Communications that move people & capital.
We bring clarity & creativity to financial inclusion — helping entrepreneurs & communities thrive.
People. Capital. Community.
Connected for equity.
Even the best financial programs can’t create impact if people don’t know they exist, don’t trust them, or don’t see themselves in the story.
CDFIs, community lenders and impact investors are closing gaps with capital, but awareness hasn’t necessarily caught up with impact. That’s where communications comes in.
At DH, we help mission-driven financial institutions reach the entrepreneurs & communities they were built to serve through strategy, storytelling & connection.
Get takeaways from OFN 2025
DH and Bond Studio walked through how CDFIs can make marketing more human, turning limited budgets into powerful, people-centered campaigns. The key is being more thoughtful, deliberate and real in how you show up, tell stories and build trust.
Get the PDF and learn:
- How to develop thoughtful campaigns that empower and support small businesses
- How the Charlotte Growth Fund doubled qualified applications with limited resources
- Practical steps to align your communications, storytelling and lending goals
When marketing is intentional, it becomes impact.
Sign up for key takeaways
Featuring expert insights by:
Jarami Bond, Founder & Executive Producer, Bond Studio
Jarami Bond is a creative partner and storyteller who believes real change starts with real stories. Through Bond Studio, he collaborates with DH to help CDFIs show up with authenticity and heart, centering people in the stories they tell and the impact they create.
Annie Groom, Associate Vice President, DH
Annie leads DH’s work with CDFIs and financial institutions, crafting research-backed messaging that demystifies lending and boosts trust and access for underserved small businesses.
Recent CDFI work
New Jersey Capital Access Fund
Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund
Grow America
Business Community Ownership Fund
Grow America | Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund
Fueling an equitable recovery for small businesses
Our communication services include
Our communications services include:
- Audience, borrower & market research
- Message & brand strategy
- Integrated campaign & content development
- Digital marketing & lead generation
- Public relations & earned media
- Partner & stakeholder engagement toolkits
- Creative design & storytelling
- Advertising & media buying
- Community-based outreach & promotion
- Evaluation, reporting & performance insights
Our work drives:
- Awareness & trust in CDFIs
- Increased qualified loan applications
- Stronger borrower relationships
- Improved financial literacy & readiness
- Elevated advocacy & policy visibility
- Partnerships that multiply impact
Clients we’ve worked with
Meet the expert:
As DH’s principal expert on CDFIs & financial inclusion, Annie Groom, Associate Vice President at DH, leads integrated campaigns that help small-business owners from historically excluded communities see themselves in the story of finance. Her insight comes from listening deeply. From deep audience research to personal interviews with entrepreneurs nationwide, Annie understands what builds trust and drives participation:
“Borrowers don’t want to hear about loans from institutions or government programs. They want to hear from someone who looks like them, who’s built something real — and to know their lender is invested in their success beyond the money.”
Annie’s work has shaped campaigns for Grow America, Calvert Impact, Scale Link and others. She has helped clients move millions in capital and make CDFI lending programs more accessible, transparent & human.
“Annie was terrific in promoting the loan programs to the communities that needed our support most and was the first person I thought of for our work in Charlotte.”
– Paul Quintero
CEO, Ascendus
Her background across health, housing & economic opportunity gives her a unique perspective on how systems intersect and how thoughtful communications can open doors across them all, especially for those who have been historically excluded from financial opportunity.
