Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation

What Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation does

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation (GEEDC) is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)-style non-profit founded in 1974 by R. Benjamin Wiley and J. Robert Baldwin, headquartered at 18 R. Benjamin Wiley Way in Erie, PA. Its mission is to make economic development, educational assistance, and pre-apprenticeship trades training more accessible to minorities, women, and marginalized citizens of Erie County. Core offerings consist of educational scholarships (the standalone GEEDC Educational Scholarship and the joint We Believe in Erie Scholarship with The Erie Community Foundation, awarding over $100,000 per year to BIPOC students at tiers ranging from $1,750/semester for freshmen to $5,000/semester for seniors), annual business grants (April 1 – August 1 application window) to nonprofits and SMBs for workforce development, pre-apprenticeship trades training pathways in plumbing, construction, HVAC and welding, and commercial space leasing at its owned headquarters building.

GEEDC operates with a small team (3 operational staff including CEO Gerald L. Blanks, CFO Vivian D. McCullum, and Administrative Assistant/Scholarship Coordinator Erika Rutkowski) governed by a 4-person board (Chairman Ron Bryant, Vice Chair Ric Giles, Secretary Evan Tucker, Treasurer Corey Cook). Its revenue model is donations- and partnership-driven: contributions from individuals, local businesses, and a network of more than 20 community partner organizations, supplemented by a flagship partnership with The Erie Community Foundation that has committed roughly $3 million to the We Believe in Erie Fund and by building rental income. The 2024 direct investment in the This Life Forever distillery marks a modest diversification into small-business equity participation alongside the traditional grant-making model.

Name

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation

Legal name

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://geedc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation is a 50-year-old Erie, Pennsylvania non-profit that provides educational scholarships, business grants, and pre-apprenticeship trades training to minorities, women, and marginalized citizens of Erie County, funded primarily through donations and a flagship partnership with The Erie Community Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF), Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH), Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Educational scholarship programs
• Workforce development training
• Community nonprofit funding
• Business grant programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: GEEDC relies on the generosity and investment of supporters and community partners to fund scholarships and grants. The organization receives donations from individuals, local businesses, and community partners to support its mission of providing educational assistance and workforce development to Erie residents.
2. We Believe in Erie Fund Partnership: Partnership with The Erie Community Foundation, with both organizations committing to provide funding and raise additional capital for scholarships and workforce development programs. Local philanthropist Tom Hagen also contributed to the fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation (GEEDC) is a non-profit economic development organization that funds educational scholarships for BIPOC students, provides annual business grants to nonprofits and businesses for workforce growth, supports pre-apprenticeship trades training in fields such as plumbing, construction, HVAC, and welding, and leases commercial office space at its Erie, Pennsylvania headquarters. All programs are directed at minorities, women, and marginalized citizens in Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Product overview

Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation (GEEDC) offers a unified portfolio of economic development services focused on minorities, women, and marginalized citizens in Erie County. The core offerings consist of educational scholarships (GEEDC Educational Scholarships and the We Believe in Erie Scholarship fund), business grants, pre-apprenticeship training programs in skilled trades, and commercial real estate leasing. These programs work together to reduce barriers to success through educational funding, workforce development, and business support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GEEDC Educational Scholarships

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100,000 awarded annually in scholarships to BIPOC students in Erie County
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• The Erie Community Foundation (ECF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2021The We Believe in Erie Fund is a flagship partnership between GEEDC and The Erie Community Foundation, established on April 30, 2021. The fund provides scholarship assistance for post-secondary education, pre-apprenticeship training, and paid internships. Both organizations committed significant funding to the fund, with GEEDC and ECF working together to bridge gaps caused by economic and racial divides while instilling hope within the community.
• GEECAC (Greater Erie Community Action Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partner organization. GEEDC's founder Benjamin Wiley previously led GECAC (then known as GEAPAC) before co-founding GEEDC. Current CFO Vivian McCullum is a former 26-year employee of GECAC. The organizations share a mission of serving Erie's marginalized communities.
• Blue RockminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page, helping to fund scholarships and grants.
• BTWCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page, helping to fund scholarships and grants.
• ChippersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization and past grant recipient. Listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• NAACP - Erie ChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page, helping to fund scholarships and grants for minority communities.
• Christ Temple of ErieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization (church) listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• Eagles Nest Leadership CorpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• Community Health NetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• JFK CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• MLK CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed on GEEDC's community partners page.
• This Life ForeverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization. Also mentioned in news as a distillery company receiving GEEDC investment for new business opening on Erie's East Side.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization providing education, career exploration, and workforce readiness programming for young people, including marginalized youth. Comparable focus on youth pathways to economic opportunity, though at national scale with paid programming rather than scholarships.
• NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: National civil rights organization with a local Erie chapter that partners with GEEDC. Comparable mission focus on economic advancement, educational equity, and workforce access for minority populations, though operating at vastly larger national scale rather than a single county.
• Urban League of Philadelphia (and broader Urban League movement): National network of affiliates focused on economic empowerment, workforce development, and education for African American and other marginalized communities. Closely aligned with GEEDC's mission of scholarships, job training, and minority business support, operating at city/regional scale rather than single county.

Direct peers

• Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC): Community action agency serving low-income populations in Erie County with workforce, education, and anti-poverty programming. GEEDC's founder R. Benjamin Wiley previously led GECAC and current CFO Vivian McCullum is a 26-year GECAC alumnus, making it the most operationally and historically linked peer in the same space.
• Northwest Workforce Development Board (PA CareerLink): Regional workforce development organization operating in the same northwest Pennsylvania geography, providing job training, pre-apprenticeship pathways, and career services. GEEDC's CFO is connected to PA CareerLink, indicating close programmatic alignment on workforce and trades training.
• United Way of Erie County: Local United Way affiliate that funds and coordinates nonprofit programs addressing education, financial stability, and workforce issues in the same Erie County geography. Directly comparable as a community-focused fundraising and grant-making peer serving overlapping populations.
• The Erie Community Foundation: Regional community foundation that co-funds the We Believe in Erie Fund with GEEDC and shares the same geographic mission of advancing economic and educational equity in Erie County. Most directly comparable as a peer in local philanthropy, scholarship administration, and workforce development grant-making in the same geography.

Emerging players

• Esperanza Inc. (Philadelphia): Hispanic-focused community development organization providing education, workforce training, and economic empowerment in Philadelphia. Comparable mission focus on serving minority and marginalized populations with education and workforce pathways, though at larger metropolitan scale.
• Fund for Excellence (or comparable community scholarship fund): Comparable scholarship and education access nonprofits that pair donor capital with structured tiered awards for underrepresented students. While not in the same Erie geography, Fund for Excellence represents the type of programmatic peer GEEDC could be benchmarked against for scholarship design and outcome measurement.

Regional players

• Erie Downtown Development Corporation: Local economic development organization overseeing a $110M investment in downtown Erie. GEEDC board treasurer Corey Cook serves as Director of Operations & Logistics at EDDC, creating direct leadership overlap. Both pursue community and economic development in Erie, with EDDC focused on place-based and GEEDC on people-based interventions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GEEDC.1974
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geedc
• Instagraminstagram.com/geedc.1974

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation