Name

Ohio Economic Development Association

Legal name

Ohio Economic Development Association

Website

https://ohioeda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

OER Quality Review, Alignment & Certification (rubrics/standards) (EDAGAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Change Management & Organizational Development (OD) Training (EDABAIAJ)

Keywords

• Economic development association
• Professional development courses
• Economic developer certification
• Legislative advocacy services
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Worthington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual individual memberships at $330/year, multi-member discounts at $240/year for 2nd and subsequent members from the same organization, retiree memberships at $100/year, student memberships at $25/year. Membership is calendar-year-based and constitutes the primary recurring revenue stream.
2. Job Board Postings: Job postings on ohioeda.com are free for OEDA members and charged at $100 per posting for non-members. Postings are listed on the website within 3 business days of receipt.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from the Annual Summit, Legislative Conference, Ohio Basic Economic Development Course, and core OEDI courses. Members receive 20% discount on the Annual Summit. Investment/sponsorship revenue from partner organizations also supports events.
4. Partner/Investor Sponsorship: OEDA generates revenue from corporate and organizational partners at investment levels ranging from $2,500 to $25,000. Partners are categorized as Leadership Circle, Diamond Level, Platinum Level, and Silver Level sponsors. Partner investors gain visibility with economic development decision-makers across Ohio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

OEDA is a professional membership association that delivers Ohio-specific economic development training, certification (OhioCED), advocacy, and networking services to economic development practitioners across Ohio's 88 counties. Core offerings include the Ohio Basic Economic Development Course, five OEDI core courses, the Annual Summit (400+ attendees), the Legislative Conference, a weekly OEDA Express newsletter, a monthly e-newsletter, and legislative updates for members.

Product overview

OEDA (Ohio Economic Development Association) is a professional association for economic development practitioners, not a software product company. Its 'products and services' consist of professional development programming and membership services delivered through a website platform. The core offerings include: the Ohio Basic Economic Development Course and five OEDI Core Courses (Finance & Incentives, BRE, Site Development, Workforce & Talent, Real Estate Development) that together form the pathway to the Ohio Certified Economic Developer (OhioCED) credential; signature events including the Annual Summit (400+ attendees, 6 tracks, learning labs) and Legislative Conference; member benefits including the OEDA Express weekly newsletter (100+ updates), OEDA Exchanges podcast, and legislative updates; and the Jobs Board and monthly e-newsletter serving 600+ professionals. The association is organized as a membership-based nonprofit, with memberships ranging from $25 (students) to $330 (individual) per year. Technical infrastructure includes Wild Apricot membership software and JotForm for form submissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ohio Economic Development Institute (OEDI): Ohio's premier continuing education program for economic development professionals seeking advanced, state-specific training, offering the Ohio Certified Economic Developer (OhioCED) credential.

Products and services

• Ohio Basic Economic Development Course Ohio's premier introductory training for economic development professionals, community leaders, and local government officials, offering intensive foundational knowledge and serving as the first step in Ohio economic development training.
• OEDI Core Courses Five two-day Ohio-specific training courses covering Business Retention & Expansion, Finance & Incentives, Real Estate Development, Workforce & Talent, and Site Development & Site Selection, forming the pathway to the OhioCED credential.
• Ohio Certified Economic Developer (OhioCED) Credential Professional certification awarded through the Ohio Economic Development Institute demonstrating mastery of economic development principles; one of only seven state-level economic developer certification programs in the U.S.
• OEDA Annual Summit Premier annual gathering of Ohio's economic development community with 400+ attendees, 30+ sessions across six tracks, networking events, learning labs, and keynotes featuring industry leaders.
• OEDA Legislative Conference Spring policy event bringing together economic developers, legislators, and state/federal policy leaders for advocacy, education, and direct engagement on Ohio economic development priorities.
• OEDA Individual Membership Calendar-year individual memberships at $330/year with multi-member discounts ($240/year for 2nd+ members), retiree memberships at $100/year, and student memberships at $25/year; includes access to courses, events, legislative updates, and the OEDA Express weekly newsletter.
• OEDA Jobs Board Online job board for economic development professional positions; free for OEDA members and $100 per posting for non-members, promoted through the monthly e-newsletter to 600+ professionals.
• OEDA E-Newsletter (Monthly) Monthly electronic newsletter distributed to 600+ economic development professionals across Ohio, featuring statewide news, project announcements, jobs, events, and member articles.
• OEDA Express (Weekly Updates) Member-only weekly newsletter providing 100+ updates from around the state, including curated Jobs, Events, Projects, Programs, a Hot Topic of the Week, and 5 Key Things to Know.
• OEDA Exchanges (Podcast) Member-only podcast-style discussions on critical economic development topics, providing ongoing education and insight between events.
• Legislative Updates & Advocacy Monthly legislative updates, breaking news on key bills, and advocacy representation at the Ohio Statehouse for members; includes member surveys for community priorities and the Ohio Forward Policy Agenda.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 members representing all 88 Ohio counties
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• JobsOhioflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobsOhio is the state's private, uniquely structured economic development organization. It is a Leadership Circle partner of OEDA and co-develops the Ohio Economic Development Institute (OEDI) with OEDA and Ohio University Voinovich School. JobsOhio provides funding support for OEDI training programs and participates in OEDA events and governance (Drew Cooper serves as Economic Development Director on OEDA's Board).
• Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio University's Voinovich School co-developed OEDI with OEDA and JobsOhio. The program delivers high-quality, Ohio-specific instruction tailored to intermediate and advanced economic development practitioners. The Voinovich School contributes academic credibility and instructional expertise to the Ohio CED certification curriculum.
• Bennett Association Management, LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBennett Association Management is a Columbus-based firm that provides operational and logistical support to OEDA including membership management (Sharon Erichsen), finance (Erika Levine), and operations (Mandy Aquilina, Managing Director). Founded in 2017, Bennett is described as providing vital support for delivering value to OEDA members.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): National professional association for economic developers, including practitioners, organizations, and students. IEDC is the umbrella body of which OEDA's leaders (e.g., Mark Barbash, IEDC Fellow) are members; it sets professional standards, hosts the IEDC Annual Conference, and offers the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential that competes with OhioCED at the national level.

Direct peers

• Tennessee Economic Development Council (TEDC): Statewide association providing professional development, training, networking, and advocacy for Tennessee economic development professionals. TEDC follows the same member-based association model as OEDA, hosting an annual conference, certification pathways, and legislative engagement.
• Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC): Texas's professional association of economic developers offering certification, annual conference, professional development, and policy advocacy. TEDC is one of the largest state EDAs by member count and a direct structural peer to OEDA.
• Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA): Statewide professional association for economic developers in Georgia, offering professional development, certification, advocacy, networking events, and an annual conference. GEDA mirrors OEDA's structure, mission, and revenue model in a different state and is one of the largest state EDAs in the U.S.
• Pennsylvania Economic Development Association (PEDA): Membership organization serving Pennsylvania's economic development community through training, certification, an annual conference, and advocacy at the state capitol. PEDA is a structural peer to OEDA in scope, governance, and service mix.
• Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA): Michigan's professional association for economic developers, providing training, an annual conference, advocacy, and member networking. MEDA is comparable in mission, geography (industrial Midwest), and service portfolio to OEDA.
• Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA): Indiana's statewide association for economic development professionals, offering networking, professional education, an annual conference, and advocacy. IEDA is a direct state-level peer to OEDA with comparable member services and a similar Midwestern-state footprint.
• North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA): Statewide professional association for North Carolina's economic development practitioners, delivering professional development, advocacy, an annual conference, and certification support. NCEDA is among the largest and most established state EDAs, comparable to OEDA in scope and ambition.
• Illinois Economic Development Association (IEDA-IL): Illinois-based membership association supporting economic development professionals through training, networking, and advocacy. IEDA-IL is a structural state-level peer to OEDA serving a similarly industrial Midwest base.

Others

• JobsOhio: Ohio's private, state-funded economic development organization that markets the state, manages incentive programs, and partners with regional network partners. JobsOhio is simultaneously OEDA's flagship partner, a Leadership Circle sponsor, and a co-developer of the OEDI curriculum, making it the most strategically linked counterparty rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oeda
• Xx.com/ohioeda
• Facebookfacebook.com/ohioeda

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ohio Economic Development Association