SE Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA)

What SE Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) does

Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1985 and designated by the US Economic Development Agency as an Economic Development District. The organization serves the four-county Southeast Washington region covering Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties, with headquarters in Clarkston, WA (1470 Bridge Street, Suite A). It is also designated by Asotin and Garfield counties to partner with the Washington State Department of Commerce to coordinate business recruitment, retention and expansion activities, and export and startup assistance. SEWEDA is governed by a Board of Directors with representation from each of the four counties, and staff reside and operate within each county, including named Managing Directors for Asotin County (Erika Stricker, who also serves as Executive Director) and Garfield County (Jack Peasley).

SEWEDA's core deliverables center on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), a five-year strategic blueprint that the organization develops and administers as its mandated district function. Adjacent products include Business Basics Lunch & Learn (an eight-week free class series delivered in partnership with Walla Walla Community College starting June 2023), Business Assistance Services (curated connections to Washington Department of Commerce resources, ORIA Small Business Guide, Startup Washington Business Playbook, and financial institutions), a Resource Partner Network spanning 10+ regional organizations (WSBDC, Washington Women's Business Center, WorkSource, SCORE, VBOC, Impact Washington), workshops such as the March 2025 Government Contracting 101 with Washington APEX Accelerator, plus informational services covering available properties, regional economic statistics, and incentives/tax exemptions. Outreach runs through seweda.org, LinkedIn, community surveys, and educational institution partnerships.

The business model is a publicly funded nonprofit professional services framework rather than a commercial revenue model. SEWEDA provides services free of charge to businesses and entrepreneurs, with funding flowing through federal Economic Development Administration district support, Washington Department of Commerce partnership arrangements, county government relationships, and grants. It does not sell a software product, has no public API or app, and operates with a small embedded staff across the four counties. The four counties themselves function as its principal government counterparties.

Name

SE Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA)

Legal name

Southeast Washington Economic Development Association

Website

https://seweda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SEWEDA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1985 and US EDA-designated Economic Development District coordinating regional economic planning, business assistance, and education across four Southeast Washington counties (Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Whitman), funded via government partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarkston

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

Revenue model

1. Economic Development Services: SEWEDA operates as a nonprofit economic development organization providing planning, coordination, and business support services to the four-county region through partnerships with federal, state, and local government entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SEWEDA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization that provides planning, coordination, and direct business assistance services across Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties in Southeast Washington. It administers the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), delivers business education programs such as the Business Basics Lunch & Learn series, connects businesses with regional resource partners, and supports business recruitment, retention, expansion, export, and startup activities in partnership with the WA Department of Commerce.

Product overview

SEWEDA is a non-profit economic development organization (501(c)(3) established in 1985) that serves as the preeminent champion of sustainable growth, equitable support, and economic resilience for southeast Washington. The organization is designated by the US Economic Development Agency as an Economic Development District and by Asotin and Garfield County to partner with the WA Department of Commerce. SEWEDA does not offer a software product or technology platform; instead, it provides economic development programs and services including the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) publication, Business Basics Lunch & Learn educational program, business assistance services, a resource partner network, and events/workshops. The CEDS serves as the core strategic document guiding regional economic development, updated every 5 years. The organization operates across four counties: Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) A strategy-driven plan for regional economic development in the four-county Southeast Washington region, updated every five years by SEWEDA as the federally designated Economic Development District. Includes action plans addressing local business development, broadband, housing, workforce, and economic challenges.
• Business Basics Lunch & Learn An eight-week series of free business education classes offered in partnership with Walla Walla Community College. Covers topics from business plan writing to commercial real estate, designed for individuals exploring the idea of opening their own business.
• Business Assistance Services Comprehensive support for small businesses and startups including guidance on business planning, starting, running, and growing businesses. Connects clients with Washington State Department of Commerce resources, the ORIA Small Business Guide, Startup Washington resources, and financial institution connections.
• Resource Partner Network A coordinated network of regional and county-specific resource partners providing additional support services to businesses across Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties. Includes WSBDC, Washington Women's Business Center, WorkSource, SCORE, Veterans Business Outreach Center, Impact Washington, and local chambers of commerce.
• Events & Workshops Workshops and educational events for small businesses, including Government Contracting 101, small business requirements workshops, and legislative call-in sessions, hosted in partnership with organizations like Washington APEX Accelerator and ORIA.
• Available Properties Listing Information and resources about available commercial and industrial properties in the southeast Washington region to attract new businesses and support business expansion.
• Regional Economic Statistics Economic data and statistics for the four-county region (Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman) to inform business decisions and economic development strategies.
• Incentives and Tax Exemptions Information Information about available economic incentives and tax exemption programs to support business recruitment, retention, and expansion in the southeast Washington region.

Named customers4 records

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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Washington APEX AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2025Co-hosting Government Contracting 101 workshop on March 23 to help businesses learn about government contracting opportunities.
• Walla Walla Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2023Partnership to offer an eight-week Business Basics Lunch & Learn class series starting June 21, 2023. Classes cover topics ranging from business plan writing to commercial real estate. Lunch and class materials provided at no charge.
• Washington State Department of RevenuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner providing guidance on state laws and regulations for new businesses.
• ORIA - Office of Regulatory Affairs and SavingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource partner offering the Small Business Guide covering planning, starting, running, and growing a business.
• Washington State Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner providing business resources and the Startup Washington Business Playbook.
• Port of ClarkstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner - port district providing economic development and industrial sites.
• Port of WhitmancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner managing inland industrial sites in Pullman and Colfax.
• Port of GarfieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner managing industrial sites within Pomeroy and property on the Snake River.
• Port of ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Columbia County for economic development.
• WSBDC (Washington Small Business Development Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing small business development services.
• Washington Women's Business Center (WWBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing women's business development services.
• WorkSource WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing workforce development services.
• SCOREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing mentorship and business guidance.
• Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing veteran entrepreneurship support.
• Impact WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional resource partner providing manufacturing and quality improvement support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): Industry association representing regional development organizations including EDDs across the United States. Comparable as the umbrella network for organizations like SEWEDA, providing peer learning, advocacy, and resource connections.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): Professional association for economic developers. Comparable as the industry membership body serving economic development practitioners and organizations, including EDDs like SEWEDA, providing training, certification, and best-practice resources.

Regional players

• Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission: Multi-county regional planning and economic development organization in Pennsylvania. Comparable as a regional body administering economic development strategy and CEDS-like planning across a defined multi-county geography, though outside the Pacific Northwest.
• Greater Rochester Enterprise: Public-private regional economic development organization serving the Rochester, NY region. Comparable as a multi-county EDO delivering business attraction, retention, and expansion services, though operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state economic development partnership serving a multi-state region. Comparable at a conceptual level as a federally-designated entity administering regional economic development strategy, but operates at much larger scope across 13 states.

Direct peers

• Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board: Washington State regional economic development organization. Directly comparable as a multi-jurisdictional nonprofit EDO delivering business assistance, site selection, workforce, and economic strategy services to a defined regional geography.
• Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC): Regional economic development organization serving the Tri-Cities in Southeast Washington. Comparable as a multi-county Washington EDO focused on business retention, expansion, and community economic development with similar geographic and programmatic scope.
• Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Community development financial institution and regional economic development nonprofit in Maine. Comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit providing business assistance, capital access, and economic development services to a defined multi-county region.
• Economic Alliance Snohomish County: Multi-county regional economic development alliance in Washington State. Comparable as a county-level EDO providing business assistance, advocacy, and economic strategy services to businesses and local governments.
• Greater Spokane Incorporated: Regional economic development organization serving the Spokane area in Washington State. Directly comparable as a multi-stakeholder nonprofit EDO delivering business recruitment, retention, expansion, and workforce development services with similar partnership-driven model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seweda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 SE Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA)