named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
History Hike: Engineering the Wilderness
5.5-hour guided hike exploring Sagamore’s historic engineering systems, including hydroelectric power, water supply, and heating; includes 4.5 miles of woodland trails and lunch.
History Tour: The Great Camp
Two-hour walking tour of the 27-building Great Camp, focusing on Adirondack architecture and the lives of its historic occupants; includes about a half-mile of walking on gravel paths.
Multi-Day Programs
Overnight immersive experiences combining lodging, meals, and programming in history, wellness, traditional arts, music, and outdoor recreation.
Paddle Tour: Reflections of a Great Camp
90-minute guided canoe or kayak tour of Sagamore Lake, highlighting the camp’s integration with the natural landscape and Adirondack glacial history.
Young Historians Discovery Tour
90-minute interactive tour for children ages 5–13 featuring hands-on activities about Gilded Age life, engineering, and railroad history; designed for families to explore together.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Event Venue Rental Services 2 activities
- Host private events including weddings, reunions, and retreatsHosts weddings, family reunions, organizational meetings, and corporate retreats at Great Camp Sagamore, offering exclusive accommodations across multiple buildings, access to historic spaces, and event facilities including a dining hall, renovated barn for ceremonies, and outdoor tented areas. Provides lodging, meals, and access to property amenities for event guests.
- Provide dining and hospitality services for guests and eventsOperates a historic dining hall that serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for guests and event attendees. Provides catering services for weddings and private events, including meals for up to 82 overnight guests and receptions for up to 150 guests using rented tents or a renovated barn with modern sound and lighting. Meals are also offered as an add-on for day programs and group events.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Develop and deliver public programming and interpretive planningDevelops and implements public programs, including lectures, history tours, and special events, with annual programming highlights and forward planning for future years. Engages in interpretive planning to enhance historical storytelling and educational offerings at Great Camp Sagamore.
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Strategic Planning and Organizational Development 1 activity
- Develop strategic plans for historic preservation and lifelong learningDeveloped a Strategic Plan for 2026–2031 focused on advancing historic preservation and lifelong learning initiatives at Great Camp Sagamore, guiding organizational priorities and programming development.
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Managed Campground and Retreat Operations 1 activity
- Host and operate multi-day immersive programs at Great Camp SagamoreOffers multi-day overnight experiences that include historic lodging, meals in the shared dining hall, and access to guided and self-guided activities such as history tours, paddling excursions, hiking, and traditional arts demonstrations. Programs focus on history, art, music, outdoor recreation, wellness, and family engagement, with lodging, meals, and property amenities included.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Host public events and performancesOrganizes and hosts public events including a free Summer Concert Series on Wednesday evenings, live performances, lectures by experts, and special curated events such as dinners with wine pairings and community gatherings, fostering public engagement with arts, history, and culture at Great Camp Sagamore.
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Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
- Offer membership-based access to tours, activities, and facilitiesProvides tiered membership benefits including unlimited seasonal tours for adults and children, access to the boathouse and boats on weekends, complimentary historian-led tours, private meal hosting on the Dining Porch, rental options for the historic bowling alley, and opportunities to arrange guided excursions. Membership levels also include business recognition on the organization’s website.
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Guided Outdoor Expedition Programs 1 activity
- Provide guided educational tours and excursionsConducts daily and weekly guided walking tours, hikes, and paddle tours that interpret the history of Great Camp Sagamore’s architecture, historic residents, engineering systems, and the natural ecology of the Adirondack region. Tours include hands-on learning for children and cover approximately 0.5 to 4.5 miles of terrain, with options for canoe and kayak exploration of Sagamore Lake.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Steward and preserve Great Camp Sagamore as a National Historic LandmarkOwns, maintains, and stewards Great Camp Sagamore, a National Historic Landmark, for over 50 years, ensuring its preservation and public accessibility. Conducts ongoing historic preservation projects and operates the site as an experiential learning environment where guests engage directly with authentic spaces without barriers such as velvet ropes.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.44M
Contributions & grants$1.20M49%
Program service revenue$949K39%
Investment income$47K2%
Other revenue$238K
expenses
Total expenses$1.90M
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead28%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$989K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.85M
Cash$717K
Investments$0
Liabilities$231K
Net assets$7.62M
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +35.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMILY MARTZ | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $102K |
board members · 15
- DONIA COON — TRUSTEE
- DOUGLAS STINSON — TRUSTEE
- DR KEN MURPHY — VICE PRESIDENT
- EVA RODRIGUEZ-GREGUSKI — TRUSTEE
- JANE NICHOLSON — TRUSTEE
- JOHN DOMANSKI — TRUSTEE
- KARLA GEORGE — TRUSTEE
- KATHLEEN PEARTREE MOON — PRESIDENT
- MARTIN DALEY — SECRETARY
- MICHAEL BISNER — TRUSTEE
- PAT BENTON — TRUSTEE
- PETE GIBSON — TREASURER
- RICHARD COMSTOCK — TRUSTEE
- VIVIAN FALCO — TRUSTEE
- WANDA BURCH — TRUSTEE
relationships · 7
Who they work with
- David and Janet Griffith Funder — Provided a generous donation enabling History Tours and Hikes at Great Camp Sagamore.
- Great Camp Sagamore Partner — Operates wedding events at the historic Great Camp Sagamore property in the Adirondacks.
- NYS Department of Education - Board of Regents Government — Chartered the Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks
- Preservation League of New York State Partner — Partnered with the National Humanistic Center, Inc. to transfer Great Camp Sagamore from New York State to a nonprofit steward in 1975.
- Samantha Plahm Funder — Donor Relations Manager responsible for processing gifted memberships; not a named organization — individual staff member
- Syracuse University Partner — Used Sagamore as a conference center and wilderness classroom before the site was transferred to New York State and later acquired by the Sagamore Institute.
- info@greatcampsagamore.org Partner — Contact point for coordinating group events and private gatherings at Great Camp Sagamore.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Communal Experience for Community Buildingmethodology: communal_dining_for_community_buildingBy using shared meal experiences in a historic communal dining setting, the organization fosters social connection and community among guests because structured, ritualized interaction in a meaningful environment promotes bonding and belonging.
- Experiential Preservation Modelmethodology: experiential_preservationBy enabling public use of historic structures as originally intended, the organization fosters active engagement, which it believes strengthens stewardship and supports long-term conservation of cultural sites.
- Immersive Place-Based Educationmethodology: immersive_experiential_learningBy integrating history, outdoor recreation, and nature conservation within the authentic setting of a historic Adirondack Great Camp, the organization creates multi-sensory, immersive experiences that deepen visitor connection and learning because context-rich environments enhance retention and emotional engagement.
- Incorporation of Indigenous Land Stewardship Valuesmethodology: indigenous_land_stewardshipBy integrating Native values of land management and conservation ethics into stewardship practices, the organization enhances ecological sustainability and cultural relevance of its programming because indigenous knowledge systems offer holistic, long-term approaches to land care.