Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation

What Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation does

Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC) is a community-based nonprofit organization and newly-designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in South Los Angeles, delivering an integrated portfolio of small business development services to underserved entrepreneurs in LA County. Its core service stack spans business coaching, CDFI lending, training and education, networking, incubation, and technology access, delivered through two physical locations and a virtual program offering. All programs are provided free to LA County entrepreneurs, with lending available to eligible applicants through a Lenderfit-powered loan platform after a pre-application and business advisor assessment.

The organization has organized its operations into four programmatic pillars: a BusinessSource Center serving as the LA City/County-anchored small business hub; a Women's Business Center (Wells Fargo-funded, SBA-partnered, opened May 2024); a youth technology pillar comprising the Best Buy Teen Tech Center and AT&T Connected Learning Center; and a CDFI lending arm issuing microloans and small business loans under the US Treasury CDFI Fund designation secured in November 2024. Layered on top are cohort programs (CEO Series, LevelUp, In Her Power, Urban Pose, Marketing Impact Lab), industry-specific verticals (Food Service University), and large event-driven initiatives including the Grand Pitch Competition and the Get in the Game LA procurement initiative targeting FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2028 Olympics opportunities.

VSEDC's revenue model is grant-funded and contract-based rather than commercial. Capital flows from foundation and corporate grants (PNC, Citi Foundation, Wells Fargo, Annenberg Foundation, First Citizens Bank, Comerica, US Bank, Gates Foundation, JPMorgan, LISC), federal awards (CDFI Fund, SBA), and LA City/County contracts for BusinessSource Center administration. In November 2025 VSEDC underwent a leadership transition, with Jazz Keyes appointed CEO following the discovery of alleged financial mismanagement and the termination of the former director of finance for embezzlement; the organization is currently operating under new internal controls while continuing program delivery.

Name

Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation

Legal name

Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://vsedc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VSEDC is a South Los Angeles nonprofit and CDFI providing free business coaching, CDFI microloans, incubation, and workforce programs to small businesses, women entrepreneurs, and youth across LA County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• CDFI microloans
• Small business coaching
• Women business center
• Economic development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Grants: VSEDC receives grants from foundations (PNC Bank, Citi Foundation, Wells Fargo, Annenberg Foundation) and corporate sponsors (First Citizens Bank, Citi, Comerica, US Bank) to fund programs including the Women's Business Center, CEO Series, Digital Accelerator, and Economic Mobility Initiative.
2. CDFI Lending: VSEDC operates as a newly-designated Community Development Financial Institution providing loans, grants, and alternative funding sources to small businesses and entrepreneurs in South Los Angeles.
3. Government Program Administration: VSEDC operates under LA City and County program guidelines as a BusinessSource Center, facilitating community development programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VSEDC is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that delivers small business coaching, CDFI-certified microloans and small business loans, technical assistance and training programs, networking opportunities, and technology access to entrepreneurs and small businesses in South Los Angeles. The organization also runs specialized centers and programs including the SBA Women's Business Center, Best Buy Teen Tech Center, AT&T Connected Learning Center, CEO Series, LA County Economic Mobility Initiative, and the Get in the Game LA procurement initiative. All programs are offered free to Los Angeles County entrepreneurs; lending requires an eligibility assessment.

Product overview

VSEDC is a community development organization and newly-designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing a comprehensive ecosystem of small business support services in South Los Angeles. The organization offers a multi-faceted portfolio combining core business development services (coaching, lending, training, networking, incubation, technology access) with specialized programs including the Women's Business Center, Best Buy Teen Tech Center, AT&T Connected Learning Center, CEO Series, Food Service University, and the Get in the Game initiative. VSEDC's CDFI Lending program provides microloans and small business financing, while various cohort programs like LevelUp, In Her Power, and Urban Pose deliver targeted training and mentorship. The organization also operates youth-focused technology programs through its Tech Center Bootcamps and partners with ICON CDC on street vending compliance programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CEO Series: Business pitch competition and coaching program for startups and businesses within their first two years to prepare them to operate and scale successfully.
• LevelUp Program
• Digital Accelerator
• Grand Pitch Competition
• Economic Mobility Initiative

Products and services

• Business Coaching One-on-one business coaching service that partners clients with experienced mentors for personalized guidance on business plans, financial strategies, and marketing campaigns. Offered free to LA County entrepreneurs.
• CDFI Lending and Microloans Community Development Financial Institution lending program offering microloans and small business loans to entrepreneurs in South Los Angeles who cannot secure traditional bank financing. Delivered through the Lenderfit loan platform after a pre-application and eligibility assessment with a business advisor.
• Women's Business Center SBA Women's Business Center offering tailored resources, specialized programs, workshops, and mentorship for women entrepreneurs in South LA. Includes cohort offerings such as In Her Power and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready programming.
• Best Buy Teen Tech Center Free interactive learning space for teens offering technology skills training, mentorship, and exploration of robotics, 3D design, music and film production, and augmented/virtual reality.
• AT&T Connected Learning Center Technology access and digital literacy program providing training and resources for community members through state-of-the-art computers, photography and filmmaking equipment, and 3D printers.
• CEO Series Cohort-based business pitch competition and coaching program designed for startups and businesses within their first two years of operation to prepare them to operate and scale successfully.
• Food Service University Specialized training and certification guidance program for food service entrepreneurs and small businesses in South LA.
• Get in the Game LA Small business coalition initiative helping local suppliers compete for procurement spending tied to FIFA World Cup 2026, 2028 Olympics and Paralympics, and city infrastructure projects, including the OneLA Get in the Game Procurement Fair co-hosted with the LA Area Chamber of Commerce.
• LA County Economic Mobility Initiative Cohort-based economic mobility program run by Jazz Keyes for LA County's Department of Economic Opportunity, offering business audit, messaging, customer identification, and loan readiness training for minority business owners.
• LevelUp Program Business development program providing webinars, social media training, vendor connections, and entrepreneurial knowledge to help entrepreneurs access resources and partnerships.
• Incubation Workspace Affordable workspace and shared resources offering a supportive startup environment for entrepreneurs launching new ventures.
• Street Vending Program Program delivered in partnership with ICON CDC to help LA street vendors become permitted and health-department compliant, providing health-department-approved vending carts and business development support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% graduation rate across EMI cohorts; 100% of loan-seeking graduates were loan ready.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Best BuycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBest Buy partnered with VSEDC and Annenberg Foundation to create South LA's first Best Buy Teen Tech Center, providing state-of-the-art computers, equipment, and 3D printers as part of goal to establish 60+ Teen Tech Centers.
• ICON CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSEDC and ICON CDC partner on Street Vending Program to help LA street vendors become permitted and health-department compliant, with ICON providing permitting guidance and VSEDC offering business development support.
• LA County Department of Economic OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLA County DEO partners with VSEDC to host the Economic Mobility Initiative course, a cohort-based curriculum that produced 98% graduation rates and 100% loan readiness among participants.
• LA Area Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLA Area Chamber of Commerce co-hosts the 'OneLA Get in the Game Procurement Fair' connecting small businesses with public and private buyers for World Cup 2026 and 2028 Olympics opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Community Ventures: Pacific Community Ventures is a California-based nonprofit CDFI providing business coaching, small-dollar lending, and advisory services to under-resourced small businesses — directly comparable to VSEDC's lending-plus-coaching model and South LA geographic focus.
• CDC Small Business Finance: CDC Small Business Finance is a California CDFI offering SBA 504, 7(a), and Community Advantage loans alongside business advisory services for underserved entrepreneurs — closely mirroring VSEDC's CDFI lending plus coaching stack.
• Valley Economic Development Center: VEDC is a long-standing Los Angeles-area CDFI and SBA lender providing small-business loans, technical assistance, and incubation — comparable to VSEDC in geography, customer segment, and full-stack support model.
• LISC Los Angeles: LISC LA is the local arm of a national CDFI providing capital, technical assistance, and capacity-building to community developers and small businesses in South LA — comparable scope, geography, and credit-plus-services model.
• Grameen America: Grameen America is a nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans and wraparound training to low-income women entrepreneurs — comparable to VSEDC's microlending plus WBC offering for capital-underserved segments.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Accion Opportunity Fund is a California-based nonprofit CDFI providing microloans, SBA loans, and bilingual business advising to small-business owners of color — directly comparable target customer and product set to VSEDC's SBA partnership in South LA.

Emerging players

• Kiva U.S. Kiva is a crowdfunding-based nonprofit microfinance platform extending 0% loans to small-business owners excluded from traditional credit — overlapping VSEDC's microlending mission for underserved entrepreneurs though via a marketplace model rather than a brick-and-mortar CDFI.

Regional players

• LA Area Chamber of Commerce: The LA Chamber is a regional business membership and advocacy organization co-hosting Get in the Game LA and broader small-business procurement initiatives — comparable as a regional small-business services convener, though broader in mandate than VSEDC.

Broad incumbents

• Operation Hope: Operation HOPE is a national nonprofit providing financial literacy coaching, small-business mentoring, and disaster-recovery lending through a U.S. footprint — comparable to VSEDC's economic-mobility focus and underserved-community lending orientation.

Others

• Initiative for a Competitive Inner City: ICIC is a national nonprofit research and advisory organization supporting inner-city small-business growth through research, supplier diversity programs, and corporate partnerships — adjacent to VSEDC via Get in the Game LA-style supplier-diversity programming.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vsedc_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vsedc2369
• Facebookfacebook.com/VermontSlausonEconomicDevelopmentCorporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/vsedc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsedcnp

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation