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This guide walks you through everything you need to go from a fresh Campground account to your first members on the platform. Each step builds on the previous one, so follow them in order the first time through. Once your program is set up, you have two ways to onboard members:
  • Import members directly and share your login URL with them — no application required. Best when you already have a list of members.
  • Collect applications through an intake form and review submissions before granting access. Best when you want to vet applicants. You can also set your intake form to auto-accept so that you don’t have to review submissions.
You can use either approach on its own or both together.
1

Log in to your account

Go to your organization’s Campground URL. It looks like your-slug.campground.fyi, where the slug is chosen by your organization when you sign up. Enter your email and password on the login page.If you don’t have a password yet, select Send a code instead on the login page. Campground will email you a one-time code you can use to sign in, and you can set a password later from your profile settings.
If you’re unsure of your organization’s URL, reach out to your Campground customer success manager.
2

Set up your organization

Once you’re signed in as an admin, go to Settings in the left navigation sidebar.From there you can:
  • Upload your organization’s logo
  • Set a primary color for your dashboard
  • Choose a directory type — global (one directory for everyone) or program (separate directory per program)
  • Edit features labels like the job board and teams
Take a few minutes here before moving on — these settings shape how your community experiences Campground.
3

Create a program

Programs are how Campground organizes your community. A program might represent a cohort, a track, an initiative, or any group that shares content and membership.Navigate to Admin → Programs and select New program. Give your program a name, pick an icon and color, and save it. Campground automatically creates a default season for the current year. You can edit this.
If you want anyone who signs up to have immediate access to your community — without needing to apply — enable All access on the program. This is a good choice for open communities. For selective programs like cohorts, leave this off and control access through applications.
Once your program is created, you can add additional seasons (for example, “Spring 2025” or “2026”) from the program’s settings page.
4

Add your first members

You don’t have to wait for applications to start populating your organization. There are two ways to get members onto the platform:
  • Import members in bulk. Go to Admin → Contacts → Import and upload a CSV of the people you want to add. You can map columns to profile fields, assign roles, and add the imported profiles to one or more programs in a single step. Imported profiles can sign in as soon as they set a password (or request a one-time code).
  • Collect applications with an intake form. Use this when you want to review submissions or collect data before granting access. The next step covers this flow.
You can mix and match. For example, import your existing members today so they have access right away, while still running an application form to onboard new applicants going forward.
5

Create an intake form

Intake forms are how applicants apply to your programs. Navigate to Admin → Forms and select New form.Name the form, link it to the program (and season) you just created, and start adding questions. You can add short text, long text, multiple choice, file upload fields, and more.  You also have the option to link the form to a group.When the form is ready, copy its public link from the form’s settings page. Anyone with that link can submit an application — no Campground account required. Submitters who are accepted are automatically added to the linked program, season, and group. 
Preview your form before sharing it to make sure the questions appear in the right order and the form feels clear to applicants.
6

Review and accept applications

As applications come in, go to Admin → Applications to see all submissions. You can filter by program, season, or status.Select the application detail view to view the full response.In Applications, change the application status (for example, move it to Accepted or Rejected).Click on the applicant’s name to access their profile and leave internal notes for your team.When you accept an application, the applicant receives an email notification and gains access to the platform and program. Email notifications for applications statuses are linked to a program. Enter the edit modal for your program to configure the emails and send yourself previews.
You can customize the available application statuses from Admin → Settings → Application statuses. This lets you create a workflow that matches your review process — for example, adding stages like “Under review” or “Waitlisted”.
You’re ready to go. From here, explore the rest of Campground’s features — bulk-emailing members, assigning tasks, organizing members into teams, and more.