Wyoming Economic Development Association

What Wyoming Economic Development Association does

Wyoming Economic Development Association (WEDA) is a statewide nonprofit professional association headquartered at 315 W. 27th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming, representing nearly 200 economic development members and organizations across all 23 of Wyoming's counties, 19 cities, and 80 towns. The organization serves economic development organizations, municipalities, individual economic development professionals, and supporting partners by providing collective legislative advocacy (including a contracted lobbyist and a 2026 Bill Tracker), professional development programming (monthly Prosperity Calls, semi-annual conferences including the Winter Conference in Cheyenne and Wyoming Working Together Conference), networking and mentorship, and resource sharing through digital newsletters, blog content, and a member directory. Customer segments are horizontal — primarily economic development organizations (business units) with a secondary persona segment of individual economic development professionals — and the association explicitly addresses pain points common to small, geographically dispersed teams, including limited resources, professional credentialing needs, workforce retention, and the need for a collective voice in state-level economic development policy. WEDA collaborates with an ecosystem of strategic partners that includes state agencies (Wyoming Business Council, Wyoming Energy Authority, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Wyoming Main Street), utility sponsors (Black Hills Energy, Rocky Mountain Power), regional EDOs (Cheyenne LEADS, Goshen County EDC, Energy Capital Economic Development), national peer associations (International Economic Development Council, Mid-America EDC), and educational institutions (Western Wyoming Community College).

Name

Wyoming Economic Development Association

Legal name

Wyoming Economic Development Association

Website

https://wyomingeda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wyoming Economic Development Association is a statewide nonprofit professional association serving nearly 200 economic development organizations across Wyoming's 23 counties through collective legislative advocacy, professional development programming, conferences, and resource sharing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Labor, Employment Standards & Workforce Development Administration (BPAIABAN)

Keywords

• Economic development advocacy
• Professional association services
• Legislative lobbying
• Membership networking
• Conference training events

Headquarters

HQ city

Cheyenne

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WEDA generates revenue through membership dues from nearly 200 economic development organizations and professionals across Wyoming. Members pay annual dues to access benefits including advocacy representation, educational programs, networking opportunities, and resource sharing.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue generated from hosting professional development conferences including the annual Winter Conference in Cheyenne held in conjunction with the Wyoming legislative session, the Spring Workshop, and the annual Wyoming Working Together Conference. These events provide educational content and networking opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wyoming Economic Development Association (WEDA) is a statewide nonprofit professional association that provides advocacy and lobbying representation, professional training and education programs, networking opportunities, and resource sharing to nearly 200 economic development organizations and professionals across Wyoming. Its core offerings include legislative advocacy through lobbyist engagement, semi-annual conferences, monthly Prosperity Calls, webinars, mentorship programs, and digital newsletters aimed at supporting economic development capacity and workforce retention in Wyoming.

Product overview

Wyoming Economic Development Association (WEDA) is a statewide nonprofit professional association that does not offer traditional software products. Instead, WEDA provides membership-based services including advocacy and lobbying efforts, training and education programs (such as Prosperity Calls, webinars, and semi-annual conferences), resource sharing through newsletters and blog content, and networking opportunities for economic development organizations across Wyoming. The organization supports nearly 200 member organizations through professional development, mentorship programs, and economic credentialing initiatives aimed at workforce and business retention in Wyoming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WEDA Membership Annual membership for economic development organizations and professionals across Wyoming, providing access to advocacy representation, educational programs, networking opportunities, mentorship, and resource sharing. Members include economic development organizations, municipalities, and businesses across Wyoming's 23 counties.
• Annual Winter Conference Annual conference held in Cheyenne in conjunction with the Wyoming legislative session, offering educational content, networking opportunities, and engagement with state policymakers for economic development members and professionals.
• Spring Workshop Semi-annual educational workshop providing professional development training and networking for economic development organizations and professionals in Wyoming.
• Wyoming Working Together Conference Annual statewide conference rotating around Wyoming that brings together community leaders and development professionals to share successful community initiatives and best practices in economic development.
• Prosperity Calls Free monthly virtual educational calls held on the second Thursday featuring expert speakers on economic development topics relevant to Wyoming communities. Functions as both a member benefit and a webinar series.
• Legislative Advocacy and Lobbying Services State-level lobbying and advocacy services provided through a contracted lobbyist who represents WEDA members' interests with Wyoming legislators, including legislative priority setting and bill tracking.

Quantifiable outcome

• WEDA provides a louder voice for small economic development teams by joining a larger community with similar interests

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered supporting partner, core partner, regional partner, national partner and educational partner.

• Black Hills Energysupporting partnerOthersBlack Hills Energy is a partner organization supporting WEDA's mission. Black Hills Energy provides utility services and works with economic development organizations to bring resources for attracting companies and jobs to communities.
• Rocky Mountain Powersupporting partnerOthersRocky Mountain Power is a WEDA partner committed to making communities stronger, cleaner and safer. They work closely with state and local development organizations to enhance economic vitality and partner with agencies to attract companies and high-paying jobs.
• Cheyenne LEADScore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheyenne LEADS is a private, not-for-profit corporation serving as the economic development entity for the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County. Founded in 1986, it is one of Wyoming's leading economic development organizations.
• Goshen County Economic Development Corpregional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in 1987, this nonprofit encourages business growth, creates jobs, and builds on local community assets in five Wyoming municipalities: Fort Laramie, LaGrange, Lingle, Torrington, and Yoder.
• Energy Capital Economic Developmentregional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy Capital Economic Development supports economic growth in the Gillette area, helping communities leverage energy sector strengths for diversified economic development.
• Wyoming Business Councilcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerWyoming Business Council is a key partner providing state-level business recruitment, relocation, and expansion services. WEDA collaborates with them on conferences and initiatives like the Business Relocation Portal.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC)national partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEDC is the largest economic development membership organization with over 5,000 members. WEDA partners with IEDC to provide training and professional development resources to Wyoming members.
• Mid-America EDCregional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMid-America Economic Development Council is a regional partner that WEDA team members attend conferences with to learn about competitiveness and best practices.
• Wyoming Department of Workforce Servicescore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with WEDA to support workforce development training, internship programs, and apprenticeship training opportunities for Wyoming businesses.
• Wyoming Energy Authoritycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocates and champions the energy industry in Wyoming, fostering collaboration among innovators, researchers, developers and stakeholders.
• Wyoming Main Streetcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports small business and local communities while preserving historic character through the Main Street program in Wyoming communities.
• Western Wyoming Community Collegeeducational partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceives innovation grants through the Wyoming Innovation Partnership to support workforce development and training programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wyoming Business Council: Wyoming's state government economic development agency. While governmental rather than a private association, it executes similar economic development missions (business recruitment, relocation, expansion) and is a formal WEDA partner, making it a direct functional peer within the same geography.
• Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA): A national association focused on development finance, providing advocacy, training, and resources to public and private stakeholders in economic development. Comparable to WEDA as a membership organization serving the ED profession but with a finance-focused specialty.
• National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA): The national association representing state economic development agencies. While state-agency focused rather than association-focused, it is functionally comparable to WEDA's role at a national scale and operates in the same policy and best-practice exchange space.
• Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA): A national association representing state agencies administering community development and economic development programs. Comparable as a member-based ED association providing training, advocacy, and networking—though at the state-agency rather than state-association layer.

Direct peers

• Cheyenne LEADS: A private nonprofit economic development organization serving Cheyenne and Laramie County, founded in 1986, and a core WEDA partner. Compares directly as a regional EDO operating within the same membership ecosystem WEDA serves.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): The largest economic development membership organization globally with 5,000+ members and a formal partner of WEDA. Compares directly as WEDA's national parent association, providing training, certification, and content that WEDA distributes to its Wyoming members.
• Energy Capital Economic Development: The regional economic development organization serving the Gillette, Wyoming area. A direct peer as a Wyoming EDO that is also a WEDA partner organization, addressing the same community-level economic development mission.
• Mid-America Economic Development Council: A regional economic development association serving Mid-America that WEDA team members attend for conferences and best-practice sharing. Comparable as a regional/state-level ED association with a multi-state membership footprint.
• Goshen County Economic Development Corporation: A nonprofit regional EDO founded in 1987 covering five Wyoming municipalities (Fort Laramie, LaGrange, Lingle, Torrington, Yoder). Comparable as a small-town Wyoming EDO operating within the WEDA membership ecosystem.

Others

• American Planning Association (APA): A national professional association for urban planners. While focused on planning rather than economic development, the APA serves a closely adjacent professional community with overlapping members (community development officials) and a similar training/certification/advocacy model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/WYEconDev
• Facebookfacebook.com/WyomingEDA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wyomingeda
• Instagraminstagram.com/weda_wyo

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 Wyoming Economic Development Association