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.

Women in Camp at the Theater: SUFFS Musical & Reception Fundraiser (Sunday, July 12, 2026)

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

EVENT OVERVIEW

Join ACA Illinois for a matinee showing of SUFFS, followed by a reception close by the theater. This fundraiser benefits ACA Illinois’s Women in Camp Initiatives.

The show will be held at the CIBC Bank Theater in Chicago. Digital tickets will be provided prior to the show. The reception will follow the show and the location will be announced privately after registration.

Fee includes 1 ticket for the July 12, 2026 showing of SUFFS at 1:00pm, entrance into the private reception and a donation to the American Camp Association, Illinois.

This show is suitable for persons ages 10 years and older. You do not have to be a member to participate. This event is open to the public. There are no refunds for this event. Registration and any specific food allergy/need are required two weeks prior to the event.

Please direct questions to Kelly at registration@acail.org

ABOUT THE SHOW

BEHIND EVERY POWERFUL WOMAN… ARE MORE POWERFUL WOMEN.

Direct from Broadway, comes the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning musical SUFFS about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote.

Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this “thrilling, inspiring and dazzlingly entertaining” (Variety) new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. Winner of the Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical.

“Like all of the best Broadway musicals, SUFFS humanizes, empowers, moves, and

entertains.” Chicago Tribune

Learn more about the show at Broadway in Chicago.

LOCATION & TYPE OF EVENT

This live event will take place in-person.

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.

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. There are no refunds for this event.

Illinois Summer Camp Day - 2026 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:00 GMT

EVENT OVERVIEW

Illinois has a strong day and overnight camp community and we want to make sure the world knows about us!

Get involved and have tons of fun showing off your camp this coming Illinois Summer Camp Day! Illinois Summer Camp Day allows each of us to showcase the essential work and support that camp provides to the community including child care, youth development, jobs, and more!

EVENT DETAILS

Camps are encouraged to invite their local, state, and/or federal government representatives out to camp during the summer. During this visit, camp professionals can share with community leaders their success, challenges, and needs. It's vital for our representatives to understand the unique needs of the camp industry when they make decisions while in office - decisions that will ultimately impact our ability to meet our missions.

Camp is essential to our greater community. With over half of America’s youth attending a camp program each summer, we know that camp shapes future leaders, supports working families, and provides life changing development experiences for all people. Join us as we share the intentional work and potential behind the camp experience this summer!

NEW in 2026: Stay Connected - Complete the Registration

If you are interested in staying connected and/or getting involved, please consider registering. Once registered, you’ll receive updates, reminders, toolkits, support, and more! Registration is not required to participate in Illinois Summer Camp Day - just a helpful way to stay connected!

NOT A CAMP BUT WANT TO HELP OUR CAUSE?
Camp Directors are very busy in the spring and summer. Many want to participate but find it difficult to navigate the communication needed to set up the visit. We need Mentors who can help camps get connected, scheduled, and visited this summer. As a Mentor, we’ll match you with a camp that wants to participate but needs a bit of extra support. Your support and help will strengthen the entire camp community!

LOCATION & TYPE OF EVENT

This is a live, in-person event at each participating camp.

HOW TO PREPARE

This event includes pre-work, inviting your local representatives to camp. Register to get more information on this.

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 related policies.

HOW TO REGISTER

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!