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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 (HCC) Inc. has been a cornerstone in the Harlem community, championing education, economic empowerment, and business growth in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Working as HCC's first marketing manager meant developing comprehensive messaging that would translate decades of community impact into compelling communications that drive program participation and community engagement.

The Challenge: Communicating Complex Community Impact to Diverse Audiences

Despite HCC's proven track record and substantial community impact, the organization faced critical messaging challenges before 2016 that hindered its ability to communicate its value effectively and drive engagement.

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Primary Messaging Issues:

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  • Fragmented Value Communication: HCC's diverse programs lacked cohesive messaging that connected individual services to their larger community transformation mission. The original messaging read like a service directory rather than a unified vision.

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  • Generic Nonprofit Language: Communication relied on standard sector terminology that failed to capture HCC's unique legacy, distinctive approach, or the urgency of community needs. The original 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.

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  • Unclear Impact Positioning: The organization struggled to articulate how its work directly addressed pressing community challenges. The original messaging focused on "underserved entrepreneurs and residents" being "severely impacted by rising rent, displacement, and an ever-widening racial wealth gap," but didn't clearly connect HCC's role as the solution.

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  • Audience Misalignment: The messaging attempted to address everyone simultaneously, rather than delivering targeted communications that catered to specific stakeholder needs and motivations.

Strategic Approach

The transformation began with a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to understand how different audiences—program participants, community leaders, funders, and local partners—perceived the value of HCC and informed their engagement decisions.

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Key Strategic Shifts:

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  • From Programs to Problems: Rather than leading with what HCC offered, the new messaging positioned the organization as the solution to specific, urgent community challenges.

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  • From Generic to Specific: Replaced institutional language with concrete, community-focused messaging that spoke directly to the lived experiences of Harlem residents.

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  • From Historical to Forward-Looking: While honoring the organization's legacy, the messaging emphasized HCC's role as a catalyst for future community transformation.

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  • Audience Segmentation: Developed distinct messaging frameworks for different stakeholder groups while maintaining brand consistency.

The Transformation

Before 2016: Program-Centric Messaging

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The original messaging was institutional and feature-focused:

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  • "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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  • Generic messaging about offering "practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty by providing resources for budding entrepreneurs and business owners, academic enrichment and mentorship for youth and adults, and skills training for all community residents."

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  • Program descriptions without a clear connection to community impact.

 

During Employment (2016-2018): Community-Centered Messaging

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The strategic messaging transformation repositioned HCC as a community champion:

 

  • New Value Proposition: "Advocating for Harlem and NYC residents through education and entrepreneurial empowerment."

 

Problem-Solution Framework:

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  • Challenge Identification: "Residents and business owners in Harlem and NYC have been severely impacted by economic hardship and an ever-widening racial wealth gap. For many, simple survival can feel daunting. HCC is here to change that."

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  • Community Connection: "We deeply believe in the creativity, energy, and expertise of local residents and entrepreneurs. Our team of highly skilled and connected professionals is here to help this underserved population thrive—whether that be inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, mentoring young adults navigating life transitions, or supporting businesses with the skills and funds critical for success."

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  • Solution Focus: Positioned HCC as the bridge between community potential and actual success.

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After Departure: Sustained Messaging Evolution (2025)

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The core messaging framework continued to evolve while maintaining the strategic foundation:

 

Sustained Elements:

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  • Community-centered approach: "Transforming lives. Changing the community."

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  • Problem-solution positioning addressing economic hardship

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  • Emphasis on community empowerment over service delivery

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  • Focus on three core pillars: entrepreneurship, youth development, and adult literacy

 

Natural Evolution:

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  • Simplified hero message: "We're on a mission to educate and empower community residents in Harlem and its surrounding communities."

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  • Enhanced focus on impact: "HCC transforms the lives of community residents, including business owners, by equipping them with the tools and resources for a strong community."

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  • Emphasis on three core pillars: "entrepreneurship, youth development, and adult literacy -- three pillars helping community residents achieve their highest potential."

Impact & Results

The strategic messaging 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.

Messaging Analysis: What Made the Difference

Key Strategic Messaging Shifts:

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1. From Institution-Speak to Community Voice

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  • Before: "UNWAVERING SERVICE TO HARLEM AND ITS RESIDENTS IN THE FORM OF COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT"

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  • After: "severely impacted by economic hardship and an ever-widening racial wealth gap" and "creativity, energy, and expertise of local residents and entrepreneurs"

 

2. From Generic to Urgent

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  • Before: "practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty"

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  • After: Specific focus on "racial wealth gap" and economic hardship, with "simple survival can feel daunting"

 

3. From Service Provider to Community Champion

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  • Before: "We offer practical, innovative ways"

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  • After: "We deeply believe in the creativity, energy, and expertise of local residents and entrepreneurs."

 

4. From Programs to Transformation

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  • Before: List of services offered

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  • After: "Transforming lives. Changing the community."

Sustainable Messaging Framework

The messaging strategy created a framework that continued to serve HCC long after the initial transformation:

 

Enduring Principles:

 

  • Community-First Language: Always leading with community strengths rather than deficits

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  • Problem-Solution Clarity: Clearly connecting specific challenges to HCC's unique solutions

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  • Measurable Impact Focus: Emphasizing concrete outcomes over process descriptions

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  • Authentic Voice: Maintaining connection to grassroots mission while professional presentation

 

Evolution Over Time:

 

The messaging framework proved flexible enough to evolve naturally while maintaining core strategic positioning, demonstrating the power of building messaging architecture rather than just creating copy.

Key Takeaways

This case study demonstrates how strategic messaging transformation can:

 

  • Clarify organizational value in a crowded nonprofit landscape

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  • Drive measurable engagement across multiple stakeholder groups

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  • Secure program funding through improved communication of impact

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  • Create a sustainable communication foundation that endures leadership transitions

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  • Transform organizational positioning from service provider to community leader

 

The success of HCC's messaging transformation wasn't just in the immediate metrics—it was in creating a communication framework that authentically represented their community impact and continued to serve them effectively years later.

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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