Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation

What Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation does

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization serving as the single countywide coordinating body for economic development in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. The organization operates as a public-private partnership delivering a portfolio of programs including the Revolving Loan Fund (working capital, equipment, and real estate subloans with up to 12-year terms), the Product Development Loan (up to $25,000 across product development, commercial launch, and growth phases), the Forward Fund housing initiative ($8M+ capitalized for entry-level workforce housing), the Accelerate Sheboygan County entrepreneurial program (Business Challenge pitch competitions), the Someplace Better workforce attraction platform, the revBOOST business intelligence service, and the Made in Sheboygan County branding program. SCEDC's customers are local businesses, entrepreneurs, employers, and real estate developers across Sheboygan County; services are provided free of charge to recipients.

SCEDC's underlying technology is intentionally minimal: it does not develop or sell technology products, relying instead on standard business tools such as Google Analytics for website traffic analysis and Constant Contact for email marketing. Its principal "platform" assets are the Someplace Better housing and employer portal (someplacebetter.org) and the Made in Sheboygan County logo program, neither of which is technically differentiated. Service delivery is human-counselor-led, with staff such as Ray York serving in a shared role between SCEDC and the SBDC at UW-Green Bay.

SCEDC's revenue model is that of a community-supported non-profit rather than a commercial enterprise. Operating revenue derives from investor/membership contributions from businesses and municipalities, donations and grants (including $2M from each of Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Masters Gallery Foods, and Sargento to the Forward Fund; $2M in Sheboygan County ARPA funds; a $15,000 Wells Fargo Foundation grant; and WEDC/USDA Rural Development grants for the Product Development Loan), revolving loan fund interest and fees, and foundation-administered community funds. All core services are priced at zero to recipients, while financing programs carry interest rates set by an internal Loan Review Committee and 1:1 private leverage requirements.

Name

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation

Legal name

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://sheboygancountyedc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit public-private partnership that serves as the countywide coordinating body for economic development in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, delivering financing programs, entrepreneurial support, workforce attraction, and housing development services to local businesses, startups, employers, and developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business financing
• Entrepreneurial support
• Business attraction
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheboygan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investor/Membership Contributions: SCEDC is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization funded by investor contributions from businesses, municipalities, and community stakeholders. The organization operates with financial support from partners who invest in economic development activities that benefit the broader community.
2. Donations and Grants: SCEDC and its Foundation receive donations (e.g., Forward Fund capitalized by $2M each from Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Masters Gallery Foods, and Sargento, plus $2M in ARPA funds from Sheboygan County) and grants (e.g., $15,000 from Wells Fargo Foundation for Accelerate Sheboygan County). These funds support housing initiatives, entrepreneurial programs, and community development projects.
3. Revolving Loan Fund Administration: SCEDC administers the Sheboygan County Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), providing low-cost financing to small businesses and startups. The RLF generates revenue through loan interest and fees, which are reinvested into the fund to support additional economic development activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) is a public-private partnership economic development organization that supports business attraction, retention, and expansion in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. It delivers financing programs, entrepreneurial resources, and community marketing services to help companies start, grow, and remain in the county.

Product overview

Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit public-private partnership that is not a technology company but rather an economic and workforce development organization. SCEDC offers a portfolio of service-based programs including the Someplace Better workforce attraction platform, the Accelerate Sheboygan County entrepreneurial support program with pitch competitions, the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) and Product Development Loan (PDL) financing programs, the Forward Fund housing initiative, revBOOST business intelligence services, and the Made in Sheboygan County branding program. These services work together to support business growth, startups, investment, skill development, and talent attraction throughout Sheboygan County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forward Fund: Housing development initiative addressing workforce development barrier through development of entry-level single-family homes
• Accelerate Sheboygan County
• Someplace Better
• revBOOST

Products and services

• Someplace Better
• revBOOST Business growth program designed to help Sheboygan County companies increase revenue, productivity, and operational performance.
• Product Development Loan Financing product that provides capital to local companies for product development activities, supporting new product introduction and commercialization.
• Revolving Loan Fund Revolving small business loan fund providing gap financing to companies in Sheboygan County that may not qualify for traditional bank financing.
• Accelerate Sheboygan County Entrepreneurial support program providing resources, mentorship, and programming for founders and startups based in Sheboygan County.
• Forward Fund Targeted financing or grant program administered by SCEDC to support business growth and expansion in Sheboygan County.
• Made in Sheboygan County Logo Program Branding and certification program that lets qualifying Sheboygan County manufacturers display the Made in Sheboygan County logo on their products, supporting local identity and consumer recognition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Safety Fresh Foods achieved 600% sales growth in four years after receiving SCEDC-assisted RLF financing for initial processing equipment
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Green BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCEDC works in close partnership with the SBDC at UW-Green Bay, with shared staff member Ray York serving as both SBDC Business Counselor and SCEDC Entrepreneurial Specialist. The partnership provides comprehensive entrepreneurial services including business plan development, financing guidance, and startup support. This is the primary channel through which SCEDC delivers small business assistance.
• Food Finance InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Finance Institute provides financial training and education resources for food entrepreneurs. Partnered with SCEDC and SBDC to support early-stage food businesses like Peggy Bakes, providing expertise in food business financing and scaling.
• Progress LakeshoresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgress Lakeshore is a regional economic development organization. SCEDC partnered with Progress Lakeshore to support Peggy Bakes' expansion, contributing to the collaborative ecosystem serving Sheboygan County entrepreneurs.
• New NorthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew North is a regional economic development corporation covering Northeast Wisconsin. SCEDC partners with New North on the AccelSC Pitch Competition and broader entrepreneurial ecosystem development, promoting regional talent attraction and business growth.
• Sheboygan CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheboygan County is the primary governmental partner, providing $2 million in ARPA funds to the Forward Fund housing initiative. The county's Industrial Development and Revolving Loan Agency provides the framework for SCEDC-administered financing programs.
• Titletown TechsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTitletown Tech in Green Bay serves as the venue for the Launch Alliance Regional Pitch competition, where Sheboygan County winners (Alex Suscha/Sourcer AI and Tyler Heilberger/Rosebud) advance to compete against other regional winners.
• GRAEFsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGRAEF was selected by the Village of Random Lake (with SCEDC Foundation funding) to provide master planning services for the community, including listening sessions, visioning meetings, and a comprehensive plan for downtown, lakefront, and Highway 57 corridor development.
• Centro Comunitario La CimasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbraham Loya from Centro Comunitario La Cima partnered with SCEDC's Ray York and SBDC to support Arepa House, a Venezuelan restaurant bringing diverse culinary offerings to Sheboygan County.
• Sheboygan County Innovation CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Innovation Council, chaired by Justin Vannieuwenhoven, drives the Accelerate Sheboygan County initiative and entrepreneurial programming. SCEDC provides administrative support while the Council leads program design and execution.
• Sheboygan County Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chamber collaborates with SCEDC on initiatives like the Ashford Place housing development (Sheboygan First theme) and broader economic development efforts, connecting SCEDC with local contractors and businesses.
• Lakeland University / Launch at Lakeland UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakeland University provides venues for pitch competitions (Jakes, a Lakeland Community) and hosts the Launch program supporting entrepreneurship. Partnered with SCEDC on events like 'Let's Taco 'Bout Start-Ups' and the AccelSC Pitch Competition.
• Active8 / Sheboygan SoupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive8 partners with SCEDC and the Innovation Council on entrepreneurial events. Sheboygan Soup-style events and the broader Active8 programming support startup ecosystem development in the county.
• Nourish FarmssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNourish Farms is a Sheboygan Falls-based nonprofit promoting good-food education and community engagement. Its commercial kitchen enabled Peggy Bakes to scale production, while Peggy Bakes' use generates revenue for Nourish's educational programs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Madison Regional Economic Partnership (MadREP): Regional economic development organization for the Madison Region. Direct peer in mission and structure: nonprofit, multi-county scope, business retention/expansion/attraction, workforce development, and entrepreneurial support functions.
• Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC): County/city-level economic development corporation serving the Milwaukee region. Closest structural peer to SCEDC in Wisconsin: 501(c)-style nonprofit deploying revolving loan funds, business counseling, and real estate development services in a defined metro geography.
• Kenosha Area Business Alliance: Southeast Wisconsin regional economic development and chamber-aligned organization. Comparable to SCEDC as a public-private economic development body offering business attraction, retention, financing, and workforce programming in a single-county geography.
• Fox Cities Regional Partnership: Regional economic development organization serving the Fox Cities region of Wisconsin. Direct peer to SCEDC in scope, structure, and GTM, with comparable business attraction, retention, and workforce development programming.
• Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation: County-level EDC serving the Oshkosh region in Wisconsin. Direct structural peer to SCEDC, with comparable service portfolio (business financing, retention/expansion, real estate, and workforce development) for a similar mid-sized Wisconsin community.
• Racine County Economic Development Corporation: County-level economic development organization serving Racine County, Wisconsin. Direct peer in geography, scale, and function, operating a public-private partnership model comparable to SCEDC's 501(c)(4) structure.

Broad incumbents

• Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC): Wisconsin's designated state economic development agency. Comparable as a higher-tier economic development counterpart that funds and partners with SCEDC's Product Development Loan and Accelerate Sheboygan County programs.
• New North: Regional economic development corporation covering 18 counties in Northeast Wisconsin. Comparable to SCEDC as a multi-county EDC partner, with co-marketing of the Launch Alliance Regional Pitch competition and broader regional economic development mandate.

Regional players

• Progress Lakeshore: Regional economic development organization covering the Lakeshore region of Wisconsin. Directly comparable to SCEDC as a peer EDC operating in the same geography and collaborating on joint initiatives like Peggy Bakes' expansion.

Others

• Wisconsin Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC): Statewide SBDC network with embedded counselor at SCEDC. Functionally overlapping as the primary channel through which SCEDC delivers business counseling, with shared staff (Ray York) representing a close operational and programmatic partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ShebCoEDC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SheboyganCountyEDC?blend=2&ob=5
• Facebookfacebook.com/SheboyganCountyEDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/companies/977043

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments5 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation