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Case Studies / Harlem Commonwealth Council

CASE STUDY

Amplifying Community Impact Through Strategic Messaging

Harlem Commonwealth Council: Empowering Upper Manhattan and the Bronx for Over 55 Years

For over 60 years, Harlem Commonwealth Council has championed education, economic empowerment, and business growth in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. As their first marketing manager, I developed comprehensive messaging that translated decades of community impact into communications that drive program participation and engagement.

The Challenge: Communicating Complex Community Impact to Diverse Audiences

Despite HCC's proven track record, the organization faced critical messaging challenges with a website that hindered effective communication. Their diverse programs lacked cohesive messaging, relying on generic nonprofit language that failed to capture their unique legacy or community impact.

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The original messaging read like a service directory rather than a unified vision. Their homepage stated: "Since 1967, Harlem Commonwealth Council has provided unwavering service to Harlem and its residents in the form of community-based economic development"—institutional language that didn't inspire action or clearly position HCC as the solution to pressing community challenges.

Strategic Approach

I conducted a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to understand how different audiences, including program participants, community leaders, funders, and local partners, perceived HCC's value and made engagement decisions.

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The strategy shifted from program-centric to problem-solution messaging. Rather than leading with what HCC offered, the new messaging and website positioned the organization as the solution to specific, urgent community challenges while honoring its legacy as a catalyst for future transformation.

The Transformation

Before: "Since 1967, Harlem Commonwealth Council has provided unwavering service to Harlem and its residents in the form of community-based economic development."

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After: "Residents and business owners in Harlem have been severely impacted by economic hardship and an ever-widening racial wealth gap. We deeply believe in the creativity, energy, and expertise of local residents and entrepreneurs."

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The messaging, both online and offline, evolved from institutional service delivery to community empowerment, connecting individual programs to larger transformation goals.

Impact & Results

The strategic messaging and website transformation delivered exceptional, measurable results:

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Immediate Engagement Metrics:

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  • 500% increase in audience engagement

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  • 2,500% growth in social media followers

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  • 100% increase in email subscriptions

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  • 40% rise in website traffic within the first year

 

Program Participation:

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  • 62% boost in overall program participation

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  • 150% increase in GED program enrollment, directly securing continued DYCD funding

 

Long-term Community Impact:

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  • Higher literacy rates across programs

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  • Expanded youth participation in educational initiatives

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  • More young people successfully transitioning to college

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  • Strengthened community partnerships and funder relationships

 

Organizational Transformation:

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HCC evolved from a well-intentioned but under-communicated nonprofit to the community empowerment leader that residents, partners, and funders choose when sustainable change is the goal.

This messaging transformation didn't just improve HCC's outreach—it fundamentally repositioned them as the proven catalyst for community transformation in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, a position they continue to hold today.

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