Trail Blazer Camps
Meets Standards
Standards For Charity Accountability
Governance
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Board Oversight
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Board Size
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Board Meetings
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Board Compensation
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Conflict of Interest
Measuring Effectiveness
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Effectiveness Policy
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Effectiveness Report
Finances
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Program Expenses
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Fundraising Expenses
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Accumulating Funds
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Audit Report
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Detailed Expense Breakdown
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Accurate Expense Reporting
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Budget Plan
Fundraising & Info
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Truthful Materials
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Annual Report
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Website Disclosures
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Donor Privacy
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Cause Marketing Disclosures
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Complaints
Trail Blazer Camps meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Stated Purpose:
In 1887, John Ames Mitchell, editor of Life magazine, raised $800 to send 266 children from New York City tenements to his Life Fresh Air Farm because he believed that they deserved access to nature and access to spaces that fostered their well-being. Over 130 years later, the summer camp program evolved into present-day Trail Blazers, where we continue the mission of delivering nature-based programs that guide young people in developing the essential knowledge, values, and life skills that equip them to thrive and to steward our environment. We also continue to believe that all young people deserve access to essential programs, regardless of their family’s financial ability. Through our Scholarship Fund, made possible by funders and partnerships, we work to create equitable access for families who need our programs the most.
Using proven Positive-Youth-Development and Social-Emotional-Learning strategies, our programs are specifically designed to foster growth along in key competencies proven to support healthy youth development and adult success. We have organized these competencies into our “Four Pillars”:
1. Care for Self: 21st Century Skills such as initiative, responsibility, follow-through, resilience, problem-solving and academic self-efficacy skills such as information-seeking and critical thinking
2. Care for Others: Social skills/values such as empathy, compassion, respect, and conflict resolution
3. Care for Community: Skills/values that enable us to care for others on a macroscopic scale and leave a positive impact such as collaboration, citizenship, and leadership
4. Care for Environment: environmental science knowledge, stewardship attitudes, and outdoor skills
Year, State Incorporated:
1904, NY
Our portfolio of summer and year-round programs include:
- Summer Outdoor Experiential Education Program – Sleep away Camp: Children live for at our rustic Sussex County, NJ site, participating in an adventure-based educational program they design in collaboration with their Group Leaders. Participants connect to and learn about nature, establish healthy habits, and develop essential life skills and values.
- Summer Leaders in Training (LIT) and the APEX Program: Teens participate in summer workshops to develop leadership skills, community engagement, and work experience by assisting/shadowing staff in various roles.
- Summer Outdoor Experiential Education Program – NYC Day Camps: Brooklyn and Manhattan children who are too young for sleep away experiences explore and connect to nature in their communities while building life skills and environmental science knowledge.
- School Break Camps: Day and overnight adventures on the holidays that NYC schools are closed provide an opportunity for young people to connect and to explore and learning nature during the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
- After-School/School Trips: Year-round environmental science and urban stewardship workshops provide the context through which elementary and middle school age students connect to their communities and establish the life skills, attitudes, and knowledge proven to contribute to success and achievement.
- The Academy: This year-round workforce development initiative engages young people ages 16-24 in workshops and real-world experiences that help them develop knowledge, skills, and networks securing employment and thriving in the workplace.
For the year ended August 31, 2022, Trail Blazer Camps's program expenses were:
| Program services | $4,105,937 |
| Total Program Expenses | $4,105,937 |
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Not disclosed
Board Size
20
Paid Staff Size
75
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Internet, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on Trail Blazer Camps's audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2022.
Source of Funds
| Program service fees | $3,182,133 |
| Contributions | $726,036 |
| Special events | $309,719 |
| Contributions in-kind | $300,000 |
| Government contracts | $120,000 |
| Government grants | $93,288 |
| Other income | $7,262 |
| Investment income, net | $-189,856 |
| Total Income | $4,548,582 |
Programs: 89% Fundraising: 5% Administrative: 6%
| Total Income | $4,548,582 |
| Total expenses: | $4,633,611 |
| Program expenses | $4,105,937 |
| Fundraising expenses | $251,130 |
| Administrative expenses | $276,544 |
| Other expenses | $0 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses | $-85,029 |
| Beginning Net Assets | $3,355,009 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets | $0 |
| Ending Net Assets | $3,269,980 |
| Total Liabilities | $684,865 |
| Total Assets | $3,954,845 |
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Standards Not Met
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Review in Progress
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Report completed by:
BBB Foundation of Metropolitan New York