What Michigan Economic Developers Association does

Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association founded in 1960 and headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. It serves economic development professionals across the state, providing education, networking, and advocacy services through a membership-based model. Its core offerings include professional development programming (webinars, scholarships, Michigan's Premier Economic Summit, Annual Meeting in Detroit, Impact Day, Economic Development Week activities), advocacy at the state level, a curated weekly news and resources digest, a member job board, and an awards program. MEDA's membership spans brownfield redevelopment, business finance, chambers of commerce, community development, downtown development, higher education, municipalities, planning, real estate development, state agencies, utilities and infrastructure, and workforce development organizations.

Name

Michigan Economic Developers Association

Legal name

Michigan Economic Developers Association

Website

https://medaweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Michigan Economic Developers Association is a 501(c)(3) statewide nonprofit membership association founded in 1960 that provides education, networking, and advocacy services to economic development professionals and organizations across Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MEDA generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees. The organization provides professional development, networking, and advocacy services to economic development professionals across Michigan. Members receive discounted rates to programs (saving over $250 annually) and access to exclusive resources including the Info Hub, job postings, newsletters, and member-only broadcast emails.
2. Job Posting Fees: MEDA charges fees for job postings. MEDA members pay $375 per posting while future members pay $450. Postings include placement on the Michigan Economic Development Jobs page, inclusion in member broadcast emails, LinkedIn sharing, and placement in weekly newsletters. Postings remain until the position is filled.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: MEDA generates revenue through corporate sponsorships. The 2026 Investor Prospectus outlines various sponsorship opportunities including large events, charity golf outings, webinars, and smaller intimate gatherings. Sponsors include major Michigan companies such as Consumers Energy, DTE, ITC Holdings, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, MSHDA, and Plante Moran.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MEDA is a statewide 501(c)(3) membership organization founded in 1960 that provides professional development, networking, education, and advocacy services for economic development professionals across Michigan. It connects practitioners from local economic development organizations, government agencies, chambers of commerce, and the private sector through events, webinars, training, scholarships, and member resources.

Product overview

Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) is a statewide membership organization dedicated to fostering sustainable economic growth and prosperity in Michigan. The organization does not offer a technology product platform but rather provides a suite of membership-based programs and services including professional development (webinars, scholarships), networking opportunities, advocacy resources, job posting services, and news/education resources for economic development professionals. The organization's core offerings revolve around its membership program with benefits including education, networking, and economics/value savings, supplemented by events, awards programs, and a jobs board.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MEDA Membership Statewide organizational membership for economic development professionals, agencies, and partner organizations, providing access to events, resources, advocacy, and the member network.
• MEDA Webinar Series Subscription-based online education program offering live and on-demand webinars on topics relevant to economic development practitioners in Michigan, including site readiness, grant programs, and community development trends.
• MEDA Job Posting Service
• Michigan's Premier Economic Summit MEDA's flagship annual statewide conference, gathering Michigan's economic development community for multi-day professional development, keynote sessions, and networking.
• MEDA Annual Meeting Yearly membership meeting for MEDA members, including organizational business, elections, and community updates.
• Economic Development Week Annual week of statewide programming, events, and recognition activities coordinated by MEDA to promote and celebrate economic development across Michigan.
• Impact Day Annual advocacy event at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing where MEDA members engage with state legislators on economic development policy priorities.
• Jennifer Eberle Memorial Scholarship Named scholarship fund providing financial support for MEDA members pursuing continuing professional development in the economic development field.
• MEDA-CEDS Scholarship Joint MEDA / CEDS scholarship supporting member professional development, certifications, and educational advancement in economic development.
• MEDA Event Sponsorships

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016IEDC created Economic Development Week in 2016 to spotlight the people, programs, and partnerships strengthening communities. MEDA participates in #EconDevWeek and draws inspiration from IEDC for its 'This is Economic Development - Michigan Style' campaign.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce: Regional business association serving southeastern Michigan. Comparable to MEDA in providing networking, advocacy, and programs to Michigan business and economic development stakeholders, but at a sub-state regional level.

Others

• Site Selection Magazine / Conway Data: Industry media and data provider covering corporate site selection and economic development. Comparable to MEDA's role in connecting economic developers, but as an information/media platform rather than a membership association.

Direct peers

• Ohio Economic Development Association: Ohio's statewide professional association for economic development practitioners. Closely analogous to MEDA in mission, structure, membership model, and event-driven programming, serving a peer state ecosystem.
• Illinois Economic Development Association: Statewide association serving Illinois economic developers. Mirrors MEDA's structure as a membership-based advocacy and professional development body for a single Midwestern state.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): National professional association for economic developers. Directly comparable to MEDA as a membership organization offering education, networking, advocacy, and certification for economic development professionals, but operating nationally rather than state-level.
• Indiana Economic Development Association: Indiana's statewide membership organization for economic development professionals. Comparable to MEDA in providing training, advocacy, and networking to a Midwestern state's EDO community.

Broad incumbents

• Michigan Chamber of Commerce: Larger statewide business membership organization operating in Michigan. Comparable as a Michigan-based advocacy and member-services association, but with a broader business mandate rather than a specialized EDO focus.
• Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA): National association focused on development finance agencies and tools. Comparable to MEDA in serving economic development practitioners with training and advocacy, but with a specialized finance focus rather than general EDO membership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Michigan-Economic-Developers-Association/143181365699060
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michigan-economic-developers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Michigan Economic Developers Association