Located on 478 acres in rural Missouri, Sherwood Forest Camp provides comprehensive, year-round enrichment programs for low-income children in under-resourced communities, aged 6-18 years from St. Louis City and County (over 100,000 youth served since its inception). One of only two month-long residential camps in the U.S. serving this population, Sherwood Forest delivers exceptional outcomes for its campers: 100% graduate from high school; 9 out of 10 campers become financially independent adults. Its programs are unique, extending past the summer months and supporting campers throughout the school year and into their young adult lives, with a focus on social-emotional skills, positive academic attitudes, and leadership. In high school years, students learn economic self-sufficiency, how to forge community connections, and strategies for building healthy family and social relationships.

Built in the 1960’s, Sherwood Forest Camp facilities were outdated and insufficient to serve all potential campers. Sherwood Forest was forced to turn away its own campers.

With an $8M allocation, Sherwood Forest constructed a new learning center with STEM labs, an expanded library, new dining and living halls, and conducted lake restoration and other projects. Smith NMTC sourced the allocation from Rural Development Partners CDE and the tax credit equity investment from US Bancorp CDC. After a year of construction, the Grand Opening Ceremony took place on the porch of the new dining hall. In addition to improving the quality of the camp experience, the construction and renovation will allow Sherwood Forest to fulfill the increased enrollment goals within its strategic plan, an overall growth of camp programs by %.

Sherwood Forest will receive assistance from Smith NMTC until the exit of this NMTC transaction in 2025 for all NMTC compliance monitoring and reporting and accounting.