The Challenge

City of Lakes Community Land Trust, one of the nation’s largest community land trusts, was growing quickly and attracting national attention. It served homeowners, members, lenders, partners, and funders, often with a small team moving through staff transitions.

The organization needed communications that could keep pace: one consistent voice across every channel, content that moved people to act, and continuity through change.

My Role

As lead communications consultant from 2022 to 2025, I built and ran the organization’s communications system: content strategy, newsletters, social media, web content, storytelling, and annual reporting. I produced three consecutive annual reports end to end.

Areas of Support

• Content strategy for membership growth, engagement, and donor visibility

• Monthly newsletters and email campaigns

• Modular social media content for consistency and speed

• Web copy, SEO content, and staff training on the website platform

• Homeowner and partner interviews, video, and photography

• Annual reports and grant communications

• Talking points, board materials, and event messaging for leadership

Outcomes

• 5.7× increase in email click-to-open rate (3.13% → 17.83%), with a top open rate of 64%, at zero ad spend

• Three consecutive annual reports, from the 20th-anniversary edition to a record year of 48 home closings

• An on-camera endorsement from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the organization

• Narrative leadership in the lead-up to a $10M+ unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving

Download the full case study (PDF) →

What This Work Reinforced

Communications works best as infrastructure, not output. When the systems behind the content are strong, an organization can speak clearly through growth, transitions, and moments of national attention.