Ohio Lake Erie Commission

What Ohio Lake Erie Commission does

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission (OLEC) is a state government agency of Ohio, established in 1992 under ORC Sections 1506.21-1506.24, tasked with preserving Lake Erie's natural resources, protecting water quality and the ecosystem, and promoting regional economic development through coordinated state policy. The commission is composed of directors from six state agencies (Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Transportation, and Ohio Department of Development), five governor-appointed members, and two ex-officio Great Lakes Protection Fund board members, supported by a five-person staff led by Executive Director Joy Mulinex. Its mandate spans water quality, toxic substances control, coastal resource management, and Areas of Concern coordination, with milestones including the July 2026 removal of the final Beneficial Use Impairment at the Black River AOC.

OLEC's core offerings are environmental grant programs rather than commercial products. The flagship Lake Erie Protection Fund, capitalized by a $15 surcharge on each Lake Erie specialty license plate and direct donations, has distributed more than $12 million to over 365 projects since 1993, with typical grants of $45,000–$50,000 to governments, research institutions, and nonprofits. Larger GLRI-funded programs layer on top: the Lake Erie Community Grant ($150,000–$350,000 per project) and the now-concluded Lake Erie Ohio Communities and Coastal Resiliency Grant ($893,000 to seven communities in 2024). Operational technology is minimal — the public-facing site runs on IBM WebSphere Portal via the Innovate Ohio Platform, with WCAG 2.0 AA compliance and a working-target WCAG 2.1 AA deadline of April 2027. No proprietary software, AI, or data products are disclosed.

The business model is that of a state grant administrator rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue is sourced from license plate surcharges, tax-deductible donations (PayPal and check), and federal pass-throughs via the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (USEPA). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: OLEC runs quarterly public commission meetings, an annual Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest (34th year in 2026), a one-time America250 photo contest, and partnership-mediated outreach through equity organizations (Black Environmental Leaders Association, Rural Action) targeting underserved Lake Erie watershed communities. Recipients include Cleveland Metroparks, Chagrin River Watershed Partners, City of East Cleveland, City of Bay Village, West Creek Conservancy, and Ohio Sea Grant, among others.

Name

Ohio Lake Erie Commission

Legal name

Ohio Lake Erie Commission

Website

https://lakeerie.ohio.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is an Ohio state agency, established 1992, that coordinates Lake Erie protection policy and administers environmental grant programs — including the Lake Erie Protection Fund, GLRI-funded community grants, and coastal resiliency awards — to watershed communities, local governments, nonprofits, and research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Environmental Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Environmental grant funding
• Watershed restoration programs
• Coastal resiliency grants
• Water quality protection
• Lake ecosystem management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lake Erie License Plate Sales: Each specialty Lake Erie license plate purchased contributes $15 directly to the Lake Erie Protection Fund, supporting local projects for Lake Erie.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal and check to support Lake Erie protection and restoration projects.
3. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Grants: Federal funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative administered by USEPA, providing funding for Lake Erie protection and restoration projects.
4. Lake Erie Protection Fund Grants: Grant program distributing funds ($45,000-$50,000 per grant) to units of government, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations for Lake Erie projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is a State of Ohio government agency that administers environmental grant programs and coordinates state policy for the protection and restoration of Lake Erie and its watershed. Its core offerings are competitive grant programs (Lake Erie Protection Fund, Lake Erie Community Grant, Lake Erie Ohio Communities and Coastal Resiliency Grant) that fund research, shoreline protection, habitat restoration, and water quality projects, along with the Lake Erie License Plate Program and Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest that generate funds and public engagement.

Product overview

Ohio Lake Erie Commission operates primarily as a government agency managing environmental grant programs rather than a traditional product company. The organization's offerings consist of: the Lake Erie Protection Fund providing grants ($45,000-$50,000) for research and restoration projects; the Lake Erie Community Grant program ($150,000-$350,000) for watershed protection through Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding; the Lake Erie Ohio Communities and Coastal Resiliency Grant focused on shoreline protection; the Lake Erie License Plate Program generating donations; and the Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest for public engagement. These programs collectively aim to protect and restore Lake Erie's water quality, ecosystems, and coastal communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lake Erie Protection Fund: A fund established to finance research and on-the-ground projects aimed at protecting, preserving, and restoring Lake Erie and its watershed
• Lake Erie Community Grant
• Lake Erie Ohio Communities and Coastal Resiliency Grant (LECCR)
• Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest
• America's Story - Lake Erie's Legacy

Products and services

• Lake Erie Protection Fund Grant Competitive grant program providing $45,000-$50,000 per project to units of government, research institutions, and nonprofit organizations for research and on-the-ground projects to protect, preserve, and restore Lake Erie and its watershed.
• Lake Erie Community Grant Grant program funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) supporting mid-size projects ($150,000-$350,000) that address local environmental issues within Ohio's Lake Erie watershed, including water quality, habitat restoration, and community resiliency.
• Lake Erie Ohio Communities and Coastal Resiliency Grant (LECCR) Grant program focused on reducing shoreline erosion, increasing shoreline stability and habitat, and protecting communities along Lake Erie from changing water levels; in 2024 awarded $893,000 to seven Ohio shoreline communities.
• Lake Erie License Plate Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $12 million distributed to more than 365 projects since 1993
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Black Environmental Leaders AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquity partner helping to ensure funding reaches communities most in need. Brings valuable expertise and strong connections to local communities, helping direct resources where they are needed using deep knowledge and relationships.
• Rural ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquity partner with valuable expertise and strong connections to local communities, helping to direct resources to underserved communities in the Lake Erie watershed.
• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)coreOthersFederal funding program providing resources for Lake Erie protection and restoration through the USEPA. The Lake Erie Community Grant Program is funded through GLRI.
• Cedar PointminorOthersDonates gift certificates as prizes for the Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest.
• Ohio Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Taste of Ohio's Best Made & Homegrown Products as photo contest prizes. Also partner in H2Ohio funding program.
• Ohio Expo Center and State FairminorOthersDonates family four-packs of admission tickets to the Ohio State Fair for photo contest winners. Provides venue for traveling photo exhibit.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE): Michigan's primary state environmental agency, with jurisdiction over a long stretch of Lake Erie shoreline. Comparable as a sister state agency managing overlapping Lake Erie water quality, wetlands, and coastal programs.
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection: Pennsylvania's state environmental agency with jurisdiction over the Pennsylvania Lake Erie shoreline and Lake Erie watershed tributaries. Comparable in role and scope to OLEC for the Pennsylvania side of Lake Erie.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: New York's environmental agency managing Lake Erie and Lake Ontario watersheds. Comparable as a neighboring Great Lakes state regulator and grant administrator, though with broader geographic and program scope than OLEC.
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management: Indiana's environmental agency with jurisdiction over the small Indiana Lake Erie shoreline. Comparable as a sister Lake Erie state agency though with materially less Lake Erie-specific mandate than Ohio.

Broad incumbents

• Ohio Environmental Protection Agency: Ohio's primary environmental regulatory agency, one of the six state agencies whose directors sit on the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. Comparable as the broader Ohio environmental authority whose regulatory work is coordinated through OLEC for Lake Erie issues.
• U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office: Federal program office that administers the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the primary funding source for OLEC's larger grant programs. Comparable as the upstream federal funding and policy authority for Lake Erie restoration work.

Direct peers

• Great Lakes Commission: Multi-state compact agency that coordinates Great Lakes policy across member states and provinces. Highly comparable to the Ohio Lake Erie Commission in mandate (water quality, coastal management, inter-agency coordination) and constituency (state governments, federal partners), with a broader geographic footprint.
• Great Lakes Protection Fund: Private nonprofit that funds collaborative Great Lakes restoration projects. Comparable as a peer Great Lakes grant-making entity, though structured as a private fund rather than a state agency.

Emerging players

• Lake Erie Foundation: Ohio-based nonprofit advocating for Lake Erie protection and funding restoration projects. Comparable as a community-facing advocacy and grant-making organization focused on the same Lake Erie constituency OLEC serves.
• Heidelberg University National Center for Water Quality Research: Ohio-based research institution operating the long-running Maumee River and Sandusky River water quality monitoring programs that underpin Lake Erie nutrient loading data. Comparable as a key Ohio technical partner that OLEC grants frequently fund through research awards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OhioLakeErie
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxSUVJ4o9Yyxr3re8t7Wk7A
• Facebookfacebook.com/ohiolakeeriecommission
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifeonlakeerie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-lake-erie-commission

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ohio Lake Erie Commission