Prince William Sound Economic Development District

What Prince William Sound Economic Development District does

Prince William Sound Economic Development District (PWSEDD) is a regional economic development organization and federally-designated U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Economic Development District, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Cordova, Alaska. PWSEDD serves five communities in the Prince William Sound region — Chenega, Cordova, Tatitlek, Valdez, and Whittier — collectively representing approximately 6,700 residents and four key industries (oil distribution, seafood, marine transportation and support services, and tourism and outdoor recreation). As of 2024, the organization operates with a four-person staff led by Executive Director Kristin Smith.

PWSEDD's core product is the federally-mandated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), a five-year regional planning document that serves as the prerequisite for federal economic development funding eligibility across the service area. Beyond CEDS, PWSEDD delivers a portfolio of planning services including housing needs assessments, climate adaptation studies (in partnership with NOAA), ferry authority feasibility analysis, business resiliency training, and a pilot kelp processing operation. It also operates programs in community gardening, childcare workforce development, and clean energy transition. Products are delivered as professional services and stakeholder convening rather than as software; the PWS Data Dashboard is a regional economic metrics monitoring tool. PWSEDD does not sell products commercially and does not charge communities for its services.

PWSEDD's revenue model is government-grant dependent, with three primary streams: recurring EDA funding as a designated Economic Development District (requiring CEDS maintenance), project-specific grants from federal and state agencies (HUD, NOAA, DOE, Denali Commission), and a smaller stream of charitable contributions and donations solicited via Stripe on its website. The organization is structured as a 501(c)-style nonprofit (EIN 92-0137903) with regional/public ownership, governed through a regional planning process that convenes municipal and tribal governments, businesses, and residents. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: public meetings, surveys, focus groups, working groups, and partnerships with the Alaska SBDC, SBA, University of Alaska, and other regional resource organizations.

Name

Prince William Sound Economic Development District

Legal name

Prince William Sound Economic Development District

Website

https://pwsedd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prince William Sound Economic Development District is a federally-designated Economic Development District serving five Alaska communities (Chenega, Cordova, Tatitlek, Valdez, Whittier), providing regional planning, CEDS development, grant facilitation, and community development services to approximately 6,700 residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Regional economic development
• Comprehensive economic development strategy
• Community development planning
• Housing needs assessment
• Climate adaptation planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cordova

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) Funding: PWSEDD receives federal funding as an Economic Development District through the U.S. Economic Development Administration, which requires development and maintenance of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) plans.
2. Grants and Program Funding: The organization secures grant funding from various federal and state sources for specific projects including housing assessments, climate adaptation planning, kelp processing infrastructure, and childcare initiatives.
3. Member Contributions and Donations: PWSEDD accepts charitable contributions from individuals and organizations to support regional planning, economic development projects, and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prince William Sound Economic Development District is a regional nonprofit economic development organization that delivers regional planning, the federally-required Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), housing needs assessments, climate adaptation planning, ferry authority feasibility analysis, and community development initiatives for five Prince William Sound communities. Its work is funded primarily through federal EDA grants, state and federal program grants, and charitable contributions, and is delivered at no direct charge to municipal, tribal, business, and community stakeholders in the region.

Product overview

Prince William Sound Economic Development District (PWSEDD) is a regional economic development organization established in 1991 that serves five communities (Chenega, Cordova, Tatitlek, Valdez, and Whittier) in Alaska. Rather than offering a unified software product, PWSEDD provides a portfolio of planning services and initiatives including the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) planning framework, a regional data dashboard, housing needs assessments, climate adaptation planning, ferry authority feasibility studies, kelp processing operations, community gardens, business resiliency training, childcare support programs, and energy transition initiatives. These services are delivered through partnerships with federal agencies (EDA, NOAA, HUD), state organizations, universities, and community stakeholders to foster economic growth and responsible development in the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Economic Development Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 38 innovation projects funded through Alaska Mariculture Cluster since August 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, major and minor.

• GreenWavecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD partnered with GreenWave, a global network of regenerative ocean farmers, to develop kelp processing infrastructure. GreenWave provides technical expertise and support for operating a pilot kelp processing line in Cordova that will process 20,000 lbs. of wet kelp into dry format in spring 2025.
• Copper River Watershed ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Copper River Watershed Project for the Cordova Community Garden initiative. The partnership manages 30 raised garden beds and a compost operation that has absorbed 1,800 lbs. of food waste.
• Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPWSEDD contracted with Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to provide technical assistance for housing stock improvement across Prince William Sound communities.
• McKinley Research GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPWSEDD engaged McKinley Research Group to conduct comprehensive Housing Needs Assessments for Chenega, Cordova, Tatitlek, Valdez, and Whittier, producing detailed community-specific analyses and recommendations.
• McKinley Research Group and Coastwise CorporationmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPWSEDD engaged McKinley Research Group and Coastwise Corporation to conduct a feasibility study for a Regional Ferry Authority to assess alternatives to Alaska Marine Highway System service, including traffic/revenue analysis, cost analysis, and financial feasibility.
• NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD partners with NOAA's Dr. Marysia Szymkowiak and the Gulf of Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project to assess climate vulnerabilities of Prince William Sound fisheries and develop adaptation strategies for Cordova's fishing economy.
• Alaska Energy Hub / Alaska Municipal LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD participates in the Alaska Energy Hub, established by the Alaska Municipal League, which connects community and energy project leaders to funding sources from U.S. Department of Energy and Denali Commission.
• Scenarios Network for Alaska (SNAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD partners with SNAP at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to help communities adjust to climate change through data and scenario planning tools.
• thread (Alaska Childcare Resource and Referral Network)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPWSEDD collaborates with thread, Alaska's statewide childcare resource and referral network, to support childcare provider licensing and QI grant funding opportunities for rural communities.
• Alaska Blue Economy Center (ABEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABEC serves as a platform connecting Alaskans to resources, expertise, and best practices in Blue Economy sectors across and outside the state.
• Alaska Mariculture ClustercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD is part of the Alaska Mariculture Cluster focused on developing and supporting Alaska's mariculture industry including shellfish, seaweed, and aquaculture products, which has funded 38 innovation projects since August 2023.
• University of Alaska Center for Economic DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD partners with University of Alaska's Center for Economic Development to craft the 2026-2031 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
• Alaska State ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWSEDD works with Alaska State Parks on the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), developing regional chapters for outdoor recreation projects.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PWSEDD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prince-william-sound-economic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Prince William Sound Economic Development District