Building real community from the ground up

The folks at Impact Hub Baltimore had a vision of a space that would be a central hub for Baltimore’s social change community. Part innovation lab, part co-working space, part community center, they wanted to create an inspiring space for members to work, meet, learn, and connect. We helped them move from idea to execution over the course of a year.

Communicating a clear vision can be more challenging than it seems

When we began working with the core team, they were busy on many fronts from fundraising to planning and the way they talked about themselves was inconsistent. To build this space they needed support in the form of money, ambassadors, members and volunteers. Their brand needed to make the case for their value and be clear about why people should join. There were a lot of people involved in the creation and they needed to make sure that everyone was on the same page as far as their vision and their pitch.

What We Did
Messaging
Brand Visual Identity
Team Facilitation
Website Design
Presentation Design
Print Collateral
The initial website launch was geared at building the Impact Hub community

We worked with the team to build a message and brand that engaged supporters

Our engagement started with an extended branding workshop which allowed the team to come together in one room and come to consensus about their culture and what they want to communicate. We helped them refine their pitch in order to solicit funding. This often involved narrowing down what to say and figuring out the most compelling way to tell the story. We helped to ensure all marketing materials were cohesive and grounded in their identity. From their business cards to their website, their brand materials allowed them to raise all the money they needed to build the space.

The annual report we designed shares the community's impressive growth and breadth

"Kate’s support came at the perfect time and was essential to bringing clarity and focus to our team. The tools laid the groundwork for our communications and fundraising. And we have used the fabulous brand guide she created throughout all stages of organizational growth."

– Michelle Geiss, Executive Director

A simple but effective communication tool: cards for social sharing