About ECDI
Small businesses create communities. They enrich and support the lives of entrepreneurs, their employees and families, and the people they serve. They are what makes local economies thrive!
At the root of every business are determined, dedicated people – and at ECDI, we support and invest in those people.
We are fiercely dedicated to assuring every entrepreneur – regardless of where they came from, where they live, their gender or their lineage – has access to funding and the business mentoring services they need to build a small business that thrives.
The Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI) is based in Columbus, with offices in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Portsmouth and Toledo. For small business clients in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, we serve a one-stop resource center. We are a leading SBA microloan intermediary, a certified Community Development Corporation, and Treasury-designated Community Development Financial Institution.
Our offices
Columbus | Akron | Canton | Cleveland | Cincinnati | Dayton | Portsmouth | Toledo
Educate
It takes more than loan funding to cultivate a successful small business. ECDI helps to transform entrepreneurs into well-rounded businesspeople, to exponentially increase their rate of success.
What We Do
Invest
Unfortunately, not every business owner has equal access to funding. It's our job to change that with access to responsible, affordable loan capital.
Innovate
ECDI's innovative approach to solving complex societal and systemic issues consistently brings about new offerings for entrepreneurs.
We invest in people, businesses and communities.
We believe that no entrepreneur should lack the resources they need to achieve their dreams.
Our Mission
Investing in people to create measurable and enduring social and economic change.
Our Vision
We envision vibrant communities across our state of Ohio, each made distinct by the thriving and eclectic mix of small businesses that define their local character while enriching the lives of entrepreneurs and their families, employees and patrons.