Each campground wishing to participate in a 20 Group completes the placement data form and submits it together with a one-time, non-refundable, application fee. The criteria by which a campground owner is placed in a specific group vary by each group but in general are based mainly on gross revenues, park location, and type of campground (destination, membership, overnight, etc.). Campgrounds must be non-competitive and, whenever possible, from distinct geographic areas.

Experience in other industries shows that trends, consumer habits, business cycles and other influences generally appear in one area of the country prior to being evident elsewhere, making geographic variance a positive factor.