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.

Spring Accreditation Work Day (for ACA Illinois Camps & VisitorsOnly) (Monday, April 20, 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

EVENT OVERVIEW

Join us for a half or full day of Accreditation training & workshopping!

Visitors: Join us for just the morning or come for the whole day! We’d love to have you!

Camp Directors: Join us for lunch or come right after for the Camp & Visitor Workshop Time!

Questions on when to come? Reach out to Kelly at registration@acail.org

This is a free event. You can purchase an optional lunch at registration. (We will not be able to add lunch purchases after registration closes.)

Please bring as many people from your camp to the afternoon program as you wish.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

All ACA Illinois Visitors
All camps (returning and new) who will be visited onsite in summer 2026.
Directors who are new to working with an Accredited Camp, regardless of next visit year.
Camps interested in Accreditation in the future are also welcome!

EVENT DETAILS

9:00am - 12:00pm: Visitor Update & Review (Visitors Only)

During the morning, ACA Illinois Visitor Crew members will have the opportunity to connect with others while receiving important updates, in-service training, and networking. We’ll cover missed standards, scoring errors, all the paperwork, coaching camps through tough conversations, and best practices from your person supporting camps successfully through the process. A chance to ask questions, provide advice and feedback to challenging situations, and a quick review of the process, forms, and changes to the Standards, will help lead you into summer visits!

12:00pm - 12:30pm: Optional Lunch (Visitors & Camp Directors)

Folks are welcome to join us for lunch. You can bring your own lunch or pre-purchase a Panera Box Lunch* when you register.

*You can prepurchase your Panera Box Lunch when you register. Box Lunches are $15. You will have the choice of 4 options. Please notify registration@acail.org if you have any special dietary needs or food allergies.

12:30pm - 3:00pm:Camp & Visitor Workshop Time (Visitors & Camp Directors)

Camps that would like to begin their Written Documentation Review in-person or have some one on one time with a Visitor to go over final preparations for their visit are invited to join us in the afternoon.

WHAT TO BRING & HOW TO PREPARE

Accreditation Process Guide v2019
Past Written Documentation or Computer with Access to Files (Downloaded)
Examples of Documentation to bring:
- - Any documents used in previous visits.
  - Parent/Caregiver Handbook/Information
  - Staff Handbook/Information
  - Health & Wellness related documents and policies
  - Facility, Food Service, & Transportation related documents.
Something to Take Detailed Notes With/On
Camp shirts/apparel strongly encouraged! Come casual!

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE ALL MY WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION IS NOT COMPLETE?

We do not expect you to have final Written Documentation. Bring whatever you have completed or are in progress!

Just bring what you can, but do not fret if you are missing anything!

LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP

This live event will take place in-person.

THE FINE PRINT

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 relative policies.

HOW TO REGISTER

This event is only open to ACA Illinois Accredited Camps. Camps are invited to send multiple people from their camp to participate. This event is free. To register, please email Kelly at registration@acail.org

Staffing Summit Series (Tuesday, April 28, 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

SERIES OVERVIEW

ACA Illinois is proud to continue the partnership with ACA Inc., ACA, New York and New Jersey, and ACA, New England to present the Staffing Summit in a new and exciting format for 2025 and 2026!

SERIES DETAILS

October 28, 2025: Recruit & Hire
Join us for a full day of keynote, educational sessions, and collaboration hubs focused on recruitment and hiring of staff!

April 28, 2026: Train & Retain
Join us for a full day of keynotes, educational sessions, and collaboration hubs focused on staff training and retention!

January 28, 2026: Micro Staffing Event (Bonus!)
Available as a bonus event for those registered for the package, this event will be two hours and include a speaker and large collaboration hub.

Come up your staffing game for summer 2026 and let the Staffing Summit support you in your staffing efforts along the way. Educational sessions during events will be recorded and available to registrants for 30 days post the live event.

Register for one, two, or the whole series here!

SERIES SCHEDULE

*Please note all times are EST

Tuesday, October 28

11:00am-11:30am — Collaboration Hub 1

11:50am-1:00pm — Welcome & Keynote

1:10pm-2:00pm — Educational Session One

2:20pm-3:10pm — Education Session Two

3:30pm-4:20pm — Educational Session Three

4:30pm-5:00pm — Collaboration Hub 2

4:30pm-5:00pm — E-Commerce Session

Tuesday, April 28

11:00am-11:30am — Collaboration Hub

11:50am-1:00pm — Welcome & Keynote

1:10pm-2:00pm — Educational Session One

2:20pm-3:10pm — Education Session Two

3:30pm-4:20pm — Educational Session Three

4:30pm-5:00pm — Collaboration Hub 2

4:30pm-5:00pm — E-Commerce Session

Tuesday, January 28 (Micro Event)

1:00pm-2:00pm — Welcome & Speaker

2:00pm-2:45pm — Collaboration Hub

2:45pm-3:00pm — Closing

EVENT PRICING

Single Member: $60/$75

Single Nonmember: $75/$90

Package Member: $100/$115

Package Nonmember: $115/$130

*Package registration includes both full days and a bonus micro event

HOW TO REGISTER

Register for one, two, or the whole series here!

Brandwein on Super Staff SuperVision: The Quick Course on Outstanding Skills to Coach, Motivate, & Bring Out the Best in Staff (Friday, May 15, 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 15:00:00 GMT

SEMINAR OVERVIEW

Get your directors, site directors, team leaders, supervisors, and other members of your Leadership Team—new or experienced—trained in one dynamic online seminar! (And it’s also invaluable for those who train the Team.)

Superb training of your Leadership Team is one of the best investments you ever make in camp success. This is the acclaimed, skill-packed, one-of-a-kind training that receives rave reviews and is presented by the award-winning, internationally famous author of the number one national best-selling book that’s considered the “must have” source on the subject, Super Staff SuperVision.

SEMINAR DETAILS

Leadership Team members learn what to say and do every day to be one of the very best leaders at camp, including:

6 Paths: the six essential things Leadership Team members must do every day when “walking around” and how to get them done brilliantly
Identify the exact behaviors we want to develop in our staff
Michael’s CDOS technique to coach staff to learn and use those behaviors
Special techniques to work with a new generation of staff (“Many staff seem different, more stressed, and don’t seem to come to this job knowing what we used to take for granted…”)
The key secret to motivating staff
Building professionalism and responsibility in staff (“It’s a real job!”)
Handling tough staff behavior with calmness and confidence, replacing it with great choices
More campers, more retention—increasing program creativity to stand out from the rest

Fast paced, interactive, and highly effective: A total of 5.75 hours taught in Michael’s trademark “use-it-immediately,” fun, and highly energetic teaching style.

SEMINAR REVIEWS

"Fun, useful, fantastic!”
"Full of many practical tips that will help you be a better supervisor immediately!”
"Extremely valuable; chock full of things you can implement in your camp RIGHT NOW.”
"The webinar is jam-packed with information to set us up for success.”
"Michael Brandwein is an absolute blessing to the camp world for supervisors.
The way he puts things in perspective and the tools he provides are amazing!”
"You'll go into summer feeling prepared to help staff be the best they can be.”
"Can be applied immediately; everything is laid out and easy to follow and put into practice.”
"This will undoubtedly give you the tools to become a better leader.”

EVENT REGISTRATION FEE LEVELS

Early Bird Rate: $75 when you register before April 14, 2026

Attendee Rate: $99.00 when you register between April 15 - May 8, 2026

FACILITATOR BIOGRAPHY

Michael Brandwein is one of the most famous names in camp. He is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning staff and Leadership Team trainer who has presented in all 50 states, on 6 continents, and served on the national board of the American Camp Association. He is the number one bestselling author of staff training and leadership books in the camp field, including Training Terrific Staff (Vols. 1 & 2), Skill of the Day: What Great Leaders of Young People Do & Say, Learning Leadership (CIT/LIT), Super Staff SuperVision, and Growing Great Qualities in Kids: The L.A.S.E.R.B.E.A.M. Technique for Bringing Out the Best in Young People. (www.michaelbrandwein.com/store) He does both in-person and online training for camps.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This program is ideal for anyone who leads staff themselves, or who trains members of the Leadership Team on how to supervise others. It will be great for both new and experienced people.

WHY ATTEND

How will your camp benefit from you attending this program?

This course was developed to meet the needs of camp directors and owners who were looking for a place to send Leadership Team members so that they will get and practice the skills necessary for supervision success. A lot of new Leadership Team members get promoted from front-line positions but may not have much if any experience in leading peers and others. Experienced Leadership Team members need fresh, advanced skills to keep them motivated and challenged in positive ways. To train all of these people, you require an excellent curriculum of the skills they’ll need and effective ways to teach them in an effective, motivating, and highly engaging way. This course provides that.

How does your career benefit from you attending this program?

If you’re a director, it gives you a way to support the most important people at camp. The Leadership Team is the engine that drives camp to success. If you’re a member of the Leadership Team, you’ll get specific, practical tools and techniques you can use every day to be one of the stars of your camp and bring out the best in everyone. And these methods will qualify you throughout your life as you develop positive working relationships as a leader and manager of others.

LOCATION & TYPE OF WORKSHOP

This event is a live, virtual event and will utilize the Zoom Meeting platform. 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 ability to speak and hear,) and interact within the Zoom room via a computer. Bring a notebook/paper and pen for activities.

There will be a short break for lunch during the event.

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.

This is a per person fee event. This event requires camera, computer, and audio access for the participants as it’s designed to be interactive. Any user that has additional persons in attendance that are not registered will be automatically removed from the event without refund.

HOW TO REGISTER

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!

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!