What We Achieved Together in 2025
As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the work that shaped 2025 at EDACT. This year was defined not just by programs delivered or events hosted, but by the collective progress made alongside entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and partners working to strengthen local economies across Minnesota.
Our focus throughout the year remained clear: helping businesses and organizations move from uncertainty to structure, and from potential to progress.

Building Financial Confidence for Long-Term Stability

Financial readiness continued to be a cornerstone of our work in 2025. Through our financial literacy initiatives delivered in partnership with trusted financial institutions, entrepreneurs and residents gained practical knowledge to better manage personal and business finances.
Participants strengthened budgeting practices, improved understanding of credit, and gained clarity around financial decision-making. Complementary group learning sessions created space for entrepreneurs to ask questions, prepare for future capital opportunities, and approach growth with greater confidence.
This work reinforced an important truth: sustainable businesses are built on financial understanding, not guesswork.
In 2025, EDACT supported a cohort of small businesses through targeted technical assistance and business development engagements. Rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, our approach focused on meeting businesses where they were and addressing foundational needs critical to stability and growth.
Support areas included brand positioning, digital presence, operational readiness, and preparation for funding and expansion. The goal was not just to help businesses “look ready,” but to help them be ready—equipped with clearer direction and stronger internal capacity.
 
 

Strengthening Nonprofit Organizations for Sustainability

Our Incubator and Accelerator efforts for nonprofit organizations continued to focus on long-term viability. Participating organizations worked through essential elements of organizational structure and strategic planning.
One notable milestone this year included a nonprofit successfully securing federal recognition, marking a major step toward sustainability and expanded access to funding opportunities. This progress underscores the importance of patient, informed support for organizations serving critical community needs.
EDACT also expanded its reach through targeted support for service providers operating in highly regulated environments. Through a mix of educational forums, digital resources, and consultations, hundreds of providers across Minnesota accessed timely information designed to help them navigate operational demands more effectively.
This work emphasized clarity, accessibility, and responsiveness, ensuring providers had the information needed to continue serving communities without disruption.
 

Convening Conversations That Drive Progress
 

Throughout the year, EDACT hosted and contributed to convenings focused on access to capital, economic participation, and cross-sector collaboration. These gatherings brought together entrepreneurs, providers, partners, and stakeholders to share insights, learn from one another, and explore practical pathways to growth.
By creating spaces for dialogue and learning, we helped foster stronger networks and a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses and community-led organizations.

Looking Ahead

As we close out 2025, we do so with gratitude for the trust placed in our work and clarity about what lies ahead. The year reinforced that lasting impact is built through consistency, collaboration, and systems that support people beyond the short term.
In the year ahead, EDACT remains committed to supporting businesses and organizations with practical guidance, accessible resources, and partnerships that help turn effort into sustainable outcomes.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
 

If you’d like to learn more about partnering with EDACT, exploring our Training Academy, or accessing support for your business or organization, you can start here: www.edact.org