What Mid-Columbia Economic Development District does

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) is a government non-profit economic development organization founded in 1969 and federally designated as an Economic Development Administration District in 1970. It is organized as an ORS-190 entity in Oregon and under RCW 39.34.010 in Washington, governed by a 23-member public-private board. MCEDD serves a six-county bi-state region — Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam Counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington — and explicitly positions itself as the only regionally focused economic development agency in the Mid-Columbia. Its stated mission is to promote family-wage job creation, economic diversification, and business growth and retention across the district.

MCEDD's core service lines are: (1) business lending through three administered revolving loan funds (MCEDD, Oregon Investment Board, and Mount Hood Economic Alliance) offering $1,000-$250,000+ at 7.5%-11% interest with a 1.5% loan fee, having originated 330+ loans totaling $24M+ and supported creation or retention of nearly 2,700 jobs; (2) the North Central Oregon Attainable Housing Development Revolving Loan Program seeded with $2M in state funds for workforce housing; (3) The Link Public Transit, a deviated fixed-route, dial-a-ride, and shuttle service in Wasco County assumed in 2018; (4) the Mid-Columbia Innovation Hub, launched in 2024 with Business Oregon; (5) CPACE commercial clean-energy financing for Hood River and Sherman Counties; (6) brownfield revitalization via a 2023 EPA-funded $1M coalition; and (7) grant administration, infrastructure planning, CEDS strategy work, and economic resiliency resources for member governments.

Revenue is generated through federal EDA and USDA Rural Development grants, state appropriations (Business Oregon, Washington Department of Commerce), member-county and city/port contributions, loan interest and origination fees, transit fares ($1 fixed route, $2 dial-a-ride, $40 adult/$20 child annual Gorge Transit Pass), and pass-through program administration. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; it operates standard third-party tools (Token Transit, Zoom, Constant Contact, Get There Connect). Distribution is direct-to-customer through staff-led underwriting and board-approved loans, complemented by SBDC, chamber, and county referral networks.

Name

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District

Legal name

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District

Website

https://mcedd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District is a federally designated, government non-profit economic development district providing business and housing loans, public transit, grant administration, and regional planning across a six-county bi-state region of Oregon and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business loans
• Public transit operations
• Grant administration
• Housing development financing

Headquarters

HQ city

The Dalles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Grant Funding: MCEDD receives federal designation and funding from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) and USDA Rural Development. These grants support their economic development programs and loan funds.
2. State and Local Funding: Funding from member counties, cities, ports, and chambers of commerce. Support from Business Oregon and Washington Department of Commerce for various programs.
3. Loan Program Administration: MCEDD manages three business loan funds (MCEDD, Oregon Investment Board, Mount Hood Economic Alliance) providing loans from $1,000 to $250,000+ at interest rates of 7.5%-11%. Revenue generated through loan fees and interest.
4. Public Transit Operations: MCEDD operates The Link Public Transit in Wasco County, providing fixed route, dial-a-ride, and shuttle services. Revenue from fares including Gorge Transit Pass sales ($40/year adult, $20/year child).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MCEDD is a government non-profit economic development organization that provides small business financing through three managed loan funds (MCEDD, Oregon Investment Board, and Mount Hood Economic Alliance), attainable housing development loans, public transit services (The Link) in Wasco County, grant administration for local governments, and regional coordination across a six-county bi-state area of Oregon and Washington. The organization also supports infrastructure planning, brownfield revitalization, and an Innovation Hub for traded-sector businesses.

Product overview

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) is a government non-profit organization offering a coordinated portfolio of economic development products and services across a six-county bi-state region. The core offerings include three distinct business loan programs (MCEDD Business Loans, Oregon Investment Board, and Mount Hood Economic Alliance), the North Central Oregon Attainable Housing Development Revolving Loan Program, and The Link Public Transit system. Supporting services include the Mid-Columbia Innovation Hub, CPACE financing, infrastructure planning, brownfield revitalization, grant administration, economic resiliency resources, and business training programs. The CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) serves as the overarching five-year strategic framework uniting all initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MCEDD Business Loans Small business revolving loan program providing accessible, affordable capital for projects that create or retain jobs, managed through three lending sources: MCEDD, Oregon Investment Board, and Mount Hood Economic Alliance. Loans range from $1,000 to $250,000+ at 7.5%-11% interest with a 1.5% loan fee.
• North Central Oregon Attainable Housing Development Revolving Loan Program Flexible financing for housing development and rehabilitation in Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco Counties targeting 60-120% of median family income to address regional workforce housing shortages. Seeded with $2 million in state funds.
• The Link Public Transit Public transportation provider operating deviated fixed routes, dial-a-ride, shuttle services, and shopping buses in Wasco County, Oregon, with connections to regional transit providers including Columbia Area Transit, Mt. Adams Transportation Services, and Skamania County Transit.
• Gorge Transit Pass Annual transit pass offering unlimited rides on Columbia Area Transit, The Link Public Transit, Mt. Adams Transportation Services, and Skamania County Transit, including connections to Portland and Vancouver. Priced at $40/year for adults and $20/year for children under 17.
• Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Five-year regional strategic framework developed by MCEDD following US Economic Development Administration guidelines, guiding economic development goals, strategies, and actions for the bi-state region. The current CEDS covers 2022-2027.
• Mid-Columbia Innovation Hub Innovation initiative bringing Business Oregon's Innovation Initiative to the region, providing business networking events, resources, and support for innovators and traded-sector businesses. Staffed by a Venture Catalyst with monthly networking events.
• Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) Program administered by MCEDD for Hood River and Sherman Counties allowing commercial property owners to obtain long-term, low-interest financing from private capital providers for qualified energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
• Grant Administration Services Federal grant administration support including record keeping, labor standards compliance, and reporting for small communities, plus grant writing and income surveys for local governments.
• Infrastructure Planning Regional infrastructure project prioritization and support covering broadband, water/wastewater, community facilities, brownfield revitalization, and transportation infrastructure for the six-county region.
• Brownfield Revitalization Coalition EPA-funded coalition providing environmental site assessments, building materials surveys, cleanup planning, and reuse planning for brownfield properties in Wasco, Sherman, Hood River, Klickitat, and Skamania counties. Coalition received a $1,000,000 EPA grant in 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 330 loans totaling over $24 million to businesses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

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

• Oregon Investment Board (OIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCEDD staff manage small business revolving loan funds held by the Oregon Investment Board, which lends within the Oregon side of the National Scenic Area. OIB provides emergency relief loans of up to $35,000 for Oregon businesses.
• Mount Hood Economic Alliance (MHEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCEDD staff manage small business revolving loan funds held by the Mount Hood Economic Alliance, which lends within Clackamas, Hood River and Wasco Counties in Oregon.
• Columbia Gorge Community College SBDCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall Business Development Center at Columbia Gorge Community College assists small businesses in preparing to apply for financing and refers many small businesses to MCEDD.
• Skamania-Klickitat Small Business Development CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington SBDC location in Goldendale assists small businesses in the Washington counties with financing preparation and refers clients to MCEDD.
• Gorge TransLink AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of rural public transportation providers, human service organizations, and public planning agencies formed in 2010. MCEDD convenes and coordinates the Alliance through its regional Mobility Manager. Includes CAT, The Link, Mount Adams Transportation Services, and Skamania County Transit.
• Columbia Area Transit (CAT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransit partner providing regional connections. The Link connects to CAT's Columbia Gorge Express service from Hood River to Portland.
• Mount Adams Transportation ServicesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransit partner serving the region. Connection available through The Link to access Goldendale and bus route loops.
• Commute OptionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEastern Oregon-based nonprofit offering alternative commute programs. MCEDD's Mobility Manager supports Commute Options programs including Get There Rewards and vanpooling support for Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman County employers.
• Hood River County Energy CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-led advisory body supporting Hood River County Energy Plan implementation. MCEDD staffs the Energy Council and provides professional economic development, grant management, and project management support.
• Innovation Hub PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCEDD partnered with Business Oregon to bring the state's Innovation Initiative to communities. Launched Mid-Columbia Innovation Hub in 2024, with monthly business networking events on 2nd Thursday of each month.
• Columbia Cascade Housing CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the brownfields coalition formed in 2023 with Wasco County, Sherman County, and Klickitat County. Coalition received $1,000,000 EPA grant for environmental site assessment and revitalization services.
• StantecmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm advising the brownfields assessment coalition with implementing the EPA-funded program to provide environmental site assessment and other services for brownfield properties.
• Columbia River InterTribal Fish CommissionminorOthersBuck Jones, Field Marketing Specialist in the Salmon Marketing Division, serves on MCEDD Board representing Tribal Business interests.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments: Oregon-based regional council of governments that administers economic development and planning programs across Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties. Directly comparable multi-county structure and federal grant administration role to MCEDD.
• Skagit Council of Governments: Washington-state council of governments providing regional planning, transportation, and economic development coordination. Directly comparable in its multi-jurisdiction Washington regional coordination function, particularly to MCEDD's Washington-side (Klickitat/Skamania) operations.
• Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council: EDA-designated regional organization in Oregon delivering workforce, economic development, and community services to a multi-county region. Closely comparable in mission (rural economic and community development) and in reliance on federal/state funding streams.
• Northeast Oregon Economic Development District: Another EDA-designated Economic Development District serving rural Oregon counties, providing small business lending, grant administration, and regional coordination under the same federal framework as MCEDD. Directly comparable in mandate, scale, and funding model.
• Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments: Regional council of governments serving Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties in Oregon, providing economic development, community development, and grant administration. Comparable to MCEDD as a multi-county regional economic and community development entity in Oregon.

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations: Trade association representing the nation's EDA-designated Economic Development Districts, including MCEDD. Relevant as an ecosystem participant that advocates for district-level federal funding and provides peer benchmarking, rather than as a competing service provider.
• Business Oregon: State of Oregon's economic development agency that funds and partners with MCEDD's programs (Innovation Hub, Rural Opportunity Grants, Brownfields, EDLF). Relevant as an upstream funder and ecosystem participant rather than a competing local provider.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation: National nonprofit providing financing, training, and capacity-building to rural communities in the western U.S. Comparable in its rural community development focus and reliance on federal grants (USDA, EPA, HUD), though its scope is multi-state rather than sub-regional.

Broad incumbents

• Coastal Enterprises Inc. Long-established CDFI serving rural and small-business borrowers in Maine with lending and business assistance services. Comparable to MCEDD's loan programs but operating at significantly larger scale and with broader commercial funding access.
• LiftFund: National CDFI providing small business loans and coaching, including in underserved rural markets. Comparable in its small-business lending mission and community development orientation, though at materially larger scale and geographic breadth than MCEDD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/midcolumbiaedd
• Facebookfacebook.com/midcolumbiaedd
• Instagraminstagram.com/midcolumbiaedd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-columbia-economic-development-district

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mid-Columbia Economic Development District