Columbia Economic Team

What Columbia Economic Team does

Columbia Economic Team is a private and public membership organization headquartered in St. Helens, Oregon, that operates as the de facto economic development agency for Columbia County. Founded in 2010 and rebranded from Columbia County Economic Team in 2021, the organization promotes the creation, retention, growth, and attraction of business and industry throughout the county. Its core programs include the GRO Greater St. Helens Entrepreneurial Navigator for small-business advisory services, the Keep it Local marketing program, small business grant administration (most prominently COVID-19 emergency grants totaling $929,274 across 159 recipients and $258,978 to local hospitality), and tourism promotion via the 'Tourist Money Accepted Here' initiative. CET's underlying technology footprint is minimal — it operates a content website (columbiaeconomicteam.com), social media channels, and an eNews email program, with no proprietary platform, API, or AI components.

CET serves approximately 1,500 small businesses across Columbia County, alongside prospective businesses evaluating the county for relocation or expansion, manufacturing and industrial firms connected to the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC), and tourism-related businesses. Its business model is non-revenue at the end-user level: services are provided at no direct cost to businesses and residents, funded instead through a blend of county appropriations, state grants (notably from Business Oregon), membership dues, and program partnerships with the Port of Columbia County, Columbia Pacific Economic Development District, and other regional stakeholders. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, channeled through direct consultation at the St. Helens office, community events, partner networks, and content marketing. The organization employs approximately 5 staff and is led by Executive Director Paul Vogel.

Name

Columbia Economic Team

Legal name

Columbia Economic Team

Website

https://columbiaeconomicteam.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia Economic Team is a private-public, non-profit economic development organization serving approximately 1,500 small businesses in Columbia County, Oregon through business retention, recruitment, grant administration, and tourism promotion programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business support
• Shop local marketing
• Business attraction
• Tourism promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Helens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Columbia Economic Team is a private/public, membership-driven non-profit economic development organization serving Columbia County, Oregon. It provides economic development services focused on promoting the creation, retention, growth, and attraction of business and industry, including small business grants administration, a Keep it Local shop-local marketing program, the GRO Greater St. Helens entrepreneurial navigator program, and tourism promotion (Visit Columbia County).

Product overview

Columbia Economic Team is a private-public membership organization that serves as the economic development agency for Columbia County, Oregon. The organization offers a suite of programs including economic development services for business recruitment and retention, the 'Keep it Local' marketing program to support local businesses, the GRO Greater St. Helens Entrepreneurial Navigator service for small business development, small business grant programs (including COVID-19 relief), and tourism promotion initiatives. Rather than a technology product company, it provides economic development services and programs to foster business growth and community prosperity in the county.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Development Services Core program promoting the creation, retention, growth, and attraction of business and industry in Columbia County, Oregon, offered at no direct cost to existing local businesses, prospective relocating firms, and entrepreneurs.
• Keep it Local Program Shop-local marketing initiative that promotes local retailers, makers, and producers within Columbia County, Oregon, helping them reach customers through the CET storefront and tourism channels.
• GRO Greater St. Helens Entrepreneurial Navigator Entrepreneur support service that guides aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders through the process of starting a business in Columbia County, providing navigation and connections to local resources.
• Small Business Grants Administration Program in which CET administers Business Oregon small business grants, including emergency relief (e.g., COVID-era relief totaling $929,274 to 159 small businesses), on behalf of small businesses in Columbia County.
• Tourism Promotion (Visit Columbia County) Tourism promotion program that markets Columbia County, Oregon as a visitor destination, including associated 'Drink it Columbia, Smoke it Columbia' theming, supporting local hospitality and tourism-related businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed $929,274 in grants to 159 small businesses and nonprofits during COVID-19 pandemic
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 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, flagship and minor.

• Wauna Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 September 2021Partner in the Keep it Local Columbia County marketing program. Co-sponsor of $1500 grant for Small Business Week celebration, providing financial support for local business promotion and appreciation initiatives.
• InRoads Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 September 2021Partner in the Keep it Local Columbia County marketing program. Co-sponsor of $1500 grant for Small Business Week celebration, supporting local business visibility and appreciation.
• OMIC/PCC Training CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2021Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center and Portland Community College Training Center partner for workforce development and training initiatives supporting manufacturing sector growth in Columbia County.
• Northwest Oregon WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2021Regional workforce development partner supporting employment and training services for local businesses and job seekers in the Columbia County area.
• Port of Columbia CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on small business grant fund and PPE program during COVID-19 pandemic. Local government entity committed to economic development and collecting zero taxes for the next fiscal year to support taxpayers.
• Columbia Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly administered early rounds of emergency small business grants with CCET, providing comprehensive economic development services across the region.
• Columbia County CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal creators and ongoing sustainers of CET. Provided matching funds for Round 1 emergency grants and continue to support the organization for county growth and investment.
• Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntentional placement in Columbia County to fuel innovative research, development and training for future generations of global manufacturing and workforce development for Oregon, the nation and the world.
• Business OregoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerState agency that funded Rounds 1 and 2 of emergency small business grants administered by CCET and Columbia Pacific Economic Development District.
• Greater St. Helens GROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurial ecosystem development initiative managed by Columbia Economic Team, connecting entrepreneurs with resources and support services in the greater St. Helens area.
• Local Governments (Cities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with cities to change ordinances and turn sidewalks and streets into dining and business space during pandemic recovery efforts.
• Dean Runyan AssociatesminorOthersResearch firm providing Oregon travel and tourism economic impact data cited by Columbia Economic Team for tourism development planning.
• Travel OregonminorOthersState tourism organization providing economic impact reports and tourism research data used for local tourism strategy development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Port of Portland: Regional port authority that supports industrial recruitment, workforce development, and infrastructure in the Portland region. Adjacent peer as a public-sector economic development actor with similar industrial and workforce focus, though anchored in transportation infrastructure.
• Oregon Business Council: Statewide business advocacy organization representing Oregon employers on policy. Comparable in stakeholder convening role and in representing the private-sector voice on economic competitiveness, though operating at the statewide advocacy level rather than county service delivery.
• St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union / Wauna Credit Union: Local credit union partners in CET's Keep it Local marketing program and Small Business Week grants. Comparable as a community-focused financial institution supporting small business visibility and access to capital in Columbia County.

Broad incumbents

• Travel Oregon: State tourism agency that provides economic impact research used by CET for tourism strategy. Operates the broader statewide tourism marketing and development function that CET implements locally through its Tourist Money Accepted Here program.
• Business Oregon: State of Oregon's economic development agency that funded Rounds 1 and 2 of CET's emergency grant programs. Functions as the statewide umbrella for the type of business finance, infrastructure, and workforce programs CET delivers locally.

Direct peers

• Lane County Economic Development: County-level economic development programming in Lane County, Oregon, supporting business retention, workforce development, and site selection. Comparable in serving a non-metro Oregon county with similar small-business and manufacturing focus.
• SEDCOR (Strategic Economic Development Corporation): Salem-area regional economic development organization supporting business retention, recruitment, and workforce development in Oregon. Highly comparable structure and program mix to CET, focused on a defined sub-state region with public-private funding.
• Columbia Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac): Regional economic development district covering Columbia, Clatsop, and Tillamook counties. Co-administrator of COVID-19 emergency grants with CET and serves the same Northwest Oregon small-business and workforce market with nearly identical consulting and convening capabilities.
• Greater Portland Inc (GPI): Public-private economic development organization for the Portland metro region. Direct comparable in mission, structure, and program areas (business recruitment, retention, advocacy), though operating at a larger metro scale rather than a single rural county.
• Clackamas County Business & Economic Development: County-level economic development function within Clackamas County government offering business assistance, retention, and attraction. Closest structural analog to CET as a county-scoped EDO serving small businesses and site-selection clients in Oregon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/economicteam
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColumbiaEconomicTeam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-economic-team

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Columbia Economic Team