Valley Economic Development Partners Inc
Valley Economic Development Partners Inc., also known as Valley Partners, is a private nonprofit organization based in Youngstown, Ohio, focused on economic development in the Mahoning Valley and surrounding regions of Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Established in 1978 as the Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation, the organization rebranded to Valley Partners in 2020. The organization is designated as a 501(c)(3) public charity and is a Certified Development Corporation authorized to process SBA 504 and Community Advantage (7a) loans.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$46.9M
+5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$846K
+957.6% YoY
Grant Count
1
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$846K
+957.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Valley Economic Development Partners exists to support the creation and expansion of small businesses and local jobs where economic opportunity is needed most through education classes and flexible lending solutions in collaboration with other community development organizations.
Vision: All communities in the region have access to the capital and financial services they need for their small businesses to grow and thrive.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Small business lending and loan programs
- Business creation, expansion, and retention
- Job creation and employment opportunities
- Education and training classes
- Financial literacy and business development services
- Partnerships with financial institutions, educational organizations, government agencies, and development organizations
The organization develops and operates a diversified portfolio of loan programs and other services to address regional business needs. In 2024, Valley Partners closed 203 financial products totaling $15 million.
Grantmaking
Valley Partners operates primarily as a lender rather than a traditional grant-making foundation, but does provide limited grant funding:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Valley Partners serves the Mahoning Valley region and surrounding areas of Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, with headquarters in Youngstown, Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $46,885,293
- Total Revenues: $7,513,618
- Total Expenses: $2,213,818
- Program Spend: 89%
- Management Spend: 11%
- Fundraising Spend: 0%
Historical Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $44.6 million
- Total Liabilities: $14.8 million
- Total Revenues: $8.15 million
- Total Expenses: $1.3 million
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since June 1979 (EIN: 34-1264163)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $46,885,293 | $44,597,920 | $34,171,948 |
| Revenue | $7,513,618 | $8,153,238 | $7,559,367 |
| Expenses | $2,213,818 | $1,297,501 | $3,270,120 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $201,102 | $263 | $661 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Valley Economic Development Partners Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Teresa Miller: Executive Director
- Mike Conway: Executive Director
- Wendy Walters: Loan Servicing Director
The organization employs 11 staff members as of 2024.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE MICHAEL SMITH | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| JOSH TOOT | PRESIDENT | 0.2 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER COLELLA | TREASURER | 0.2 | — |
| STEPHANIE GILCHRIST | SECRETARY | 0.2 | — |
| VITO ABRUZZINO | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| DERRICK MCDOWELL | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| JAMES GIBBS | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| DIANE RICHARDSON | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| SAMUEL HUSTON | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.2 | — |
| ANNEMARIE DEASCENTIS | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| GIOVANI MERLO | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| LYNETTE SUTTON | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| MICHAEL KEYS | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| THOMAS STABI | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| BEN DIGIROLAMO | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| SARRA MOHN | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| TERESA MILLER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $131,823 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Federal Funding:**
Valley Partners was awarded approximately $4 million from the U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund in April 2023. The bulk of these funds support the GrowBiz revolving loan fund, with $600,000 allocated to the new grant program for accounting and legal assistance.
VCEDA Closes Workforce Development Grant for VFP, Inc. - VCEDA**Foundation Support:**
The Raymond John Wean Foundation awarded $270,000 to Valley Economic Development Partners (along with Bridgeway Capital) to support their work as federally designated Community Development Financial Institutions serving economically disadvantaged communities in the Mahoning Valley.
VCEDA Closes Workforce Development Grant for VFP, Inc. - VCEDA**Lending Activity:**
In 2024, Valley Partners closed 203 financial products totaling $15 million in financing for regional businesses.
Valley Partners awarded federal grant for $1M | News, Sports, Jobs - TribuneSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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