Birch Rock Camp
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BIRCH ROCK CAMP IS DEDICATED TO GIVING BOYS AN ADVENTUROUS SUMMER EXPERIENCE THAT BUILDS SELF-CONFIDENCE, BROADENS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND STRENGTHENS CHARACTER. OUR BACK-TO-BASICS PROGRAM EMPHASIZES ENJOYMENT AND STEWARDSHIP OF NATURE, AND MASTERY OF TRADITIONAL CAMPING SKILLS. WE MODEL LIVES OF SIMPLICITY, CREATIVITY AND ENDURING FRIENDSHIP. WE FOSTER A WELCOMING AND ACCEPTING ATMOSPHERE WHERE CAMPERS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS FEEL VALUED AND INCLUDED. WITH OUR MOTTO, HELP THE OTHER FELLOW, WE ENCOURAGE BOYS TO GROW IN GENEROSITY, INTEGRITY AND MUTUAL SUPPORT.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- -1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 64%
- Employees
- 55
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $125,533, camp directo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 41 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2524 of 27 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $792,531 spent. SET APART BY OUR SMALL SIZE AND FOCUS ON NON-COMPETITIVE ACHIEVEMENT, BIRCH ROCK CAMP HAS PROVIDED A SUMMER HOME FOR BOYS AGES 7 16 SINCE 1926. THE CAMPS MISSION IS TO CHALLENGE CAMPERS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LIVES, AND TO HELP THEM APPRECIATE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS IN EMPHASIZING OUR MOTTO: HELP THE OTHER FELLOW. BIRCH ROCKS PROGRAM PROMOTES THE WELL- ROUNDED DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CAMPERS BY BUILDING CHARACTER AND ENCOURAGING COOPERATION, CONFIDENCE, AND A WILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW THINGS. A PROUD AND ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION AND ACTIVE PARTNER WITH MAINE SUMMER CAMPS, BIRCH ROCKER IS AN OLD-FASHIONED BOYS RESIDENTIAL CAMP WHERE TRADITION AND HALLOWED RITUAL SURROUND EVERY ASPECT OF THE DAY FROM THE WAKEUP BELL TO THE LIGHTS-OUT CALL. OUR DAILY PROGRAM OFFERS THE RIGHT BALANCE OF STRUCTURE AND FREE CHOICE - AS WELL AS THE PERFECT BLEND OF ENERGETIC FUN, QUIET CONCENTRATION ON TASKS AND RELAXING DOWNTIME INCLUDING IN OUR UNIQUE LIBRARY. WHILE THERE ARE MANY ACTIVITIES (CAMPING TRIPS, SWIMMING, WATERCRAFT, FIELD SPORTS, ARTS, NATURE AND PRIMITIVE SKILLSETC.) TO CHOOSE FROM DAILY, EACH CAMPER IS REQUIRED TO SET GOALS FOR HIMSELF AND SET A PLAN FOR ACHIEVEMENT. LEARNING BY DOING AND SHARING IS HOW BIRCH ROCKERS BUILD MORE SELF-ESTEEM AND PERSONAL SUCCESS. THE BIRCH ROCK COMMUNITY IS DISTINGUISHED BY THE MANY CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS (3 TO 1 RATIO) WHO RETURN EACH YEAR, AND EVEN FOR DECADES. BIRCH ROCKERS ARE COMMITTED TO BEING THE FINEST MENTORS, AND PASSING ON OUR VALUES AND CHERISHED TRADITIONS TO GENERATIONS OF CAMPERS TO COME. SET APART BY OUR SMALL SIZE AND FOCUS ON NON-COMPETITIVE ACHIEVEMENT, BIRCH ROCK CAMP HAS PROVIDED A SUMMER HOME FOR BOYS AGES 7 16 SINCE 1926. THE CAMPS MISSION IS TO CHALLENGE CAMPERS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LIVES, AND TO HELP THEM APPRECIATE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS IN EMPHASIZING OUR MOTTO: HELP THE OTHER FELLOW. BIRCH ROCKS PROGRAM PROMOTES THE WELL- ROUNDED DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CAMPERS BY BUILDING CHARACTER AND ENCOURAGING COOPERATION, CONFIDENCE, AND A WILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW THINGS. A PROUD AND ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION AND ACTIVE PARTNER WITH MAINE SUMMER CAMPS, BIRCH ROCKER IS AN OLD-FASHIONED BOYS RESIDENTIAL CAMP WHERE TRADITION AND HALLOWED RITUAL SURROUND EVERY ASPECT OF THE DAY FROM THE WAKEUP BELL TO THE LIGHTS-OUT CALL. OUR DAILY PROGRAM OFFERS THE RIGHT BALANCE OF STRUCTURE AND FREE CHOICE - AS WELL AS THE PERFECT BLEND OF ENERGETIC FUN, QUIET CONCENTRATION ON TASKS AND RELAXING DOWNTIME INCLUDING IN OUR UNIQUE LIBRARY. WHILE THERE ARE MANY ACTIVITIES (CAMPING TRIPS, SWIMMING, WATERCRAFT, FIELD SPORTS, ARTS, NATURE AND PRIMITIVE SKILLSETC.) TO CHOOSE FROM DAILY, EACH CAMPER IS REQUIRED TO SET GOALS FOR HIMSELF AND SET A PLAN FOR ACHIEVEMENT. LEARNING BY DOING AND SHARING IS HOW BIRCH ROCKERS BUILD MORE SELF-ESTEEM AND PERSONAL SUCCESS. THE BIRCH ROCK COMMUNITY IS DISTINGUISHED BY THE MANY CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS (3 TO 1 RATIO) WHO RETURN EACH YEAR, AND EVEN FOR DECADES. BIRCH ROCKERS ARE COMMITTED TO BEING THE FINEST MENTORS, AND PASSING ON OUR VALUES AND CHERISHED TRADITIONS TO GENERATIONS OF CAMPERS TO COME.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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