BEHIND THE SCENES
Black Valve Media recently had the opportunity to create a series of videos for the Cleveland Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation as part of Big Bets for America 2026 in Cleveland.
The convening brought together leaders from philanthropy, government, business, and the civic sector to focus on bold investments in American communities. For our team, it was an especially meaningful project because the work was centered on Cleveland’s future and the people, places, and ideas helping move the city forward.
Our role was to help translate several important initiatives into video pieces that could be shared with the audience during the event. These videos were designed to support the larger conversation taking place at the conference: how strategic investment, civic leadership, and cross-sector collaboration can create lasting impact in cities like Cleveland.
One of the videos we produced focused on the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund, an initiative working to prepare underutilized industrial land for future development, job creation, and long-term neighborhood growth. The story speaks directly to Cleveland’s history as an industrial city, while also looking ahead to what the next generation of economic opportunity can look like. We also produced videos showcasing amazing support from benefactors of the Site Readiness Fund such as the Wellman Family and KeyBank.
Projects like this are a reminder of why story-driven and video production matters. Many of the most important stories in civic and philanthropic work are complex. They involve funding, policy, community partnerships, land use, workforce development, and long timelines. We excel at creating videos that help make those ideas more accessible to any audience member, whether you’re a resident, public official, or donor.
For Black Valve, this project was also a chance to contribute to a larger story happening in our own city. Cleveland continues to be a place where national conversations about reinvestment, innovation, and inclusive growth are becoming more visible. Being trusted to help communicate that story for organizations like the Cleveland Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation was an honor.
We’re grateful to the teams who brought us into this project and proud to have played a small role in supporting Big Bets for America: Cleveland.
