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Center for Civic Innovation — Cold Outreach

Target: Center for Civic Innovation (civicatlanta.org)

Tier: C — community / long-game

Channel: LI/WEB

Contact: Clara Totenberg Green, Director of Communications & Storytelling

Built: 2026-05-27

D-code: D6

Context

Center for Civic Innovation is based at 330 Auburn Ave in Downtown Atlanta. They run the Civic Innovation Fellowship (6-month cohort program, 100+ Atlanta leaders trained, $2M+ invested), the Good Trouble Honors, Civics Academy, and civic infrastructure tools like ATLBudget and VoteATL. Their work is specifically about developing Atlanta community leaders and civic entrepreneurs — people doing real organizing and problem-solving work in neighborhoods across the city.

The GCV alignment: they produce events, fellowship cohorts, and community gatherings on a regular calendar. The Good Trouble Honors alone is an annual event with named community leaders being recognized. That's the kind of moment that generates a reel people actually share — not a talking-head interview, but people in a room making something happen.

The entry point is the free 60–90 second reel offer. Clara is Director of Communications & Storytelling — she'd be the one who already understands the value of the work and can move it forward internally.

What I have: Named contact — Clara Totenberg Green (comms lead). Website contact via civicatlanta.org/contact. Can also find her on LinkedIn.

Message (LI DM or web contact form)

Subject / Opening line: Free reel — for CCI

Clara —

Your title says "Storytelling" — I figure you've already had the internal conversation about whether the Fellowship cohorts and the Good Trouble Honors are being captured well enough on video.

I make short documentary reels for Atlanta organizations. Ghost Coast Video. I'd like to offer CCI a free 60–90 second piece from a program or event of your choosing — the Fellowship, an honors ceremony, a Civics Academy session, whatever's most useful. No strings, you keep the footage.

Worth a conversation if the timing's right.

— Brandyn

ghostcoast.video

Before sending

1. Verify Clara Totenberg Green is still in the role. Check civicatlanta.org/people before sending — staff rosters change and this was sourced in May 2026.

2. LinkedIn vs. web form: LI DM is probably warmer since it's 1:1 and she can see the profile. Web form is fine if LI access is a barrier.

3. Note on Rohit Malhotra: The founder/ED filed for Atlanta City Council President in May 2025. If that race resolved or he's less active at CCI now, adjust framing if needed — though Clara as comms lead is the right target regardless.

4. Next Good Trouble Honors: Was scheduled December 11, 2025. If Brandyn sends this after that date, he can reference it as a recent event rather than upcoming.

5. Word count: 98 words in the message body. Good.

Status log