Marin Economic Forum

What Marin Economic Forum does

Marin Economic Forum is a regional, membership-based non-profit economic development organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in San Rafael, California. Its mission is to provide information and collaborative opportunities that improve Marin County's economic vitality while advancing social equity and environmental protection. The organization serves local Marin County businesses, municipal governments and policy makers, and regional partners such as chambers of commerce and civic organizations. Its programmatic work spans business retention, policy advocacy, loan programs, tourism development, commercial real estate vacancy reduction, and technology resources for new businesses, supplemented by public tools including the Marin Recovery Data Tool and the Marin County Economic Vitality Strategic Plan.

The organization operates with a small staff of 11-50 employees and a volunteer board, with no proprietary technology products; its digital presence is a WordPress-based website that serves as the primary information hub. Revenue is generated through a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) accepting custom donations via PayPal, alongside membership fees and event-related income. Major named sponsors include Bank of Marin, Kaiser Permanente, and County of Marin. Distribution is primarily regional within Marin County, delivered via direct membership sales, a free public resources portal, and partner referrals with Working Solutions, Life Science Alliance, and Marin Business Forum.

Marin Economic Forum has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, patents, funding rounds, acquisitions, or public-market activity. Its competitive position rests on two decades of regional brand accumulation and a convening role that national or state-level economic development organizations cannot easily replicate at the local level.

Name

Marin Economic Forum

Legal name

Marin Economic Forum

Website

https://marineconomicforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marin Economic Forum is a non-profit regional economic development organization, founded in 2003 in San Rafael, California, that provides research, policy advocacy, and convening services to Marin County businesses, local government, and civic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Economic Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Administration of General Economic Programs (92611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Regional economic development
• Business retention services
• Policy advocacy
• Economic research reports
• Small business loans

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Marin Economic Forum is a non-profit regional economic development organization serving Marin County, California. It produces economic reports, runs business retention and expansion initiatives, facilitates small-business loan programs, advocates on regional economic policy, promotes local tourism, supports commercial real estate activity, and hosts networking events for the local business community.

Product overview

Marin Economic Forum is a membership-based economic development organization that provides information and collaborative opportunities for improving Marin County's economic vitality. The organization does not offer technology products; instead, it provides services including regional economic reports, the Marin Recovery Data Tool, business retention and loan programs, policy resources, and networking events for its members. The organization's work areas span business retention, policy advocacy, loans, tourism promotion, commercial real estate support, and technology resources for new businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Reports and Research Published regional economic analysis and data products covering the Marin County economy, intended for local businesses, policymakers, and civic stakeholders.
• Business Retention and Expansion Program Programs supporting the retention, growth, and expansion of existing businesses in Marin County through outreach, resources, and advocacy.
• Small Business Loan Facilitation Loan program facilitation connecting eligible Marin County small businesses with financing resources.
• Economic Policy Advocacy Advocacy on local and regional economic policy issues affecting Marin County businesses and the regional economy.
• Tourism Promotion Initiatives to promote tourism to and within Marin County, supporting visitor economy businesses and regional economic activity.
• Commercial Real Estate Support Support services and advocacy related to commercial real estate activity in Marin County, assisting businesses with location, site, and property considerations.
• Member Networking Events Periodic in-person convenings and networking events for Marin Economic Forum members and the broader Marin County business community.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Marin Community Foundation: A Marin-based nonprofit focused on community benefit, social equity, and the environment. Directly comparable as a county-scope mission-driven organization that combines grantmaking, advocacy, and convening around Marin's economic and social vitality.
• Working Solutions: A Marin-based CDFI providing microloans and small business support. Directly comparable as a MEF partner serving the same Marin small business segment with funding, retention, and technical assistance—an adjacent economic development nonprofit.
• Sonoma County Economic Development Board: A county-level economic development organization serving Sonoma County. Closely comparable as a regional EDC delivering business retention, policy advocacy, data reporting, and convening for a Northern California county government and business ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Chamber of Commerce: A city-level chamber providing advocacy, networking, and economic development services to local businesses. Comparable as a membership-driven economic development organization, though operating at city scale with broader resources than MEF.
• Bay Area Council: A regional business association serving the broader nine-county Bay Area. Comparable as a higher-geography economic development and policy advocacy organization that convenes businesses, government, and civic partners—similar model to MEF but at much larger scale.
• Silicon Valley Leadership Group: A regional public-policy trade association focused on economic vitality, housing, transportation, and sustainability across Silicon Valley. Comparable through its triple-bottom-line-style framing and member-driven economic development model.

Regional players

• Napa Valley Vintners: A membership-based nonprofit trade association promoting Napa Valley economic vitality through advocacy, marketing, and convening. Comparable membership-and-convening model applied to a specific county economy, with overlap in tourism and economic-development messaging.
• Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce: A city-level chamber and economic development advocate for Oakland. Comparable as a membership-and-sponsorship-funded nonprofit delivering advocacy, business resources, networking, and policy engagement for a Bay Area business community.
• Greater Sacramento Economic Council: A regional economic development organization leading business attraction, retention, and policy advocacy in the Sacramento region. Directly comparable in mission and program mix—BRE, policy, talent/industry promotion—at a larger multi-county scale.
• East Bay Economic Development Alliance: A regional economic development alliance covering Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Comparable through its sub-state scope, focus on business retention and expansion, policy advocacy, and cross-sector convening of business and civic leaders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marin_econ
• Facebookfacebook.com/marineconomicforum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marin-economic-forum

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 Marin Economic Forum