Upcoming Events & Trainings
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
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.
Meet up with other camp pros from the local area. Colette Marquardt, our CEO will be at each one with special guests from our board and other friends of ACA Illinois. This is your chance to connect with us, network with others, and be in community with other camp pros!
WHAT TO EXPECT
You just show up. Everyone pays for their own food and drink then we hang out for a bit. We can network, tackle challenges and questions that you may want to bring up, support each other, and best of all - meet others who understand the power and effort behind our work in camp.
No RSVP or registration is necessary. You do not have to be a member to join us at this event.
WHO & HOW TO ATTEND
This is a FREE event open to all camp professionals.
WANT A REMINDER?
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system to receive a reminder for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free! If you need help, email Kelly at registration@acail.org.
Gather with other ACA Illinois volunteers as we kick off the year ahead in this meeting and training update. It's important to ACA Illinois that we build a community focused on our values. This meeting is designed to provide transparency, education, and space for feedback.
During this meeting, ACA Illinois volunteers will gain access to updates from the association, what to expect, meet staff they will be interacting with, and a review of policies that ensure that the ACA Illinois volunteer experience remains safe, welcoming, and mission focused for all.
There will be space for feedback and networking to get to know your fellow volunteers and the ACA Illinois staff.
This event is open to active volunteers for ACA Illinois.
This session is a live, virtual events and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.
Come as you are! We recommend attending via a computer because there will be moments of interactive activities and breakout rooms.
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system to register for this event. If this is your first event with us, please click here to create a profile. It's free!
Thank you for being a member of our amazing ACA Illinois Visitor Crew this summer!
Join us at Maryknoll Park Clubhouse for a party celebrating YOU - our Visitor Crew! All Visitor Crew members who participated in reviewing AARs or helped with our Onsite Visits can join us for this exclusive party!
We’ll have food, disc golf, mini golf, raffles, and swag for everyone!
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
11AM - 2PM
845 Pershing Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
This is a FREE event. We ask that if you register and then find out you cannot attend, that you let us know ASAP so we can try to recoup the cost of your space and meal.
The registration deadline for this event is October 12th, 2026.
Want to join the Visitor Crew with ACA Illinois? Apply to join the Visitor Crew by signing up for a training course today!
If you need help registering, please email us at registration@acail.org.
This workshop is a live, in-person event taking place at the Maryknoll Park Clubhouse at 845 Pershing Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.
You must have a Member Profile in our registration system and be a 2026 Visitor Crew Visitor to register for this event.
Do the phrases of career advancement or career pathway elicit confusion, overwhelm or uncertainty? Developing one’s career path is more than changing jobs, achieving promotions, or making that one single decision that alters your life trajectory. There are many considerations and decisions made over time that direct your career pathway. This session will pull back the curtains on the actual process to developing one’s career path by contemplating needs, wants, interests, and skill development. Attendees will receive and use a workbook to enhance their learning in this session.
Together we will:
Gain a deeper understanding of the process involved in career development.
WORKSHOP HOST
This event is hosted by the ACA Illinois Young Professionals Board.
Are you 35 or younger and want to gain even more executive-level skills? Click here to learn more about the ACA Illinois Young Professionals Board!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: MEGAN OWENS
Dr. Megan Owens is the Founder and Principal of BlueSky Recreation Consulting, LLC. With over two decades of experience, Megan’s expertise spans the park, recreation, and camp systems of non-profit, government, and for-profit organizations. What began as a college summer job for an overnight camp led to a career of recreational and educational design, research, and leadership across communities and states. At BlueSky Recreation Consulting, Megan brings a systems approach to supporting organizations and the professionals that provide recreation, nature, and out-of-school time experiences. Providing both organizational alignment and career coaching services, Megan’s wide expertise and unique talents enable professionals to create a more strategic pathway toward achieving their personal, career, and agency goals.
This workshop is a live, virtual event and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform.
Please Note: ACA Illinois will not record these events.
This event and workshop series must be paid for at the time of registration. If you would like to pay by invoice and/or check, please contact registration@acail.org before registering.
Financial Assistance is available by emailing registration@acail.org.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Join the ACA Illinois Visitor Crew and experience the #1 volunteer role in the field of summer camp! As an Accreditation Volunteer with ACA, you’ll have the opportunity to serve as a peer reviewer in the Annual Accreditation Report, Written Documentation, and onsite Visit process. Along with another Visitor, you’ll see behind the scenes of other camps, grow your professional network, gain new ideas, and provide unparalleled service & support to the community. It's a win-win-win-win!
Additionally, folks who serve as Accreditation Volunteers for ACA Illinois (known as the ACA Illinois Visitor Crew) will have access to exclusive programs, discounted professional development, and so much more! (limited edition exclusive swag!)
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THIS COURSE
This course date is hosted by the national office and will include folks from all over the country. You should apply/register directly here.
ABOUT THE COURSE
About 4-6 weeks before the course date, you will receive a copy of the Accreditation Process Guide and access to the pre-work through our online learning systems. Trainees will need to complete the online pre-work no later than 1 week before the date of the training. You must attend all portions of the course in order to pass.
HOW TO APPLY/REGISTER
Complete this application. Within 7 days of your application, you will receive confirmation of enrollment into the date of your choice.
This is a free course.
REQUIREMENTS TO ME TO BE TRAINED
Must be a current member of the American Camp Association with a member number.
Must be 21 years of age or older.
QUESTIONS
ACA Illinois Volunteers, Members, & Visitors can contact Kyla at kyla@acail.org.
All other Accreditation Volunteers & Visitors should contact accreditation@acail.org.
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.
This course date is hosted by the ACA Illinois office. You should still apply directly here through the National Office.
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:
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.
This event is a live, in-person event. ACA Illinois will not record this event.
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.
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!
Mailing Address:
American Camp Association, Illinois I PO Box 5412, Evanston, IL 60204
American Camp Association, Illinois
5 S Wabash Ave
Suite 1406
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: 312-332-0833
Email: info@acail.org
Website: acail.org
