Creating Measures Around Critical Success Factors at Camp Dixie

The organization: Camp Dixie, a summer camp for boys and girls in the Mountains of North Georgia, USA.

Website: http://www.campdixie.org/

Overall mission Camp Dixie:
Camp Dixie will create capable campers and caring Christians who will have the time of their lives safely and responsibility while providing enough income to pay for expenses between summers.

Critical success factors (all areas):

1. Achievements will be tracked in a non-competitive way that encourages mastery.
2. All campers will learn and become proficient in at least two areas (horse riding, tennis, archery, shooting, canoeing, kayaking, trail blazing, skating, camping, wilderness survival, and arts & crafts).
3. As part of their character development, campers will learn and explain the importance of the seven camp principles: morally strong, physically robust, spiritually deep, domestically true, mentally strong, politically sound and vocationally correct.
4. Campers will learn to have fun without violating the rights of others.
5. Campers will learn to care for their belongings and the camp.
6. Food will be high quality and appealing even to the young picky campers.
7. At least half the campers will be repeat customers.
8. Campers will love their counselors.
9. Campers will enjoy their activities.
10. The camp will be safe.
11. Staff will work seamlessly together to create lifetime memories for campers.
12. Always a friend nearby ready to play.
13. Never a boring minute.
14. Camp enrollment will exceed break even by $50,000 per year without exceeding 42 campers per two-week session.
15. Return on assets will exceed 10%.
16. At least 50% of the camper fees will be from returning campers.
17. Cost per camper will stay below 50% of tuition charged.

REQUIRED:

A. Identify at least three objectives for improving the organization's financial position, and show how they relate to the mission, vision and strategy of the organization.

1. Increase the number of campers to achieve the $50,000 target income.
2. Decrease the cost per camper to 50% of camper tuition.
3. Increase return on asset to 10%.

These relate to the vision and of providing enough funds to manage during the non-summer months, decrease the cost per camper, mainly by spreading the fixed costs over more campers, and achieve a reasonable return on investment for the camp. The vision is not the maximum profits, just to achieve a reasonable return and give the kids an amazing experience. The director is a former camper and has a passion for passing the legacy to others. However, the director/owner is near retirement and has a lifestyle that only requires a 10% return and funds to carry through winter.

A. For each objective, develop at least one meaningful performance measure (metric).

1. Increase the number of campers to achieve the $50,000 target income.
METRIC: Amount of summer income from campers
2. Decrease the cost per camper to 50% of camper tuition.
METRIC: Cost per camper as a percent of tuition charged
3. Increase return on asset to 10%.
METRIC: Return on assets

A. For each objective, identify at least one expected level of performance (target).

1. Increase the number of campers to achieve the $50,000 target income.
TARGET: Summer income from campers = $50,000 or more
2. Decrease the cost per camper to 50% of camper tuition.
TARGET: Cost per camper as a percent of tuition charged is 50% or less
3. Increase return on asset to 10%.
TARGET: Return on assets = 10% or more

A. For each objective, identify at least one new action or program that needs to be developed to ensure successful implementation of the organization's strategy (initiative).

1. Increase the number of campers to achieve the $50,000 target income.
INITIATIVE: Attend four camp fairs in Atlanta in spring to increase local visibility
2. Decrease the cost per camper to 50% of camper tuition.
INITIATIVE: Increase the number of campers from 31 to 40 to spread the fixed costs of the facility and staff over more campers, reducing the cost per camper.
3. Increase return on asset to 10%.
INITIATIVE: Sell off land on the far side of the mountain that isn’t used by campers to reduce total assets.