Camps Kenwood & Evergreen

Camps Kenwood and Evergreen are brother sister overnight camps in New Hampshire with nearly a century of summers spent shaping kids’ lives. They approached us before a double transition: the sale of camp to new leadership, and their longtime business manager retiring.

Results

‍In their first year partnering with Polaris, Camps Kenwood and Evergreen achieved:

• More than $50,000 saved through expense reduction and vendor optimization
• Accurate monthly reporting that clearly shows true spending
• A streamlined chart of accounts that reflects how camp actually operates
• Reliable budgeting and forecasting for staffing and expense planning
• Reduced admin time spent managing financial tasks

Our Approach

We spent extensive time with the business manager before her retirement learning the ins and outs of camp, documenting and organizing decades’ worth of knowledge and processes. We also visited camp to meet with the leadership team, interview staff, and see the life-changing magic of a K&E summer in action. Time spent cheering at the staff volleyball game was just as valuable as dinners and round-table meetings to build both relationships and a deep understanding of K&E’s needs for its next phase.‍

‍Step 1: Books Cleanup and Expense Audit 

First, we needed clean data to help understand historical spending within context.

• Removed redundancies and corrected historical misapplications
• Standardized categorization across departments
• Improved month-to-month financial accuracy
• Flagged duplicate services and outdated subscriptions
• Recommended renegotiation opportunities

Step 2: Chart of Accounts Redesign

We created a simplified and intuitive financial structure that matches the real flow of money across programs and seasons.

• Organized cost centers and categories for clearer reporting
• Distinguished summer operations from year-round expenses
• Clarified staffing, program, and capital spending buckets
• Ensured the structure supports long-term growth

Step 3: Budgeting and Forecasting System

One of our biggest takeaways from working with the entire staff, not just the leadership team, was that everyone needed more insight into their spending and their department budgets. Empowering staff to make their own decisions within agreed-upon constraints reduced decision fatigue and allowed everyone to take ownership of their work. 

• Developed a new model based on reduced expenses and program and staff changes
• Built dashboards for staff to see their budget spending in real time
• Enabled informed staffing and hiring decisions
• Provided clarity for capital projects and multi-year planning

By learning about K&E’s unique qualities and applying our framework for camp finances, we were able to build a complete financial system that gives all stakeholders the insight and tools they need to focus on the work of building a summer that matters.