ACA Illinois upcoming events

Onboarding for New Employees: DFI Title XX Camping Services Program (Monday, September 01, 2025)

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:00:00 GMT

EVENT OVERVIEW

This training session will help folks who are new to an organization that receives funds from the DFI Title XX Camping Services Program.

EVENT DETAILS

The #1 reason for camps not receiving partial or full funding that they were allocated is due to incomplete or incorrect documentation and/or missing deadlines. Help yourself by ensuring the people who work directly with registering camps, paying bills, completing the outcomes reports, etc. are properly trained and ready for the billing and application processes.

The training will cover:

Accessing resources, forms, and information;
Timeline and due dates for the program;
Processing bills for funds;
Brief overview on how allocations and financing work; and
Other pertinent information required to administer the program at your agency.

To register for this event, please contact campadvocates@acail.org to schedule your training session.

EVENT AUDIENCE

It is required that the person with the overall responsibility of the camp attend this training. It is strongly recommended that any new employees who will be assisting in completing the documents, working with the payment process, registering campers, etc., also attend. These folks may include the Registrar, Finance Director, ED/CEO, Camp Director, Program Director, Office Manager, Funds Development Director, etc.

WHY ATTEND?

Develop an understanding and comprehension of the required steps, documents, and policies to receive and/or maintain DFI Title XX Program funding.

LOCATION & TYPE OF EVENT

This event is a live, virtual event and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.

Please Note: ACA Illinois will not record this event.

WHAT TO BRING TO WEBINAR & HOW TO PREPARE

This is an interactive training course. Each person should be prepared to have their camera on, access to audio (including the ability to speak and hear,) and interact within the Zoom room via a computer. Bring a notebook/paper and pen for activities.

THE FINE PRINT

Please Note: By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other relative policies.

HOW TO REGISTER

To register for this event, please contact campadvocates@acail.org to schedule your training session.

About the Finance & Numbers of the DFI Title XX Camping Services Program (Monday, September 01, 2025)

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:00:00 GMT

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

The DFI Title XX Camping Services Program is a fee-for-service program, not a grant. This program also comes with several requirements and unique terms/rules set by the government. What are the rules around charging additional fees and deposits? What can you do if the funding doesn’t cover the actual cost of camp? How is this not considered a grant and why does that matter to both the camp and ACA Illinois? These questions and more will be addressed in this session.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

This session will cover:

An overview of how allocations are determined by ACA Illinois and IDHS;
Reading the Allocation Memo, including defining the terms;
How to properly classify this funding in the agency’s bookkeeping systems (because it's not a grant);
Review of how matching funds work, expectations of the agency, and calculating actual new money to the agency;
Suggestions on how to offset the additional cost per client when this is only a subsidy;
Stacking funding programs to get to the total cost of camp and potential conflicts;
Rules on additional fees and deposits for campers/clients;
Implications of overestimating, low billing, and how to plan for future allocations; and
Q & A time.

WORKSHOP AUDIENCE

Recommended folks to attend:

Executive-level employees of agencies such as the CEO, COO, etc.
Finance directors, CFOs, etc
Fund development directors, grant managers, etc.
Registrars and office managers processing documents and bills.
Employees who manage the bookkeeping, record keeping, processing payments, invoices, etc.

This session is for camps & agencies that are currently part of the DFI Title XX Camping Services Program.

LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP

This session is a live, virtual event and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.

Please Note: ACA Illinois will not record this event.

WHAT TO BRING TO WEBINAR & HOW TO PREPARE

THE FINE PRINT

Please Note: By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other relative policies.

HOW TO REGISTER

To register for this event, please contact campadvocates@acail.org to schedule your training session.

The Director's School (Monday, January 18, 2027)

Mon, 18 Jan 2027 06:00:00 GMT

SUMMIT OVERVIEW

The Director’s School (TDS) is committed to developing the current and next generation of camp professionals.

For over 140 years, the camping movement has grown in complexity yet still serves the basic purpose to engage campers in supportive settings with caring adults. The Director’s School addresses a gap in professional preparation for those individuals developing and leading camp programs. The curricular focus will be administrative operations that are grounded in the understanding, connection, and application to the principles of positive youth development, which are at the heart of camp program design. The Director’s School will become a three-level learning experience so that students will continue to level up their skills as their knowledge and practical skills grow.

We invite you to explore the website for more information.

The Great Lakes Day Camp Forum (Wednesday, March 03, 2027)

Wed, 03 Mar 2027 15:00:00 GMT

ABOUT THE FORUM

The ACA Illinois day camp conference experience returns with the Great Lakes Day Camp Forum this March. Join us for education session breakouts, keynotes, networking, and more!

Centering the voices and experiences of day camp professionals, this event will drive innovation, tackle challenges facing our camp pros, and bring together our remarkable community.

Included in your fee:

Education Sessions on a variety of Day Camp specific topics;
Keynotes from experts in field;
Networking receptions;
Lunch each day;
After Party;
And More!

Click here to learn more about the Great Lakes Day Camp Forum, including the schedule, hotel, venue, and other planning details!

Register before November 1st and receive a stainless steel water bottle!

Group pricing is available for 5+ participants from the same organization. Contact registration@acail.org to learn more.

Financial Assistance is available. Reach out to registration@acail.org for more information.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The Forum is for all who work in the Day Camp space from on the ground staff to seasoned directors and owners.

LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP

This event is a live, in-person event. ACA Illinois will not record this event.

THE FINE PRINT

You must pay for this event at time of registration. If you would like to pay by invoice/check, please contact registration@acail.org prior to registering.

By registering and attending an ACA Illinois event or meeting, virtually or in person, you are agreeing to all the event policies listed here. These policies include the photo release, refund, link sharing, Code of Conduct, and other related policies.

HOW TO REGISTER

You must have a Member Profile to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!