The Network: Building Capacity Without Creating Confusion
Client: UCAN
Initiative: The Network, a capacity-building initiative supporting community-based organizations
Partnership Type: Strategic program communications support
Context
UCAN plays a dual role as both a direct service provider and a convener across Chicago’s violence intervention, youth development, and community safety ecosystem. As part of this work, UCAN launched The Network, an initiative designed to support community-based organizations through training, coordination, and shared learning.
The Network brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including UCAN leadership, partner organizations, subject matter experts, and funders. From the outset, the initiative needed to be clear, credible, and accessible to organizations with varying levels of capacity and experience.
causeFX partnered with UCAN to support how The Network was communicated, ensuring the initiative could launch with clarity while remaining flexible enough to evolve as participation and scope expanded.
Our Approach
causeFX treated The Network as a system, not a campaign.
Rather than focusing on promotion alone, we worked with UCAN to clarify the purpose, structure, and participation pathways of the initiative. Communications were designed to support understanding first, knowing that trust and engagement would follow.
The work centered on translating a complex, multi-stakeholder initiative into clear language and accessible digital experiences. This included aligning internal understanding among UCAN teams before shaping external communications for partners and participants.
Throughout the process, causeFX operated as a thought partner, helping UCAN make strategic decisions about what needed to be communicated, when, and to whom.
What This Looked Like in Practice
Communications support was embedded into the launch and evolution of The Network.
causeFX supported:
Clarifying the initiative’s positioning and role within UCAN’s broader work
Developing language that explained The Network without overcomplicating it
Structuring digital pages and materials to support onboarding and participation
Supporting cohort launches, updates, and orientation communications
Maintaining consistency as the initiative evolved
The work prioritized clarity and usability, ensuring organizations could engage without needing insider context.
Outcome
The Network launched with a clear identity and a shared understanding among participants.
UCAN was able to:
Introduce a complex initiative without confusion or misalignment
Support partner organizations with accessible, well-structured information
Maintain flexibility as the initiative evolved
Reinforce its role as a trusted convener and capacity builder
Communications supported coordination and credibility rather than becoming an additional burden.
Why This Matters
Capacity-building initiatives often struggle when communications assume shared context that does not yet exist. By grounding The Network’s communications in clarity and accessibility, UCAN created the conditions for meaningful participation and long-term engagement.
This case study demonstrates how program communications can support complex initiatives by functioning as infrastructure rather than promotion.
