Thurston Economic Development Council

What Thurston Economic Development Council does

Thurston Economic Development Council (Thurston EDC) is a nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1982 and headquartered at 4220 6th Avenue SE, Lacey, Washington, on the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Lacey Campus. It supports regional economic growth in Thurston County through business advising, training programs, government contracting assistance, and sector development initiatives. The organization operates the Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I), a co-located hub that houses multiple programs including the Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Washington APEX Accelerator, Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB), Lacey MakerSpace, and the South Thurston Economic Development Initiative (STEDI).

The portfolio spans the full small-business lifecycle. Startup-stage offerings include the Intro to Business Startup course (available in Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, and Hindi), the Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST) five-module online course ($399 with scholarships), Green Business Startup Training, and the Quick Startup Program (a $2,500 WMarketplace Accelerator scholarship for women-owned businesses). Growth and established-business offerings include Growth Enterprise Training (QuickBooks, Webflow, SEO), ScaleUp Business Training (funded by Washington State Department of Commerce), free one-on-one SBDC advising and WCWB coaching, APEX Accelerator government-contracting assistance, market research, GIS property/site selection via ZoomProspector, and event franchises Alliance Northwest (40th annual) and INSPIRE Women's Business Conference.

The revenue model is grant-funded with ancillary fee and event income. Primary funding flows from Washington State Department of Commerce (Entrepreneur Ecosystem, ScaleUp), the SBA (SBDC with matching grants from SPSCC and served communities), and municipal partners City of Olympia, City of Lacey, City of Tumwater, and Port of Olympia. Event revenue derives from Alliance Northwest ($150), INSPIRE ($100), and EDC Business Awards. Course and membership revenue comes from BEST ($399), Lacey MakerSpace monthly subscriptions, and the Business Resource Hotline. Most programs are free or scholarship-supported, reflecting the organization's inclusive mission and nonprofit charter.

Name

Thurston Economic Development Council

Legal name

Thurston Economic Development Council

Website

https://thurstonedc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit founded in 1982 that supports business growth in Thurston County, Washington, through the Center for Business & Innovation, delivering no-cost and low-cost training, advising, and government contracting assistance to local entrepreneurs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional Organizations (81392), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Small business advising
• Government contracting assistance
• Entrepreneur training programs
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Lacey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from Washington State Department of Commerce as part of the Entrepreneur Ecosystem. Also receives SBA funding with matching grants from communities served. Funding supports free and low-cost program delivery.
2. Municipal Partnerships: Funding and sponsorship from local governments including City of Olympia, City of Lacey, City of Tumwater, and Port of Olympia. These partnerships support scholarship programs and specific initiatives.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as Alliance Northwest ($150 registration fee), INSPIRE Women's Business Conference ($100), and other programs.
4. Training Course Fees: Some programs charge fees such as Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST) at $399 with scholarships available, and Lacey MakerSpace membership fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit economic development organization that delivers free and low-cost business development resources through its Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I) hub. It offers startup and growth training programs, one-on-one business coaching, government contracting assistance via the Washington APEX Accelerator, women-entrepreneur support through the Washington Center for Women in Business, prototyping access at the Lacey MakerSpace, and rural economic development via STEDI. Services are funded primarily through state and federal grants, municipal partnerships, and event revenue.

Product overview

Thurston Economic Development Council operates as an economic development organization providing a comprehensive suite of business support programs and services through its Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I) hub. The organization offers training programs including Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST), Intro to Business Startup, Green Business Startup Training, and Growth Enterprise Training (GET); government contracting assistance via Washington APEX Accelerator; women-focused resources through Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB); advanced manufacturing access through Lacey MakerSpace; small business advising via Lacey/Olympia SBDC; rural development through STEDI; and events including Alliance Northwest conference and INSPIRE Women's Business Conference. Programs are structured across business lifecycle stages from startup to established businesses, with many offerings available at no cost or with scholarship support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I)
• Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST)
• Washington APEX Accelerator
• Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB)
• ScaleUp Business Training
• Lacey MakerSpace
• Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
• STEDI (South Thurston Economic Development Initiative)
• Intro to Business Startup
• Growth Enterprise Training (GET)
• Green Business Startup Training
• WCWB Business Coaching
• Quick Startup Program
• INSPIRE Women's Business Conference
• Let's Talk Business
• Market Research
• Business Resource Hotline
• Property Search and Site Selection
• Alliance Northwest Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• 40th Annual Alliance Northwest conference - largest business-to-government event in Pacific Northwest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPSCC provides matching funds for the Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center. Their Lacey Campus houses the Center for Business & Innovation where multiple EDC programs are co-located.
• St. Martin's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Martin's University campus in Lacey hosts the Lacey MakerSpace in Zaverl Hall, providing makers and inventors with access to advanced design and fabrication tools.
• Port of OlympiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Lacey MakerSpace to fuel innovation, workforce development, and regional growth.
• TheWMarketplace / WMarketplace AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Quick Startup e-commerce training program. WMarketplace Accelerator provides six dynamic instructor-led sessions; graduates gain access to WMarketplace platform.
• Washington APEX Accelerator (formerly WA State PTAC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-located program assisting businesses through government-contracting marketplace. Provides no-cost technical assistance in all aspects of selling to federal, state, and local governments.
• Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-located program offering services to women entrepreneurs including free one-hour Intro to Business Startup course, Let's Talk Business webinars, INSPIRE conference, and one-on-one coaching.
• Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-located center providing no-cost business advising through a network of expert advisors. Funded by SBA with matching funds from SPSCC.
• South Thurston Economic Development Initiative (STEDI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSTEDI is a consortium connecting rural South Thurston communities (Bucoda, Grand Mound, Rainier, Rochester, Tenino, Yelm) with economic development resources and strategic partners.
• Innovation Partnership Zone / Agriculture Innovation ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural development initiative including the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park, supporting rural economic development through agriculture innovation.
• Business Impact NWminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for microloans in the Pacific Northwest. Specializes in startup microloans for entrepreneurs who cannot access traditional financing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ThurstonEDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thurston-edc
• Instagraminstagram.com/Thurston_edc
• Xx.com/thurstoncntyedc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Thurston Economic Development Council