South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership

What South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership does

The South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership is a nonprofit regional economic development organization founded to convene and coordinate economic growth across five counties — Berrien, Cass, Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph — spanning Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. It functions as the designated regional convener for 47 Smart Connected communities and more than 400 member organizations, including municipal governments, employers, universities (notably the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University South Bend), and workforce partners. Core program areas include talent attraction (WE+YOU), entrepreneurship and startup development (Startup South Bend-Elkhart, Momentum SBE Entrepreneurship Hub), workforce development (LIFT Skills Accelerator, NextLevel Jobs for Hoosier veterans), and grant administration for state-funded initiatives.

The organization administers the Indiana Economic Development Corporation's (IEDC) Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) program, having received approximately $50M in READI 1.0 (2021), $45M in READI 2.0 (2024), and $9.15M in READI 2.0 Arts & Culture funding (2026), totaling more than $104M in pass-through development capital for the region. Its analytical infrastructure includes the inaugural 2025 South Bend-Elkhart Regional Report and data dashboards that aggregate labor market, venture capital, and demographic information across the five-county footprint.

The business model is nonprofit and grant-dependent. Revenue mechanics combine investor contributions from the 400+ member organizations, state appropriations through IEDC, and federal workforce development grants (e.g., NextLevel Jobs). READI funds are largely pass-through, retained only as administrative overhead. The organization is led by President and CEO Bethany Hartley (appointed May 2022), who was elected Vice Chair of the International Economic Development Association (IEDA) in December 2025. Headcount is approximately 11-12 staff, with internal capacity expanded through the promotion of Omar Kiwan to Chief Operating Officer.

Name

South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership

Legal name

South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership

Website

https://southbendelkhart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership is a nonprofit regional economic development organization that convenes 47 Smart Connected communities across five counties in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, administering state READI grants and operating talent attraction, entrepreneurship, and workforce development programs for member organizations, employers, and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• Regional economic development
• Workforce development
• Talent attraction
• Entrepreneurship support
• Grant administration

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

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. Grant Funding Administration: The organization administers state and regional development grant programs including READI (Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative) funds awarded by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. In 2021, the region received $50 million in READI funding, and in 2024 received $45 million in READI 2.0 funding.
2. Investor/Membership Contributions: Funding from regional investors including businesses, organizations, and government entities that support the regional economic development mission. The organization maintains a network of investor partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership is a nonprofit convener that coordinates regional economic development across five counties (47 Smart Connected Communities) in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. It administers state grant programs such as READI (Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative), runs the WE+YOU talent attraction campaign, supports entrepreneurship through Startup South Bend – Elkhart, and provides workforce training via the LIFT Skills Accelerator and Regional Internship Program. The organization does not sell products; its core deliverables are grant administration, regional coordination, talent attraction, and entrepreneurship support services for businesses, communities, and residents.

Product overview

The South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership operates as a regional economic development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and initiatives rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include: the WE+YOU talent attraction campaign for workforce retention; Startup South Bend-Elkhart providing entrepreneurial ecosystem support including the Rooted & Reaching podcast; the Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority administering $50M+ READI grants for quality of place, housing, and arts projects; the LIFT Skills Accelerator for workforce training; and the Regional Internship Program and Student Immersion Experience for talent pipeline development. Additional programs include IDEA Week and Founder Factory events, HustleSBE entrepreneurship cohorts, and a Sites and Buildings Search database for site selectors. The organization also publishes the annual Regional Report tracking regional economic metrics. These programs collectively serve employers, entrepreneurs, students, and communities across five counties in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Startup South Bend – Elkhart: Entrepreneurship initiative supporting startup ecosystem development, including the Momentum SBE Entrepreneurship Hub, Founder Factory events, and the Rooted & Reaching podcast.
• WE+YOU
• Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA)
• Smart Connected Communities 2030
• LIFT Network

Products and services

• READI (Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative) Grant Program State-funded grant program administered regionally to support quality of place projects, housing development, arts and culture, and programmatic initiatives including talent development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent attraction.
• LIFT Skills Accelerator / Regional Skills Accelerator Workforce training initiative offering grant-funded skill development programs to businesses, supporting employee training and industry-recognized credentials with nearly 1,000 employees trained to date.
• WE+YOU Talent Attraction Campaign Regional talent attraction and retention initiative designed to draw and keep talent in the South Bend – Elkhart region through community engagement and storytelling.
• Startup South Bend – Elkhart Entrepreneurial support initiative providing resources, programming, networking, and physical hub space for startups and entrepreneurs across the five-county region.
• Regional Internship Program Program connecting students with regional employers through funded internship placements to retain talent in the region.
• Student Immersion Experience Program bringing students to experience career and lifestyle opportunities in the region to encourage post-graduation retention.
• HustleSBE Entrepreneurship cohort program providing training, mentorship, and resources to early-stage entrepreneurs across the region.
• Sites and Buildings Search Database Searchable database of available buildings and development-ready sites for manufacturing, warehouse, and professional office needs across the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% of READI 1.0 funds distributed with $465M total regional investment leverage
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe RDA was formed in 2015 and represents Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties. It administers the READI grant program and is overseen by a five-member board. The Regional Partnership provides staffing support to the RDA.
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe region is proud home to University of Notre Dame, providing world-class higher education and community partnerships. Multiple board members from Notre Dame including Shannon Cullinan, Rev. Robert Dowd, Tim Sexton, and G. Marcus Cole.
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development corporation that administers the READI program. Awarded the region $50M in READI 1.0 (2021) and $45M in READI 2.0 (2024), plus $9.15M in Arts & Culture funds (2026).
• Designing LocalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm from Columbus, Ohio retained to assist with regional arts and culture planning process in 2025.
• Community Foundation of St. Joseph CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived $4M in READI 2.0 Arts & Culture funds for Historic State Theater South Bend Transformation project. Key nonprofit partner in regional development.
• City of South BendcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner receiving READI funding for multiple projects including Howard Park Bandshell ($3M), Mishawaka Fieldhouse, and South Bend International Airport development.
• City of ElkhartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner receiving $1.5M in READI 2.0 Arts & Culture funds for Freight Street District Initiative.
• WE+YOU Partnership NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional talent attraction and retention initiative with multiple organizational partners working together to attract and retain talent in the region.
• Startup South Bend – Elkhart Ecosystem PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of entrepreneurship support organizations including Momentum SBE Entrepreneurship Hub, HustleSBE, Founder Factory, and regional startup support ecosystem.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Indy Chamber: Indianapolis-based regional chamber and economic development organization that convenes businesses, advocates for pro-growth policy, and runs talent and workforce programs across central Indiana. Highly comparable mission and operating model to the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, scaled to a larger metro.
• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Cleveland-Northeast Ohio regional chamber and economic development convener that drives talent attraction, business growth, and inclusive workforce initiatives across a multi-county footprint. Directly comparable nonprofit regional EDO model with similar talent, place, and advocacy programs.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Houston's regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization that leads business recruitment, talent and workforce development, and regional advocacy across a multi-county Gulf Coast region. Closely comparable structure and function, though at much larger scale.
• Allegheny Conference on Community Development: Pittsburgh regional civic and economic development leader that convenes public-private stakeholders around jobs, talent, and inclusive growth. Operates as a multi-issue regional convener with talent, workforce, and place-based programs analogous to the Partnership's portfolio.
• Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation: Denver regional economic development body that markets the region to businesses and talent, supports workforce initiatives, and convenes public-private partners across a multi-county footprint. Directly comparable mission and program mix.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council: Phoenix metro regional economic development organization focused on business attraction, talent, and workforce strategy across multiple counties. Closely comparable regional EDO operating model with a strong talent attraction brand analogous to WE+YOU.
• Greater Akron Chamber: Northeast Ohio regional chamber leading business development, talent attraction, and workforce programs across a multi-county footprint. Directly comparable mid-size regional EDO with similar talent and small-business support focus.

Emerging players

• TechPoint (Indiana): Indiana's statewide growth accelerator for the tech and innovation economy, running industry development, talent, and venture capital initiatives. Comparable in talent-attraction and VC-promotion remit but statewide and tech-focused rather than regional.
• Startup Junkie: Northwest Arkansas-based ecosystem builder supporting entrepreneurs through investment, mentorship, and policy advocacy. Comparable entrepreneurship/venture development orientation to the Partnership's Startup South Bend-Elkhart programs but operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC): Indiana's statewide economic development agency and the source of READI funding that the Partnership administers. Indirect peer — it sets policy and grant programs that flow through the Partnership, with overlapping workforce and business attraction objectives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC38lqiTEbNMmWTjxtVc1eUA/featured
• Xx.com/SBeNDElk_Region
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthBendElkhartRegion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbe-regional-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership