In response to rising costs and the financial impact of the pandemic Camp Hardtner is adopting a Tiered Pricing system.
Tier 1 – True Cost Rate
This rate more closely accounts for the true costs of camp. True costs include all direct costs plus deferred maintenance, insurance, utilities, etc. Choosing Tier 1 gives you an opportunity to help us do more with the donor funding we receive. You help us stretch our limited scholarship funds further so more children can experience the power of camp. You help Hardtner make needed upgrades and continue to grow in the future.
Tier 2 – Direct Cost Rate
This represents the direct costs of camp. Direct costs include program costs, food, summer staff, and camp administration cost.
Tier 3 – Subsidized Rate
This is our historically subsidized rate of summer camp and does not reflect the true cost of operating the summer camp program. This is the rate you have always paid. This reduced rate is made possible through the mission funding dollars we receive from individual donors and churches who value the impact that the summer camp experience at Camp Hardtner has. This rate makes the camp experience available to more families.
The American Camp Association reports that in 2021 the average daily per-person fees for overnight camps was $448, a 113% increase from 2020-2021.
Camp Hardtner has not adjusted our rates since 2016, when we set them to be about $100 per-person, per-day. As a ministry of the Episcopal Church in Western Louisiana, Camp Hardtner’s rates have always been subsidized by the financial support of the Church and individuals who donate to Camp Hardtner’s general operating fund. Additionally, we have always provided further scholarship support to those who ask.
Rather than implement a blanket rate increase in 2022, we want to provide transparency about our rates and the opportunity for families to partner with us to make camp possible.
Tiered pricing allows families to pay what they are able and invites those who can give more to support the bigger picture of camp operations to do so. It allows us to stretch scholarship funding further, bringing more young people the opportunity to have a life-changing week at Camp Hardtner.
During registration, you may choose the tier that is most suitable for your family. It is really an honor system. All campers receive the same Hardtner experience no matter what they pay. For those families who cannot afford Tier 3, additional scholarship assistance is available to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attend camp. In addition, some families may use this system to give themselves a multi-child discount.
We are grateful to our donors and churches for investing in our campers and making it possible for us to offer a subsidized rate as well as scholarships. Again this program is voluntary and in no way influences the experience children receive, yet it offers the opportunity for families to take an active role in supporting the true cost of their child’s camp experience.