What La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership does

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) is a nonprofit hybrid organization in La Porte, Indiana that combines chamber of commerce functions with economic development corporation responsibilities. It was established in February 2019 through an alliance between the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce (GLPCC) and the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation (GLEDC), which continue to operate independently under two boards of directors while sharing staff, workspace, and an overall vision led by Executive Director Bert Cook. The organization has approximately 6 employees and is headquartered at 605 Michigan Avenue in La Porte.

LEAP's service portfolio spans four functional areas: (1) economic development services including business attraction, retention, expansion support, site selection assistance, and incentive negotiation for prospective investors such as IST Distribution and the Microsoft/Dermody data center campus; (2) chamber of commerce services including membership programs, networking events (Business Made Social), business advocacy, and workforce development coordination (Ready2Work Childcare Voucher Program); (3) commercial, industrial, and residential property listings operated via the laportepartnership.com platform covering assets such as the Boyd Boulevard and Thomas Rose Industrial Parks; and (4) community programs including the La Porte Farmer's Market, Paint the Town downtown beautification, the Sunflower Fair, golf outings, and the INspire Idea competition. Its customer base comprises local and regional businesses, prospective investors, and La Porte community residents.

LEAP generates revenue through undisclosed chamber membership dues, separate economic development investor packages, and grants channeled through partners such as the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association (LPUEA) and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). The organization is a quasi-public body that works in close coordination with the City of La Porte, La Porte County Office of Economic Development, and La Porte Redevelopment Commission to negotiate tax abatements, Tax Increment Financing, and infrastructure investments. LEAP holds the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 5-Star Accreditation and has no public technology product, app, or AI/ML capabilities — its competitive advantage derives from intergovernmental relationships, local ecosystem position, and human-driven deal facilitation rather than software.

Name

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership

Legal name

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership

Website

https://laportepartnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) is a La Porte, Indiana nonprofit that combines chamber of commerce and economic development corporation services under one umbrella, serving local businesses, prospective investors, and residents with membership programs, site selection, property listings, and community revitalization initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Porte, Indiana

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, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LEAP is a hybrid economic development and chamber of commerce organization serving the Greater La Porte, Indiana area. It provides business attraction, retention, and expansion services, chamber membership and advocacy programs, workforce development support, commercial and residential property listings, and downtown revitalization and community event programming funded by memberships, investor packages, and grants.

Product overview

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) is a hybrid economic development and chamber of commerce organization formed through the alliance of the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce and the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation. The organization operates a suite of services including economic development support for business attraction and retention, chamber of commerce membership programs, commercial and residential property listings, community revitalization initiatives such as the Paint the Town program, workforce development programs including the Ready2Work Childcare Voucher Program, and event coordination including the La Porte Farmer's Market. Rather than a technology product platform, LEAP functions as a civic economic development organization providing direct services to businesses and the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Development Services
• Chamber of Commerce Membership
• Commercial and Industrial Property Listings
• Residential Property Listings
• Paint the Town Downtown Revitalization Program
• Ready2Work Childcare Voucher Program
• La Porte Farmer's Market Management

Quantifiable outcome

• The 'Paint the Town' project (INspire Idea competition recipient) aims to improve downtown infrastructure through repainting light poles, washing storefronts, installing pet waste stations, repairing benches and trash receptacles, and installing new wayfinding signage.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Central Midwest Carpenters UnionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2025Blockhead Beerworks' second location project in downtown La Porte at Carpenters Union Hall was facilitated by LEAP's involvement. The Carpenters Union Hall space and adjacent 70-car parking lot were purchased from Northwest Health La Porte in January 2023. A $200,000 grant from the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association (awarded during the UEA meeting) helped fund building modifications. The project employed all local skilled labor for the remodel.
• Blockhead BeerworksminorOthers · 27 February 2025Blockhead Beerworks is expanding to downtown La Porte at 1100 Lincolnway in the Carpenters Union Hall, bringing a brewstillery with craft beers, Asian-fusion cuisine, and an all-ages family atmosphere. LEAP supported the project through the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association grant process. The project represents downtown revitalization and community investment.
• Bella Largo Senior LivingminorOthers · 13 November 2024Bella Largo Senior Living is developing a 48,000 sq. ft. assisted living and memory care facility (63 units) along 39 North in La Porte. LEAP collaborated with the City of La Porte, La Porte County Redevelopment Commission, and others to facilitate the project. The facility is the first regional senior health care facility designed to be COVID and airborne virus resistant.
• City of La PortecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2024LEAP works in partnership with the City of La Porte on economic development projects including the IST Distribution facility announcement (August 2024) along the 39 North corridor. The City focused on building utility networks while LEAP facilitated business development. The La Porte City Council approved a 5-year 50% Real Property Tax Abatement for the company.
• La Porte County Office of Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2024LEAP collaborated with the La Porte County Office of Economic Development on the IST Distribution project along the 39 North corridor. Matt Reardon from the County Office noted the project's example of intergovernmental cooperation and the continued vision established by La Porte County leaders.
• La Porte County Family YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2019LEAP partnered with the La Porte County Family YMCA for community downtown beautification and revitalization projects, including the Togetherhood community service initiative. Groups from the 618 Plaza went out to surrounding blocks to paint, pick up trash, sweep, rake, pull weeds, and clean alleyways. The partnership leveraged YMCA's community engagement programs and LEAP's downtown development focus.
• La Porte Urban Enterprise Association (LPUEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2019LPUEA selected LEAP to coordinate and manage the La Porte Farmer's Market starting from the 2020 season. The Farmer's Market is a LPUEA-funded initiative, and LPUEA expressed confidence in LEAP to continue the market's established presence in La Porte. LEAP's Downtown Director and Marketing & Membership Director guide the market under their direct supervision.
• Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce (GLPCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2019The Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce and the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation (GLEDC) formed an alliance in February 2019 to combine expertise under one umbrella. The new alliance continues to operate chamber of commerce and economic development functions independently with oversight from two boards of directors, sharing staff, workspace, and overall vision. The alliance is designed to provide focused, high-value services to each organization's respective members, with economic development professionals focused on business prospects and chamber professionals focused on creating an ideal environment for businesses to thrive. Bert Cook was named Director of the Alliance.
• Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation (GLEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2019GLEDC combined with the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce to form the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) alliance in February 2019. GLEDC's board of directors agreed to share staff and workspace with GLPCC under a unified vision to better represent business interests of the greater La Porte community and accelerate competitive advantage in attracting and retaining business.
• La Porte Redevelopment CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEAP works with the La Porte Redevelopment Commission on economic development projects including supporting Tax Increment Financing for The Strand $35M mixed-use development and approximately $13.5 million of infrastructure improvements along the 39 North corridor.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Indy Chamber: Indianapolis-area hybrid chamber + economic development organization offering member services, business attraction, and downtown management. Comparable integrated chamber/EDO model to LEAP, but operating at a much larger metro scale.
• Indiana Chamber of Commerce: Statewide chamber of commerce and the body that awarded LEAP its 5-Star Accreditation. Operates an overlapping policy and business-climate agenda at much broader scale and serves as the umbrella industry association for chambers including LEAP.

Direct peers

• Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce: Indiana county-level chamber serving Elkhart. Comparable scope (small-city chamber with advocacy and business development) and overlapping manufacturing/manufactured-housing economy, making it a natural peer for capacity and outcomes benchmarking.
• South Bend Regional Chamber: Regional chamber with co-located economic development functions serving the South Bend – Mishawaka – St. Joseph County area in Indiana. Comparable hybrid chamber/EDO mandate, similar business attraction pipeline, and same statewide accreditation environment as LEAP.
• Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance: Hybrid chamber/economic development alliance serving Kokomo and Howard County, Indiana. Closely mirrors LEAP's structure and Indiana mid-market focus; involved in workforce development, business attraction, and downtown revitalization at a similar scale.
• Dubois County Chamber of Commerce: Indiana county-level chamber with economic development support serving Jasper and Dubois County. Similar mid-sized Indiana scope, member-driven model, and emphasis on small-business and industrial attraction.
• Greater Lafayette Commerce: Hybrid chamber and economic development organization covering Greater Lafayette / Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Combines chamber membership with business attraction and retention in a similar mid-sized Indiana market; comparable service mix (workforce, site selection, advocacy) and overlapping award ecosystem (accreditation, state grants).
• Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Hybrid chamber of commerce and economic development organization serving the Fort Wayne, Indiana region. Structurally the closest analog to LEAP: it combines business attraction/retention and chamber services under one umbrella, pursues the same prospect-pipeline model, and targets Indiana mid-market employers — making it the most directly comparable peer for benchmarking.

Regional players

• Michigan City Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber serving Michigan City, Indiana — adjacent to La Porte in the same Northwest Indiana labor market. Comparable services (member portal, networking, economic development advocacy) but does not directly overlap territorially with LEAP.
• Northwest Indiana Forum: Regional public-private partnership focused on economic development for the seven Northwest Indiana counties. Operates in the same geography as LEAP (La Porte County is a member) and pursues overlapping regional industrial attraction, logistics, and infrastructure priorities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LaPortePartnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/775922045/la-porte-economic-advancement-partnership/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-porte-economic-advancement-partnership

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 La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership