
Something nearly always costs more than the quote. A cushion of 5 to 10 percent, about $585 to $1,170 on this camp, keeps one high invoice from turning into a budget problem. If it isn't needed, that's good news to report afterwards.
Then Write It Down
Whatever price you land on, write down how you got there: the costs, the church's share, the discounts, and the cushion. Next year's planner will have somewhere to start, and whoever approves the budget will see why. If you haven't already, read The Hidden Subsidy for where the church's share usually hides.