Central Florida Development Council , Inc.

What Central Florida Development Council , Inc. does

The Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) is a non-profit economic development organization founded in 1986 and headquartered at 1725 Bartow Road, Lakeland, Florida. Its mission is to grow the economy of Polk County by attracting high-skill, high-wage, sustainable businesses. CFDC operates as a single-point-of-contact resource for companies evaluating Polk County for relocation, expansion, or site selection, providing services across eight target verticals: Advanced & Tech-Enabled Manufacturing, AgTech, Aviation/Aerospace/Defense, Corporate & Professional Services, Creative Industries & Tourism, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Logistics/Supply Chain/E-Commerce, and Research, Innovation & Technology. The organization is led by a small staff (1-10 employees) and funded primarily through an Investor Membership Program involving local businesses, government partners, and economic development stakeholders.

CFDC's core products and services are advisory and informational rather than technology-based. Key offerings include a GIS-based Real Estate & Site Search platform, the 3,000-acre Central Florida Innovation District initiative (linking Florida Polytechnic University with entrepreneurial entities), Data & Research analytics, an InvestReady Polk program for navigating incentives and permitting, and Target Sectors consulting. The underlying technology stack is light: a WordPress-style website, a third-party GIS site selection tool, and standard social/marketing channels. CFDC does not charge businesses for its core services; its revenue is generated through investor membership dues and likely supplemented by public-sector economic development grants and partnerships with utilities (e.g., Duke Energy's Site Readiness Program) and county government (Ad Valorem Tax Exemption, Impact Fee Mitigation).

CFDC's go-to-market is direct, sales-led enterprise engagement: identifying companies in target sectors, providing customized site tours, demographic and workforce data, and incentive packages, and shepherding deals through permitting and construction. Notable customer/case-study wins include Nucor Steel Florida ($240M rebar micro-mill, 250 employees), Amazon Air's Southeast Air Hub at Lakeland Linder International Airport, Publix Super Markets (HQ), LEGOLAND Florida, Florida's Natural, Suncoast Credit Union, and Ben Hill Griffin Inc. CFDC markets through its website, email newsletter, social channels, an annual meeting, and an annual Leadership Mission to a partner region. Distribution is regional (Polk County / I-4 Corridor / Central Florida), with a stated intent to attract global investment.

Name

Central Florida Development Council , Inc.

Legal name

Central Florida Development Council, Inc.

Website

https://cfdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) is a non-profit economic development organization founded in 1986 in Lakeland, Florida, that helps businesses evaluate, relocate to, or expand within Polk County by providing site selection, workforce, incentive, and research services across eight target industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeland

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. Investor Membership Program: CFDC is funded through investor memberships from local businesses, government entities, and economic development partners. Companies become 'investors' to support economic growth in Polk County and gain visibility and connections within the business community.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) is a non-profit economic development organization that serves as a single point of contact for businesses seeking to locate, expand, or invest in Polk County, Florida. It provides site selection assistance, GIS-based real estate search tools, workforce development connections, incentive and tax program navigation, and data-driven research on target industry sectors. Services are funded through investor memberships and delivered in partnership with county government, utilities, and educational institutions.

Product overview

The Central Florida Development Council (CFDC) is an economic development organization that serves as a single-point-of-contact resource for businesses looking to locate or expand operations in Polk County, Florida. Rather than a unified software product, CFDC offers a portfolio of interconnected advisory and information services including a GIS-based Real Estate & Site Search tool, the Central Florida Innovation District development initiative, Data & Research analytics, InvestReady Polk permitting assistance, and Target Sectors consulting across eight industry verticals. These services work together to guide businesses through site selection, workforce development, incentives navigation, and regulatory compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Real Estate & Site Search

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked No. 1 for diversified economy in Florida (2020)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Suncoast Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Suncoast Credit Union is Florida's largest credit union and a key investor in CFDC. They announced a strategic merger with Launch Credit Union in 2026, creating an institution serving approximately 1.4 million members with $21 billion in assets and 96 branches statewide. Lady Alisha Martin serves as VP of Business & Economic Development representing Suncoast in economic development activities.
• Nucor Steel FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2018Nucor Steel Florida, part of the largest steel company in the U.S., built a 256,000-square-foot rebar micro-mill on approximately 440 acres in Frostproof. The $240 million project employs 250 people and represents a major economic development success for Polk County, competing with South Carolina for the investment.
• Duke EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke Energy operates a Site Readiness Program in partnership with CFDC to identify, assess, and prepare industrial sites in Polk County. The program has prepared sites including the Haines City Industrial Park, Pebble Ridge Industrial Park, Frostproof Business Park, and others. Duke has invested over $190 million in Polk County grid improvements. Their economic development efforts have helped attract or grow 288 companies in Florida since 2001, resulting in more than 43,000 new jobs and over $4 billion in capital investment.
• Ben Hill Griffin Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen Hill Griffin Inc. is a major citrus and agricultural company based in Frostproof and a strong corporate partner in Polk County. The company was instrumental in landing Nucor Steel Florida and works with CFDC on economic development initiatives. Ben Hill Griffin owns the Frostproof Business Park which is being marketed as a rail-served industrial park through the Duke Energy Site Readiness program.
• Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE operates the SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo campus and provides year-round aviation and aerospace education programs reaching over 30,000 students annually. The organization recently broke ground on expanding the Aerospace Pavilion 2.0, adding 9,000 SF of covered flexible learning space. ACE works with CFDC to promote Polk County's aviation and aerospace industry development.
• SUN 'n FUN Aerospace ExpocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN 'n FUN hosts one of the largest aviation events in the world, drawing over 200,000 aviation enthusiasts. The annual fly-in serves as a platform to connect future industry partners, inspire youth, and stimulate the local economy. SUN 'n FUN partners with CFDC to promote Polk County's aviation and aerospace ecosystem.
• Polk County Board of County CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolk County government is a key partner in economic development initiatives, working with CFDC on site readiness, incentive programs, and business attraction efforts. The county offers Ad Valorem Tax Exemption and Impact Fee Mitigation for new and expanding businesses.
• Florida Polytechnic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida Poly is a key educational partner providing STEM talent for Polk County businesses. The university partnered with Catapult to enhance innovation in Polk County and has articulation agreements with Polk State College for seamless student transfers. Florida Poly opened a state-of-the-art esports arena for tech-oriented students.
• Polk State CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolk State College is a major workforce training provider in Polk County, offering programs in healthcare, aviation, business, and technical fields. The college has nursing programs with 100% NCLEX pass rates and graduated approximately 230 nurses annually. It was named one of three Florida institutions to offer online courses nationwide through the XploreFLED pilot program.
• The RuthvensmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ruthvens are a 3rd generation family-run warehouse company established in 1957, managing over 4.5 million square feet of industrial space in 92 buildings across Polk County. They own and manage properties along the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando. The Kim & Greg Ruthven Family was honored as 2026 Philanthropists of the Year by Lakeland Regional Health.
• Webber International UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebber International University, founded in 1927, is Polk County's oldest post-secondary institution with over 700 students. The university is celebrating its centennial with a campaign raising funds for scholarships, campus improvements, and an endowed faculty chair. It partnered with MedCerts to offer online training in healthcare and IT fields.
• Southeastern UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheastern University offers aviation programs including Associate and Bachelor's degrees in partnership with Kingsky Flight Academy. The flight program has grown to over 40 aviators and graduated nearly 60 cadets producing 44 pilots. SEU opened a new 13,000-square-foot campus in downtown Winter Haven.
• Florida Southern CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida Southern College has established Polk County's first School of Architecture through an anonymous donor. The college has a 96% NCLEX pass rate for nursing students and was named to The Princeton Review's 2024 guide of The Best 389 Colleges.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Florida Polytechnic University: Not a peer EDO but a key strategic partner providing STEM talent pipeline into the Central Florida Innovation District CFDC markets; comparable in its economic development role for the regional ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Florida: Florida's state-level public-private partnership for economic development; partners with but also competes/co-creates with CFDC on statewide corporate recruitment, incentive policy, and marketing for inbound projects.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Large metropolitan EDO with comparable investor-membership model and target sectors (advanced manufacturing, energy, logistics, life sciences), representing out-of-state competition for major industrial relocations.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council: Larger, well-capitalized metropolitan EDO focused on advanced manufacturing, semiconductor, and logistics — competing with Florida EDOs including CFDC for major corporate relocations and re-shoring projects.
• Charlotte Regional Business Alliance: Multi-county regional EDO with a comparable investor-membership model and similar target sectors (advanced manufacturing, logistics, financial services), competing against CFDC for Southeast US corporate relocations.

Direct peers

• JAXUSA Partnership: Jacksonville/Northeast Florida regional EDO; competes with CFDC in Florida's market for advanced manufacturing, logistics, and corporate relocations, with comparable investor-membership funding model.
• Orlando Economic Partnership: Regional EDO for the Orlando metro (Orange, Seminole, Osceola counties); directly competes with CFDC for corporate HQs, life sciences, simulation, and advanced manufacturing projects along the I-4 corridor.
• Tampa Bay Economic Development Council: Regional EDO serving the Tampa Bay/Hillsborough County area, directly competing with CFDC for the same I-4 corridor corporate relocations, logistics projects, and advanced manufacturing deals.

Regional players

• Pinellas County Economic Development: Neighbor EDO on the Tampa Bay side of the I-4 corridor with overlapping target sectors (manufacturing, professional services, defense), competing with CFDC for regional investment projects.
• Lee County Economic Development Office: Southwest Florida county-level EDO focused on similar target sectors including life sciences, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, competing statewide with CFDC for Florida-bound investment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFDCPolk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZxcBRSKgC3cAAi8WPAW0Kg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Central-Florida-Development-Council-211702095642810
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-florida-development-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfdcpolk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Central Florida Development Council , Inc.