Economic development organizations (EDOs) are key drivers of a city, county, state, or region's growth. As the name implies, these organizations improve the economic well-being of their location by attracting businesses — startups and big corporations alike — boosting talent retention and increasing the talent pool. They work to create a better quality of life for residents and foster communities.
The EDOs on this list are doing all of these things — and more. They are holding events, offering unique services, driving investments, and more all to showcase how their locale is the right fit — and drive economic growth.
15 Economic Development Organizations Working to Advance Their Regions
Intersect Illinois
Intersect Illinois is the only statewide economic development organization focused on bringing new businesses, jobs, and investment to Illinois. Intersect Illinois' mission is to bring new jobs, new investment, and economic prosperity to Illinois through dynamic partnerships and collaborations with companies, universities, not-for-profit organizations, and the government. Specifically for businesses, Intersect Illinois helps companies navigate the site selection process by providing data, location assistance, connections, and more.
Redi Cincinnati
REDI Cincinnati brings the area’s top businesses and community leaders together to ignite the regional economy across Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana. Its mission is to connect businesses with the data, partners, and resources needed to make the best decisions. REDI Cincinnati offers a one-stop shop for businesses looking to scale in the American marketplace, specifically in the life sciences, business and professional services, advanced manufacturing, and technology industries.
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life. MEDC works with Michigan businesses and communities of all sizes across the state to deliver the services and support they need to grow and succeed. The MEDC launched its national “You Can in Michigan” campaign to attract talent, grow Michigan's population, and drive the state's economic future forward. As part of the push to grow the state’s population, Michigan also formed a Growth Office, a first-of-its-kind initiative.
JobsOhio
JobsOhio is the state’s unique private economic development corporation. It acts as a catalyst for high-growth business investments and job creation to propel the state’s ingenuity and ambitions forward. Unlike any other state economic development organization, JobsOhio is a nonprofit company with a private funding stream and an independent board of directors designed for continuity and long-term stability.
To attract talent and leading companies, JobsOhio has programs and development-ready sites to empower world-class corporations, entrepreneurs, and talented individuals to build their businesses and careers in Ohio. The nonprofit's innovation initiatives further boost Ohio’s competitiveness and leverage the state’s lifestyle desirability to make Ohio the Midwest’s magnet for entrepreneurs, inventors, and industries.
The Right Place
The Right Place stimulates economic growth, wealth creation, and operational excellence through a focus on productivity, innovation, and quality employment in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan community. The Right Place provides comprehensive services, information, and support for companies that want to grow in West Michigan — the team has assisted thousands of companies to invest more than $5.1 billion and create 47,000 new jobs throughout the region.
Among many other initiatives, The Right Place is the creative mind and facilitator of Tech Week Grand Rapids, a community-led conference of free events hosted by local businesses, entrepreneurs, and higher education institutions.
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Ann Arbor SPARK
Ann Arbor SPARK is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of Ann Arbor’s economy and the promotion of the city as a destination for innovation. The organization is focused on advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business acceleration, attraction, and retention for businesses of all sizes.
SPARK offers a wide range of business development, entrepreneurial services, and talent services. Among other initiatives, the organization hosts a twice-yearly Entrepreneur Boot Camp, offers an Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, and puts on a Digital Summer Clinic for college students. Ann Arbor SPARK was also back at Midwest House at SXSW this year co-hosting Michigan Day with the MEDC and University of Michigan.
The City of Dublin, OH
The City of Dublin’s vision is to be the most sustainable, connected, and resilient global city of choice. The City publicizes the unique high quality of life for those who live or work in Dublin by providing the vision, leadership, and performance standards for managed growth and development. The organization emphasizes quality and innovation in its services and strives to be responsive, cooperative, and culturally and environmentally sensitive.
Indy Chamber
The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, or Indy Chamber, is committed to making the Indianapolis region the best place to live and do business. The organization represents 120 businesses across the region, convenes over 2,000 members, and serves as the regional voice for advocacy, economic development, and quality of place. It offers entrepreneur services, business advocacy, and economic development services to support local entrepreneurs and start-ups, advocate for fair business policies, and fuel the regional economy.
Great Lakes Economic Development Council
The Great Lakes Economic Development Council (GLEDC) is a group of local economic development practitioners who share the same vision: to see the regional economy restored and strengthened for future generations, while at the same time, protecting the sustainability of the region's vast natural resources. The council includes professional economic development members in the two Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec and the eight United States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Together, they work to shape regional policy and programs, develop tools and research to support economic growth and unify the region in a vision for economy-shifting efforts.
World Business Chicago
World Business Chicago is the Windy City’s premier public-private economic development agency working to drive growth, expansion, and innovation across all industries. The team is full of subject matter experts who are focused on projects — business development, community impact, global strategic plans, workforce development, and more — that create quality jobs, promote livable communities, and build essential infrastructure in Chicago.
World Business Chicago also has its own research center that tracks Chicago’s evolution, growth, and dynamics and publishes informative white papers and reports so Chicagoans can make strategic, data-driven business decisions.
St. Louis Partnership
St. Louis Economic Development Partnership brings together the economic development agencies from St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis to drive growth, generate prosperity, and catalyze investment throughout the St. Louis region. The organization offers a wide range of services, including entrepreneurial support (financing and incubators), business expansion and retention, real estate and community development, and international trade support.
The partnership also supports the St. Louis Mosaic Project’s (Mosaic Project) Women’s Connector Initiative which helps international women find belonging in St. Louis and offers native St. Louis women an opportunity for cross-cultural learning and mentoring. The organization also launched a large-scale property cleanup initiative to help revitalize the historic City of Kinloch, the oldest incorporated African American community in Missouri.
Tulsa’s Future
Tulsa’s Future is a collaborative economic development partnership that works with the City of Tulsa, 201 private investors from the business community, and regional and tribal partners to further economic prosperity. Part of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the partnership is focused on creating, growing, and innovating in northeast Oklahoma and helping executives and other business professionals succeed.
Tulsa’s Future has generated $1.9 billion of capital investment and created 16,429 jobs since 2016. Since its inception in 2005, Tulsa’s Future has supported the creation of 69,249 jobs in northeast Oklahoma.
Pennsylvania Community & Economic Development
The Department of Community and Economic Development’s mission is to encourage the shared prosperity of all Pennsylvanians by supporting good stewardship and sustainable development initiatives. The organization acts as advisors and advocates for the state’s individuals and businesses offering strategic technical assistance, training, and financial resources.
The Department of Community and Economic Development is co-hosting the 2025 Main Street Now conference, a one-of-a-kind event providing 100+ opportunities for local leaders to strengthen networks, gain new skills, and find solutions to issues impacting their communities. Main Street Now is focused on educating commercial district revitalization professionals, civic leaders, board members, volunteers, and supporters of place-based economic development efforts, specifically from historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
Greater Freeport Partnership
The Greater Freeport Partnership is a collaboration designed to promote economic development, tourism, downtown, and business services to grow Freeport, Illinois and Stephenson County. The partnership strives to foster dynamic economic growth through an inclusive environment where businesses thrive and the community prospers.
A commitment to the community’s well-being and economic success is what drives the Greater Freeport Partnership, which offers educational programming, networking, and resource sharing so business owners and residents can grow, adapt, and thrive.
One Columbus
One Columbus is the economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus Region. It works with local and state partners to serve as the business location resource for companies across the region and around the world as they grow, innovate, and compete within the global economy.
Over the last 15 years, the One Columbus team has helped more than 650 domestic and international companies achieve their growth goals by relocating to the Columbus region, resulting in over $34 billion in capital invested and more than 68,000 new jobs created.
