EDC

What EDC does

EDC (Economic Development Collaborative) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Camarillo, California, that serves as a public-private business-to-government liaison for Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties. Funded by the County of Ventura, its 10 cities, and key private-sector companies, EDC delivers no-cost and low-cost business consulting (in partnership with the Small Business Development Center), a Revolving Loan Fund offering $10,000 to $250,000 working capital loans at 4.2% interest with a 7-year repayment term, and a portfolio of specialized programs including EDC Go Global Trade (export assistance), EDC Cultivate & Ignite Tech (tech entrepreneurship), EDC Film (film industry development), and EDC Upskill (workforce training). Its distribution channels include direct consulting engagements, the Business Forward Ventura County virtual resource hub, satellite SBDC locations, a COVID-19 Business Resource Hotline, and a broad referral network of chambers, educational institutions, and resource partners.

EDC's business model combines grant-funded consulting (free or low-cost to small businesses) with interest income from its revolving loan fund, which as of August 2020 managed $5 million in total loan capital including $2.45 million secured from the U.S. EDA's CARES Act Fund. The organization serves a long-tail of small businesses, entrepreneurs, startups, women- and minority-owned firms, and exporting businesses across the tri-county region, and has been validated by a July 2020 Journal of Policy Research study covering 1,700 SBDC clients over five years. EDC's go-to-market is relationship-driven and ecosystem-embedded, relying on partnerships with county government, workforce development boards, community colleges, and business associations rather than direct sales or marketing campaigns.

Name

EDC

Legal name

Economic Development Collaborative

Website

https://edcollaborative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EDC is a nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1996 that provides business consulting, a revolving loan fund, and program services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and exporters across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business consulting
• Revolving loan fund
• Workforce development programs
• Export trade assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Camarillo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Business Consulting Services: Free and low-cost business consulting services provided to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and employers in the tri-county region through partnership with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Services include business plan development, financial guidance, and strategic planning.
2. Revolving Loan Fund (RFL): EDC manages a revolving loan fund providing working capital loans of $10,000 to $250,000 to qualifying Ventura County businesses. Loans carry a 4.2% interest rate with a 7-year repayment expectation. Revenue is generated through loan interest payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EDC is a nonprofit economic development organization that delivers business consulting, access to capital, and strategic initiatives to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and employers across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties. Its offerings include a Revolving Loan Fund providing $10,000–$250,000 working capital loans at 4.2% interest, SBDC business consulting, trade/export assistance, technology and film industry programs, workforce upskilling, and a virtual business resource hub.

Product overview

The Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) is a private nonprofit organization offering a suite of business support programs rather than a unified software product. Its portfolio includes the EDC Loan Program (revolving loan fund with $10K-$250K loans at 4.2% interest), EDC SBDC (business consulting), EDC Go Global Trade Program (export assistance), EDC Cultivate & Ignite Tech Program (tech support), EDC Film (film industry development), EDC Upskill (workforce training), and Business Forward Ventura County (resource hub). The organization also operates a COVID-19 Business Resource Hotline. These programs work together to provide business consulting, funding access, and strategic initiatives supporting economic vitality across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EDC Loan Program (Revolving Loan Fund) A small business lending program providing working capital loans of $10,000 to $250,000 at a 4.2% interest rate with a 7-year repayment term, administered as a Revolving Loan Fund (RFL) to support qualifying Ventura County businesses.
• EDC SBDC (Small Business Development Center) Business consulting and advisory services providing no-cost and low-cost business plan development, financial guidance, and strategic planning, delivered in partnership with the Small Business Development Center across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties, including satellite SBDC locations at Santa Barbara City College.
• EDC Go Global Trade Program International trade support program helping small businesses leverage global trade opportunities through export assistance, market development, and partnerships with organizations like the World Trade Center Oxnard and the District Export Council.
• EDC Cultivate & Ignite Tech Program Technology sector support program providing resources and initiatives for tech entrepreneurs and businesses in the tri-county region, including connections to high-tech resources like FATHOMWERX.
• EDC Film Film industry economic development program supporting film production and related businesses in the Ventura and Santa Barbara County region, in coordination with the Ventura County Film Commission.
• EDC Upskill Workforce development and training program helping employees and businesses develop new skills through online training tools and programs.
• COVID-19 Business Resource Hotline A business resource hotline at (805) 409-9159 providing information on local, state, and federal resources, loans, and consulting services available to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Business Forward Ventura County A virtual business resource hub and countywide initiative providing real-time support, connecting businesses with associations, incubators, chambers of commerce, government organizations, and other regional resources across Ventura County.

Quantifiable outcome

• A study published in the Journal of Policy Research (July 2020) found that EDC's two-step collaborative learning model produces the most economically successful ventures among government-funded programs.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDC operates in partnership with the SBDC to deliver business consulting, access to capital, and strategic initiatives. SBDC Director Ray Bowman co-authored a published study demonstrating EDC's collaborative learning model's effectiveness across 1,700 clients.
• County of VenturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of EDC's founding funders along with the 10 cities in Ventura County. The county government collaborates with EDC on the Business Forward Ventura County initiative and the Ventura County Economic Vitality Strategic Plan (EVSP).
• Workforce Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with EDC on the Business Forward Ventura County initiative to deliver resources and services for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Santa Barbara City College (SBCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SBCC to host two satellite SBDC locations, expanding EDC's reach in Santa Barbara County.
• Central Coast Community Energy (3CE)minorOthersResource partner listed on EDC's website, providing energy-related support to businesses in the tri-county region.
• FATHOMWERXminorOthersHigh-tech collaborative and resource partner of EDC, designated as an Inclusive Innovation Hub (iHub2) by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate.
• Hub 101minorOthersBusiness incubator and resource partner of EDC supporting startups and entrepreneurs in the region.
• Russell Fischer Business CollectionminorOthersBusiness resource partner providing business consulting and collection services to EDC clients.
• Women's Economic VenturesminorOthersResource partner supporting women-owned businesses with economic development resources and training.
• SCOREminorOthersResource partner providing mentoring and business education services to EDC clients.
• The Port of HuenememinorOthersMunicipal port authority and resource partner supporting trade and economic development in Ventura County.
• OCTANeminorOthersTechnology and innovation organization and resource partner supporting high-tech economic development in Orange County.
• California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI)minorOthersEducational institution and resource partner providing workforce development and business support services.
• Santa Barbara City College (SBCC)minorOthersCommunity college and resource partner, also hosting satellite SBDC locations in partnership with EDC.
• Cal Lutheran UniversityminorOthersEducational institution and resource partner providing business education and workforce development support.
• Scheinfeld CenterminorOthersBusiness development center at Santa Barbara City College and resource partner of EDC.
• Downtown Ventura PartnersminorOthersBusiness improvement district and resource partner supporting downtown Ventura businesses.
• World Trade Center OxnardminorOthersInternational trade organization and resource partner supporting export and import activities in Ventura County.
• District Export CouncilminorOthersFederal export assistance network and resource partner supporting businesses with international trade.
• The Broadband ConsortiumminorOthersRegional broadband development organization and resource partner supporting digital infrastructure for businesses.
• California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC)minorOthersManufacturing technology consulting organization and resource partner providing manufacturing sector support.
• Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA)minorOthersRegional economic development association and resource partner serving Ventura County businesses.
• Ventura County Film CommissionminorOthersCounty government film promotion organization and resource partner supporting film industry businesses.
• SBDC Los Angeles NetworkminorOthersSmall Business Development Center network covering Los Angeles County, resource partner expanding EDC's regional reach.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation: San Diego Regional EDC is a public-private partnership driving economic development across the San Diego region with business consulting, capital access, and cluster initiatives. It mirrors EDC's structure (public/private funding, consulting-led, multi-county reach) and competes for similar state and federal economic development dollars.
• Bay Area Council Economic Institute: The Bay Area Council's Economic Institute conducts research and advocacy to support regional economic vitality in Northern California. It shares EDC's model of combining research/consulting with public-private partnerships to deliver regional business support, though at a larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC): LAEDC is a regional economic development nonprofit serving Los Angeles County with similar business attraction, retention, and workforce programs. It is the most direct geographic and functional peer to EDC, which also serves LA County, and operates a comparable consulting plus research model for regional SMB support.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Greater Houston Partnership is a regional business and economic development organization offering research, advocacy, and business support across a multi-county Houston region. Comparable to EDC in its public-private financing and integrated economic development mission, though serving a larger geography.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC): GPEC is a regional economic development organization analogous to EDC, supporting business attraction, retention, and expansion in the Phoenix metro. It operates with public-private funding and runs workforce, capital, and consulting programs closely overlapping EDC's portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: SCORE is a national nonprofit network providing free mentoring, workshops, and business advising to small businesses. It is one of EDC's listed resource partners and competes/collaborates in the same SMB education and consulting domain, but operates at national scale with a much larger mentor base.
• American Small Business Development Centers (America's SBDC): America's SBDC is the national association supporting the federally funded SBDC network. EDC operates its SBDC program through this network; the broader SBDC system is a structural peer and primary federal funding conduit for the consulting services EDC delivers in its tri-county region.

Regional players

• California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC): CMTC is a California-based nonprofit consulting organization that delivers manufacturing and operational improvement services to small and mid-sized manufacturers. It is a listed EDC partner and operates a comparable nonprofit consulting model focused on a specific industry vertical within the same geography.
• Women's Economic Ventures (WEV): WEV is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit providing training, capital, and consulting specifically to women entrepreneurs. It is a listed EDC resource partner and overlaps directly with EDC's women and minority-owned business segment but with a more focused demographic specialization.

Emerging players

• FATHOMWERX: FATHOMWERX is a California-designated Inclusive Innovation Hub (iHub2) supporting high-tech and dual-use startups in the Ventura County region. It is a listed EDC partner and represents an emerging specialization within EDC's broader ecosystem — particularly relevant to EDC's Cultivate & Ignite Tech Program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/economic-development-collaborative
• Instagraminstagram.com/edcollaborative
• Xx.com/edcollaborative
• Facebookfacebook.com/EDCollaborative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 EDC