How Falls & Co. Helped Align Stakeholders Around a Shared Identity to Bring Cleveland’s Irishtown Bend Park Closer to Reality
Insight
Dozens of civic, nonprofit and environmental organizations across Northeast Ohio — including LAND studio, Ohio City Inc., and West Creek Conservancy — shared the ambitious goal of transforming a neglected stretch of urban riverfront into Irishtown Bend Park: a vibrant, sustainable public greenspace serving one of Cleveland’s most diverse and underserved neighborhoods. But with no singular voice or message, the project risked stalling due to misalignment and a lack of funding momentum.
Strategy
Falls & Co. was brought in to unite the coalition around a cohesive brand and messaging platform — one powerful enough to inspire community buy-in and national-level funders. Through a values-driven approach, we positioned Irishtown Bend Park as more than a land reclamation effort; it became a symbol of healing, equity and environmental restoration. The narrative reframed the project as an opportunity for Cleveland to reconcile its past and build a more inclusive, sustainable future.
RESULTS
$10.8 million National Park Service grant secured
$5 million matching grant from Mandel Foundation
Additional major gifts from the Tecovas Foundation and John P. Murphy Foundation
An example of how storytelling can drive environmental justice and equitable urban development
Campaign Elements
- Discovery meetings
- Brand identity
- Developed core messaging
- Designed and produced a compelling 24-page case statement for support
- Strategically framed fundraising efforts
