Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation.

What Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation. does

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 1986 by U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers and headquartered in Somerset, Kentucky. The organization provides business lending, training programs, and economic development services to small and large businesses across 45 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Its core offerings include micro loans (under $50K), standard business loans, and emergency disaster recovery loans; free training programs (Be Boss Online for digital marketing, SEED for manufacturing and federal contracting certification, REEL for recovery residents); and recruitment and expansion services that connect businesses to communities and to physical assets including a 20,000 SF Enterprise Center and the 34-acre Somerset Rail Park.

SKED is funded primarily through federal and state grants, including USDA Rural Development, the SBA Microloan Program, the U.S. Department of the Treasury CDFI Program, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Truist Foundation, and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, and it manages a $19 million loan portfolio directed by Bob Burgess. In 2025, SKED deployed 60 loans totaling $7.4 million, leveraging $18.3 million in additional regional investment and creating 299 jobs. The organization operates sub-brands including SEED (connecting manufacturers with federal defense contractors such as Boeing, Raytheon, Hendrickson, and General Dynamics), Be Boss Online (a free global digital marketing course), FOCUS (a five-county regional economic development initiative), and REEL KY (entrepreneurship training for substance-use recovery residents), and it runs the Kentucky SBDC Childcare Initiative in partnership with Kentucky Small Business Development Center.

Business model revenue mechanics combine grant funding, net interest income on the loan portfolio, and ancillary service delivery. GTM motion is primarily direct sales-led (loan officers across 45 counties, partner referrals from banks and chambers), supplemented by an event-driven channel (annual SEED Contracting Symposium) and a product-led growth channel (Be Boss Online self-paced training). Customer segments include Main Street small businesses, manufacturing firms pursuing federal contracts, childcare providers, defense-sector tenants in SKED-managed facilities, and entrepreneurs in recovery.

Name

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation.

Legal name

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://skedcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SKED is a Somerset, Kentucky-based nonprofit CDFI founded in 1986 that provides business lending, free training programs, and economic development services to small and large businesses across 45 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerset

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Business Lending: SKED provides business loans to small and large businesses in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. In 2025, they made 60 loans totaling $7.4 million.
2. Training Programs: SKED offers free business training programs including Be Boss Online digital marketing training, SEED manufacturing training, and REEL recovery entrepreneurship training.
3. Economic Development Services: SKED provides recruitment and expansion services, connecting businesses to communities and properties in the 45-county service region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides business loans, free technical assistance, training programs, and economic development services to small and large businesses across 45 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Its offerings include micro loans, standard business loans, and emergency disaster recovery loans, alongside training programs such as SEED for manufacturers, Be Boss Online for digital marketing, and REEL KY for recovery residents, as well as managed commercial real estate facilities like the Enterprise Center and Somerset Rail Park.

Product overview

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) operates as an economic development organization providing a portfolio of interconnected programs and services to support business growth across 45 Kentucky counties. The core offerings center on business lending (including micro loans, standard business loans, and disaster recovery loans), small business training programs (Be Boss Online for digital marketing, SEED for manufacturing contractor certification, REEL for recovery residents), and regional economic development initiatives (FOCUS for five-county region). SKED also manages commercial real estate facilities including the Enterprise Center and Somerset Rail Park for business recruitment and expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEED (Supplier Education and Economic Development): Training and contracting symposium program connecting Eastern Kentucky manufacturers with federal defense contractors. Provides certifications and training to help small businesses secure government contracts.
• Be Boss Online
• FOCUS
• REEL (Recovery and Entrepreneurship Elevating Lives) KY

Quantifiable outcome

• Created 144 jobs from loans and retained 308 jobs in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kentucky Small Business Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership for Kentucky Childcare Initiative, combining SBDC resources with SKED's training framework to support childcare provider growth.
• Kentucky Manufacturing Extension PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with SKED and SEED program to provide training and support services to Eastern Kentucky manufacturers.
• Kentucky APEX AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with SKED and SEED to help manufacturers prepare for and win government contracts.
• Advantage Kentucky AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides customized training for SEED program participants, helping companies meet defense contractor requirements.
• Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Center (KYPTAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists SEED clients in developing business relationships with federal prime contractors, providing contracting guidance.
• Jackson Energy CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to fund FOCUS economic development director position serving Jackson, Clay, Lee, Leslie and Owsley counties.
• Congressman Hal RogerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth District Congressman Hal Rogers co-founded SKED in 1986 and continues to support the annual SEED Contracting Symposium, bringing federal contractors to the region.
• The Center for Rural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKED headquarters located at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, hosting SEED symposiums and training events.
• Fletcher GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerREEL KY training partner providing entrepreneurship training for recovery center residents.
• Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce partner helping match jobs with local residents for business expansion projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation: Kentucky-based CDFI providing business loans, housing, and community development in Appalachian Kentucky. Directly comparable to SKED in mission, geography overlap, and CDFI lending model.
• Appalachian Community Capital: CDFI intermediary serving Appalachian Kentucky and surrounding states; SKED is a direct grantee of ACC. Compares as a peer and ecosystem partner in regional capital deployment.
• The Center for Rural Development: Somerset, KY-based rural development organization that hosts SKED's headquarters and SEED symposia. Comparable as a regional rural economic development peer with overlapping training and convening roles.
• Community Ventures: Kentucky CDFI offering small business lending and economic development services. Closely mirrors SKED's lending-plus-coaching model for underserved Kentucky businesses.
• Fahe: Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises based in Berea, KY — a CDFI network serving distressed Appalachian counties. Comparable mission and Appalachian service area, though focused more on housing finance.
• Kentucky Small Business Development Center (Kentucky SBDC): Statewide small business counseling and training network; SKED is a direct partner through the Childcare Initiative. Comparable in delivering free training and technical assistance to Kentucky small businesses.
• Mountain Association (MACED): Eastern Kentucky-based economic and community development organization providing small business lending, energy, and broadband programs. Highly comparable to SKED in target geography, mission, and program mix.

Broad incumbents

• Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF): National CDFI providing capital and consulting to nonprofits and social enterprises. Comparable as a mission-driven CDFI lender, though NFF operates at substantially larger national scale.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI supporting local community development organizations across the U.S. Larger, more diversified peer operating at a national scale with overlapping small business and community lending programs.

Regional players

• Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky: Philanthropy serving Appalachian Kentucky with grantmaking and capacity-building programs. Comparable mission footprint and service region, though focused on grantmaking rather than direct lending.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/skedcorp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtPGWJqcRpWcyHJW_dGT4yw
• Facebookfacebook.com/skedcorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skedcorp
• Instagraminstagram.com/skedcorp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation.