Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association

What Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association does

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA) is a Middleton, Wisconsin-based non-profit state trade association, founded in 1936, that represents 25 member electric cooperatives collectively serving nearly 600,000 people across roughly one-third of Wisconsin's geography and maintaining over 50,900 miles of powerlines. WECA's core function is to serve as the unified voice and service hub for these cooperatives, delivering advocacy at the state and federal level, director and employee training (including the ECLIPSE leadership program and webinar series), safety programming, youth leadership development (Youth Leadership Conference, Youth Tour, and the Federated Youth Foundation's $5,000 Charles Van Sickle Endowment Scholarship), and communications via the Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News publication (founded 1940). Its operating footprint also includes modest cross-border cooperative service projects (Light Up Navajo Initiative, Guatemala: Partners for a Brighter Tomorrow).

WECA's product portfolio is programmatic rather than technology-based. Core offerings span recurring events (89th Annual Meeting held in 2025, four district meetings annually, Power & Policy Summit), training programs (ECLIPSE core and elective courses, BLC/CCD director training, finance and HR webinars), safety resources (electrical safety poster contests, farm rewiring, 811 diggers hotline), and member-facing tools (Cooperative Outages Map, Cooperative Partners directory, Associate Membership program for vendors). The organization explicitly does not operate proprietary technology; its technology profile is "Not applicable" as a member-driven association.

WECA's business model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues from 25 cooperative members, associate membership fees from vendors and service providers, event registration revenue (e.g., $60-$70 per district meeting attendee), sponsorship income from a defined set of partners (NRUCFC, CoBank, Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, NISC, NRECA, RESCO, and law firms including Fredrikson & Byron and Weld Riley), and advertising in its Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News publication. Direct staff headcount is small (1-10 employees), with the broader ecosystem across member cooperatives employing nearly 1,450 individuals. WECA is governed by a board drawn from member cooperatives, with Rob Richard serving as President and CEO.

Name

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association

Legal name

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association

Website

https://weca.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association is a state trade association representing 25 Wisconsin electric cooperatives, providing advocacy, education, training, safety programs, and youth leadership development to cooperatives collectively serving nearly 600,000 members across one-third of the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleton

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. Member Dues and Associate Membership: WECA generates revenue through membership dues from its 25 electric cooperative members and associate membership fees from vendors and service providers seeking networking opportunities with Wisconsin co-ops.
2. Event Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue from annual meetings, district meetings, conferences, and training events. Sponsorships from partner organizations including NRUCFC, CoBank, Federated Rural Electric Insurance, and others.
3. Advertising and Communications: Advertising opportunities through Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News publication and digital channels for associate members and sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA) is a state-level cooperative association that provides advocacy, education, training, and communications services to its 25 member electric cooperatives across Wisconsin. The organization delivers leadership development programs (ECLIPSE), youth education conferences and tours, director and employee training, safety programs, political advocacy, and publications including the Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News.

Product overview

Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA) is a state association providing training, education, advocacy, and member services for 25 Wisconsin electric cooperatives serving nearly 600,000 people. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the ECLIPSE leadership development program with CORE and elective courses, the Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) and Youth Tour for high school students, director and employee training programs, safety training, and annual district and statewide meetings. WECA also publishes the Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, operates an outages map, and provides an Associate Membership program for vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Federated Youth Foundation: A foundation operated by WECA that awards scholarships to students studying pre-law or law, including the Charles Van Sickle Endowment Scholarship worth $5,000.
• Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
• ECLIPSE

Products and services

• ECLIPSE (Electric Cooperative Leadership) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 600,000 people served by member cooperatives
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2026National association providing resources, advocacy, and programs for electric cooperatives. WECA uses NRECA's PIRC retirement seminars and BLC/CCD training programs.
• Federated Rural Electric Insurance ExchangecoreOthersInsurance provider specializing in coverage for electric cooperatives and rural electric utilities.
• National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC)coreTechnology or IntegrationSponsor and technology partner providing enterprise software and IT solutions for cooperatives.
• Fredrikson & ByronminorOthersLegal services sponsor providing law firm services to Wisconsin electric cooperatives.
• Weld Riley, S.C.minorOthersWisconsin law firm sponsor providing legal services to electric cooperatives in Eau Claire, Menomonie, Black River Falls, and Wausau.
• RESCOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSponsor providing electrical supplies and equipment distribution services.
• Heartland Credit UnionminorOthersCredit union sponsor providing financial services to cooperative members and employees.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• CoBank: Farm Credit System bank providing financing to rural electric and agricultural co-ops. WECA core sponsor; adjacent ecosystem player rather than an association peer.
• Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange: Insurance provider specializing in coverage for electric cooperatives and rural electric utilities. WECA core sponsor serving the same co-op customer base.
• National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC): Technology cooperative providing enterprise software and IT solutions to electric co-ops. Listed as a core WECA sponsor and technology partner, serving the same member base from a vendor perspective.
• National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (NRUCFC): Cooperative finance corporation providing loan programs and capital to rural electric utilities. Major WECA sponsor and financial partner serving the same member co-ops.

Direct peers

• Indiana Electric Cooperatives: Statewide association for Indiana's rural electric cooperatives. Direct peer in form and function: advocacy, training, and member services for distribution electric co-ops.
• Ohio's Electric Cooperatives: State-level association for Ohio's electric cooperatives providing advocacy, training, and member services. Same trade-association form as WECA.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): National umbrella association for U.S. electric cooperatives and the closest structural counterpart to WECA, just at national scope. WECA explicitly partners with NRECA for PIRC retirement seminars and BLC/CCD training, confirming direct functional overlap.
• Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA): State-level trade association for electric cooperatives in neighboring Minnesota. Structurally identical to WECA, providing advocacy, training, and events for the same member type in a different state.
• Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives: State-level trade association representing Iowa's electric cooperatives. Same association model as WECA, serving the same member type in a neighboring Midwest state.

Broad incumbents

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National branding and marketing alliance of electric co-ops affiliated with NRECA. Comparable in serving the same member base, but at a national branding layer rather than state advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wecacoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-electric-cooperative-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association