Atlantic County Economic Alliance

What Atlantic County Economic Alliance does

Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA) is a private-sector-directed nonprofit economic development corporation founded in 2017 and headquartered in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, with a staff of 1–10. Operating as the single point of entry for business attraction, retention, and marketing across Atlantic County's 567 square miles, ACEA delivers free business engagement services — including site selection, workforce development, permit navigation, financing guidance, and data requests — alongside a tiered membership program ($5,000 to $100,000+ annually) and grant administration. The organization's economic development platform is anchored by the Aviation Innovation Hub, which integrates the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City International Airport (a designated Smart Airport Testbed), and the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP) — a 58-acre campus targeted for 400,000 square feet of Class A R&D space.

ACEA pursues a six-vertical industry strategy (Aerospace & Aviation, Life Sciences, Specialty Manufacturing, Tourism, Entrepreneurial Services, and Food & Agriculture) with notable recent initiatives including the $140 million CAAT FAA proposal partnership with Applied Research Associates, the NARTP Building #2 ($18.5 million, 40,000 sq ft) topping-off milestone, the Atlantic Motion Picture Studios launch backed by $1 million in NJ DCA infrastructure funding, and the C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program supported by a $500,000 NJEDA grant. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees drawn from Fox Rothschild, Marathon Engineering, Fulton Bank, AtlantiCare, Stockton University, and Atlantic Cape Community College, and is funded through a mix of membership dues, public grants, and in-kind institutional support rather than client fees.

Name

Atlantic County Economic Alliance

Legal name

Atlantic County Economic Alliance

Website

https://aceanj.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACEA is a New Jersey nonprofit economic development corporation that provides free business engagement services, membership programs, and grant administration to attract, retain, and grow businesses across Atlantic County's six target industries, anchored by the FAA-adjacent Aviation Innovation Hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Site selection advisory
• Workforce development programs
• Business attraction consulting
• Aviation innovation hub

Headquarters

HQ city

Mays Landing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The organization operates primarily through membership dues from businesses, municipalities, and institutions. Membership levels include Community Colleague ($5,000+), Associates ($10,000+), Partners ($50,000+), Builders ($25,000+), and Angels ($100,000+). Members receive benefits including Board of Trustees participation, website recognition, event access, and economic data.
2. Grant Administration: ACEA successfully attracts and administers grants to fund critical programs in Atlantic County. They secured a $500,000 NJEDA grant for the C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program and facilitate access to various federal and state economic development funds.
3. Marketing Services: Promotes business accomplishments as part of marketing campaigns in print and online. Marketing grant application process available for member businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Atlantic County Economic Alliance is a private nonprofit economic development corporation that delivers free business engagement services and a tiered membership program to attract, retain, and grow businesses in Atlantic County, NJ. Its core offerings include site selection assistance, workforce development support, permit navigation, financing and incentives guidance, data requests, and introductions to municipal, county, and state officials. Revenue is generated through membership dues, grant administration, and marketing sponsorships rather than direct service fees.

Product overview

The Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA) is a nonprofit economic development organization, not a software product company. ACEA operates as a one-stop economic development resource providing free business engagement services, a membership-based program, and various initiative-driven projects to support Atlantic County's economic growth. The core offerings include Business Engagement Services providing personalized support for workforce development, site selection, financing, and permits; a Membership Program with multiple tiers offering access to networking, events, and economic data; and targeted initiatives in Aviation Innovation Hub, food equity through the C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program, film industry development through Atlantic Motion Picture Studios, and the AC Rail Line Coalition. The organization's services are advisory, consulting, and coordination-based rather than software product-based.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Engagement Services
• Membership Program
• Target Industry Attraction Services
• Aviation Innovation Hub
• C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ grants awarded to fund critical programs in Atlantic County
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• New Roots, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2025Louisville, Kentucky-based nonprofit that pioneered Fresh Stop Markets model over 16 years. Partnered with ACEA and C.R.O.P.S. to bring food equity model to New Jersey, with Atlantic City as first implementation site. App developed in collaboration with New Roots and Slingshot.
• Communities Revolutionizing Open Public Spaces (C.R.O.P.S.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2025Nonprofit dedicated to increasing food accessibility, supporting local agriculture, and fostering sustainable food systems. ACEA provided $500,000 NJEDA grant funding for C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program to address food desert challenges in Atlantic City while supporting regional farmers.
• National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025NARTP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit auxiliary organization of Stockton University dedicated to facilitating research and development, innovation, and commercialization of emerging aviation and aerospace technologies. Located on 58-acre campus adjacent to FAA Technical Center, NARTP is central to ACEA's aviation innovation strategy and has partnered on the $140M CAAT proposal with ARA.
• Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025100% employee-owned company with 2,000+ employees and $700M+ annual revenue. ARA leads program management for the $140M Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies (CAAT) proposal partnership with ACEA and NARTP to establish FAA's proposed advanced aviation technologies center.
• Rutgers UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner in CAAT coalition for $140M FAA proposal, representing academia alongside Drexel, Rowan, Stockton universities and Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace-focused university with research presence at NARTP; Associate Dean Steve Hampton serves as key contact. University partners include Rowan, Rutgers, Drexel, and Stockton in CAAT coalition.
• New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) at Stockton UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Meet the Lenders event at NARTP alongside ACEA and SBA to connect entrepreneurs with funding experts and lenders including regional banks.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner co-hosting Meet the Lenders events with ACEA and NJSBDC to support small business access to capital and growth resources.
• Choose New JerseycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrivately funded nonprofit that markets New Jersey as a business destination. ACEA collaborates with Choose New Jersey to produce marketing collateral and increase awareness of Atlantic County economic development efforts.
• Fulton BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional bank participating in Meet the Lenders events, providing direct access to financing options for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Atlantic County.
• OceanFirst BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional bank participating in Meet the Lenders events connecting small businesses with lending professionals and funding options.
• Parke BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional bank participating in Meet the Lenders events providing financing guidance and loan qualification support for local businesses.
• Atlantic City International Airport (ACY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Airport Testbed operated by South Jersey Transportation Authority; key component of Aviation Innovation Hub alongside FAA Technical Center and NARTP. Site of Airport Autonomy Initiative robot trials.
• Atlantic County Workforce Development BoardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Fran Kuhn serves on ACEA Board; provides workforce training programs and connections to employment resources for businesses.
• Stockton UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally recognized public university in Galloway Township; President Dr. Joseph Bertolino serves on ACEA Board. Home to NJSBDC and key academic partner in aviation and economic development initiatives.
• Atlantic Cape Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive community college with $44M STEM facility expansion; President Dr. Barbara Gaba serves on ACEA Board. Secured $2M EDA grant for Aviation Institute to train aviation workforce.
• AtlantiCaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast New Jersey's largest healthcare provider; Government Relations Officer Matthew Levinson serves on ACEA Board. Recipient of 2009 Baldrige Award for innovation and performance excellence.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MassDevelopment: Massachusetts' quasi-public economic development finance and development agency operating real estate, financing, and infrastructure programs. Comparable as a regional EDA coordinating real estate development and industry attraction similar to ACEA's NARTP work.
• New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC): Mission-driven economic development organization for NYC running sector-focused initiatives and real estate development. Comparable as a nonprofit EDA coordinating industry clusters (aerospace, life sciences) and managing large mixed-use development projects.
• Choose New Jersey: Privately funded statewide nonprofit marketing New Jersey as a business destination. Directly comparable to ACEA as a private nonprofit economic development marketing organization; ACEA explicitly collaborates with Choose New Jersey on marketing collateral.
• New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA): State-level economic development financing authority that issues grants, tax credits, and incentive packages. Directly comparable as the primary economic development grant provider ACEA partners with and competes against for tenant attraction.
• Maryland Department of Commerce: State economic development agency running BioHealth, cybersecurity, aerospace, and manufacturing attraction programs. Comparable to ACEA's target-industry clustering model at state scale.

Direct peers

• Cleveland Development Advisors: Real estate and economic development affiliate of the Greater Cleveland Partnership coordinating public-private development projects. Comparable in mission and structure to ACEA's NARTP coordination role.
• Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC): Private nonprofit EDA providing site selection, workforce data, and business attraction services across a defined county jurisdiction. Highly comparable in structure, mission, and service mix to ACEA.
• Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: Regional nonprofit EDA promoting business attraction and expansion in the Pittsburgh metro. Comparable as a multi-county private nonprofit providing site selection, demographic data, and incentive navigation to prospective tenants.

Regional players

• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce: Regional business and economic development organization serving the Philadelphia metro, including South Jersey. Comparable as a membership-based nonprofit providing site selection, networking, and policy advocacy; geographic peer given ACEA's proximity to Philadelphia.

Others

• Aerospace States Association: Trade association of state aerospace agencies coordinating aviation industry policy, workforce, and economic development. Adjacent peer relevant to ACEA's aviation innovation cluster work and CAAT proposal ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=aCIcv_uK9vc
• Xx.com/ACEANJ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Atlantic County Economic Alliance