Equitable Development Action

What Equitable Development Action does

Equitable Development Action (EDACT) is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization founded in 2013 (rebranded from the Minnesota African Coalition in May 2023) that delivers capacity-building programs to BIPOC and immigrant-owned small businesses, emerging nonprofits, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers licensed under Minnesota Statute 245D, Southeast Asian individuals, and underserved families in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Its service portfolio comprises eight programs: the Incubator & Accelerator Program for Nonprofits (IAPN), Underserved Business Support, the EDACT Economic Empowerment Program, the EDACT Training Academy (an online learning platform at academy.edact.org), the Health Equity Program, the Providers Support Program for 245D-licensed HCBS providers, the Empower SEA Program for Southeast Asian workforce and financial empowerment, and the Speaker & Influencer Growth Mindset (SIGM) program. Service delivery combines in-person workshops and one-on-one consultations, virtual sessions via Zoom, online self-service courses through the Training Academy, and signature community events such as the Pan-African US Business & Investment Summit (PAUSBIS). Underlying technology is non-proprietary — standard web platforms, Zoom, Google Forms enrollment, Stripe and PayPal for donations — with the organization's intellectual capital residing in program design, community trust, and partner network rather than software.

EDACT is funded through a mix of state appropriations secured in coalition with partner organizations (cumulatively $29M+ across 2019-2024, primarily routed through the broader coalition rather than EDACT's own budget), donations from individuals and corporate sponsors, grants, and small workforce referral fees from employer partnerships in healthcare and logistics. Programs are delivered at no cost to participants. The organization has incubated 17+ nonprofits, impacted 150+ businesses, trained 200+ participants, and reached 400+ providers, supported by a 9-person staff operating from the Brooklyn Park Small Business Center in Minneapolis. Strategic partners include Stearns Bank (financial literacy and lending access), the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED, technical assistance), the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA, research), and Black Business Enterprises (245D compliance).

Name

Equitable Development Action

Legal name

Equitable Development Action

Website

https://edact.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Equitable Development Action is a Minneapolis nonprofit delivering business development, nonprofit incubation, financial literacy, and 245D HCBS provider compliance programs to BIPOC, immigrant, and underserved communities in the Twin Cities region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked) (EDAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Community economic development
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Small business support
• Financial literacy training
• Workforce empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Appropriations and Grants: EDACT receives state appropriations and grant funding to support programming. Historical appropriations include $20 million for the Small and Micro Business Disaster Relief Fund (2019-2022), $9 million for economic development and services (2023), and $500,000+ in state appropriations for underserved community services (2024).
2. Donations and Sponsorships: EDACT accepts donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations to support program delivery and community impact. The organization offers corporate sponsorship opportunities for events and programs.
3. Workforce Services Revenue: EDACT operates a job board and career placement services, earning referral fees or service fees from employer partnerships for positions in healthcare, logistics, and other sectors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Equitable Development Action (EDACT) is a nonprofit organization that delivers community economic development programs at no cost to underserved BIPOC and immigrant communities in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Its core offerings combine business development support, nonprofit incubation, financial literacy training, workforce empowerment, and health equity services through eight standalone programs including the EDACT Training Academy, IAPN nonprofit incubator, Providers Support Program for HCBS providers, and Empower SEA workforce initiative.

Product overview

Equitable Development Action (EDACT) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community development programs focused on fostering equity and economic inclusion in underserved communities. The organization operates as a multi-program platform consisting of eight distinct programs: Empower SEA Program (Southeast Asian workforce empowerment), Incubator & Accelerator Program for Nonprofits (IAPN), Underserved Business Support, EDACT Economic Empowerment Program, EDACT Training Academy (online learning platform), Health Equity Program, Providers Support Program (for HCBS/245D providers), and Speaker & Influencer Growth Mindset (SIGM). These programs work together to provide comprehensive support including business development, nonprofit incubation, financial literacy training, regulatory compliance support, mentorship, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs, small businesses, nonprofits, and community-based providers in underserved communities across Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EDACT Training Academy: Training platform offering courses for underserved businesses and nonprofits, including financial literacy, compliance, and business development modules.
• Empower SEA Program
• Incubator & Accelerator Program for Nonprofits (IAPN)
• Providers Support Program

Products and services

• Empower SEA Program A two-year workforce and financial empowerment initiative supporting Southeast Asian individuals and business leaders in overcoming barriers to employment, economic participation, and financial stability in Minnesota.
• Incubator & Accelerator Program for Nonprofits (IAPN) Supports individuals and organizations starting, building, or scaling nonprofit work, providing assistance with 501(c)(3) registration, business and program planning, grants navigation, volunteer systems, branding, fiscal sponsorship, training, and ongoing administrative support.
• Underserved Business Support (Business Development Program) Provides business development, technical assistance, and mentorship to help empower and uplift underserved businesses, including support for business registration, planning, branding, marketing, websites, operations, and virtual administrative support.
• EDACT Economic Empowerment Program Economic development initiative focused on fostering equity and economic inclusion through capacity development as a bedrock for building generational wealth in underserved communities.
• EDACT Training Academy Educational platform offering courses for underserved businesses and nonprofits, including financial literacy, capital access, compliance navigation, nonprofit management, and business development training modules.
• Health Equity Program Program supporting health equity initiatives including the Chapter 245D Compliance Program for minority providers, mental health advocacy, and wellness resources for community members.
• Providers Support Program Dedicated to empowering Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers in Minnesota with expert guidance, resources, and hands-on support for operational capacity, service quality, and regulatory compliance including training, licensure consultations, virtual assistance, cost reporting, website development, and branding.
• Speaker & Influencer Growth Mindset (SIGM)

Quantifiable outcome

• 17 nonprofits supported; 150 businesses impacted; 200+ participants trained; 400+ providers reached; $29M+ in appropriations secured for underserved communities

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Minnesota Twin Cities - Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EDACT partnered with CURA to conduct research titled 'Towards Equity – The Struggles and Successes of BIPOC- and Immigrant-Owned Small Businesses.' The research project, led by Griffin McEnery MPP, analyzed systemic barriers and innovative solutions facing marginalized business owners in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EDACT partnered with DEED to deliver technical assistance programs including the Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) and courses through DEED's Technical Assistance Program. EDACT provided technical assistance to 12 minority-owned businesses through this partnership, delivering services under DEED's Paadio Grant Center training.
• Black Business EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EDACT collaborated with Black Business Enterprises to launch the Chapter 245D Compliance Program as part of the Health Equity Program. This initiative helps minority HCBS providers build skills and infrastructure needed to increase quality of services and comply with regulatory requirements.
• Brooklyn Park Small Business Center (BPSBC)coreOthersEDACT is headquartered at BPSBC 7970 Brooklyn Blvd, Ste 25, Minneapolis, MN 55445. The center provides a collaborative space for small business support services in the Brooklyn Center/Brooklyn Park area.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Pillsbury United Communities: A larger Minneapolis-based nonprofit providing community services including workforce development, social services, and economic opportunity programs. Comparable in operating geography and broader community empowerment scope, though EDACT specializes more narrowly in business and nonprofit incubation.
• Hope Community: A Minneapolis-based community development organization providing housing, economic opportunity, and youth programs in North Minneapolis. Comparable in Twin Cities geography and community empowerment mission, though with a stronger housing focus rather than business incubation.
• Main Street Project: A Minneapolis-based nonprofit focused on economic development, small business support, and community wealth building in immigrant and BIPOC communities. Operates in overlapping geography with similar economic empowerment programs targeting underserved populations.
• LISC Twin Cities: Local Initiatives Support Corporation's Twin Cities office is a major CDFI focused on community development, small business lending, and equitable economic development. Operates in the same geography with overlapping equity-focused business support mission, but at significantly greater scale and as part of a national network.

Direct peers

• African Development Center: A Minnesota-based nonprofit serving African immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners with business development, microloans, and culturally tailored support. Directly comparable to EDACT's BIPOC and immigrant business focus, particularly in the Twin Cities.
• Neighborhood Development Center (NDC): NDC is a Twin Cities nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses — particularly in low-income and BIPOC communities — through business training, technical assistance, and lending. It directly overlaps EDACT's Underserved Business Support program in mission and geography.
• Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA): MEDA is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit focused on supporting BIPOC-owned small businesses through consulting, financing, and capacity building in Minnesota. It is the most directly comparable peer, serving an overlapping Twin Cities client base with similar business development and capital access services.
• COPAL Minnesota: COPAL is a Minnesota-based Latino and immigrant community organization providing civic engagement, economic empowerment, and community development services. Directly comparable in mission to serve underserved immigrant communities with economic inclusion programming in the same region.

Broad incumbents

• The Minneapolis Foundation: A major Minneapolis-based community foundation funding economic opportunity, equity, and community development programs across the Twin Cities. While not a direct program-delivery peer, it operates in the same funding ecosystem, channels significant philanthropic capital to BIPOC and immigrant communities, and serves many of the same ultimate beneficiaries as EDACT.
• Grameen America: A national microfinance nonprofit providing small business loans, financial education, and credit-building support to underserved entrepreneurs — primarily women of color. Comparable in target population and financial inclusion mission, but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic reach than EDACT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equitable-development-action-eda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Equitable Development Action