Cincinnati marketing & communications agency
Full-service marketing and communications for nonprofits and small businesses.
Every organization needs effective marketing. Not every organization needs, or can afford, an entire in-house department.
The MCS Agency brings the strategy, experience and hands-on support to manage your marketing and communications. From brand development and website design to public relations, digital campaigns and ongoing communications, we plan the work and carry it through.
Whether you need an outsourced marketing department, fractional CMO leadership or help with a specific project, we build our services around what your organization needs.
Ways to work with us
There is no single way to structure a marketing function. Some organizations need leadership. Others need people to handle the day-to-day work. Some need both.
We offer three ways to work with The MCS Agency.
The marketing support you need, without building a department from scratch.
We manage the ongoing work of marketing and communications, from planning and content development to campaigns, websites, newsletters, social media and public relations.
Your organization gets coordinated support, access to different areas of expertise and one agency accountable for moving the work forward.
Explore Marketing Department ServicesSenior marketing leadership without a full-time executive hire.
When your organization needs strategic direction, we help establish priorities, develop marketing plans, manage resources and measure results.
We work with your leadership and existing staff to bring structure and accountability to the marketing function.
Explore Fractional CMO ServicesSpecialized expertise when you need it.
Launching a website? Updating your brand? Planning a fundraising campaign or developing a communications strategy?
We take on defined projects with clear objectives, deliverables and timelines. You get experienced support without committing to ongoing services you don't need.
View Our ServicesWhat we do
Effective marketing depends on more than a good idea. The messaging, design, channels and day-to-day work all need to support the same objectives.
Our services cover the marketing and communications needs of nonprofits and small businesses.
Communications planning, messaging, public relations, stakeholder engagement and outreach. We help organizations communicate clearly with the people who matter to their work.
Learn moreBrand strategy, identity development, positioning and storytelling. We help organizations define what makes them distinct and communicate it consistently.
Learn moreWebsite strategy, design, development, accessibility, SEO and ongoing improvements. We build websites that are practical to manage, easy to use and designed to support business or organizational goals.
Learn moreSocial media management, content development, email marketing, newsletters and digital campaigns. We plan and manage communications across the channels your audiences use.
Learn morePractical assessments, guidance and implementation support to help organizations use artificial intelligence responsibly and improve how their information is found through traditional and AI-powered search.
Learn moreSenior-level planning, oversight, performance evaluation and coordination of marketing resources. We help organizations make informed marketing decisions and put the right systems in place.
Learn moreEvery channel. One agency.
Your website, social media, newsletters, public relations, branding and campaigns should not operate as separate efforts.
We coordinate the work so that your communications remain consistent, resources are used deliberately and your organization can focus on its priorities.
You have one point of contact, a coordinated plan and a team that understands the bigger picture.
Click any channel to see how we handle it.
Who we serve
Communications that support your mission and the people behind it.
Nonprofits must communicate with donors, funders, volunteers, community partners and the people they serve, often with limited staff and competing priorities.
We help nonprofit organizations develop their message, strengthen public visibility, support fundraising and outreach, and manage ongoing communications.
Whether you need an entire marketing function or help with a specific initiative, we work within the realities of nonprofit operations.
Marketing for NonprofitsProfessional marketing support without the overhead of a full department.
Running a business leaves little time to manage branding, websites, social media and marketing campaigns.
We help small businesses clarify their positioning, reach prospective customers and maintain a consistent presence across their marketing channels.
From ongoing marketing management to individual projects, we provide support appropriate to your goals and resources.
Marketing for Small BusinessesResults
We believe results should be demonstrated, not simply promised.
Our work spans nonprofit communications, branding, digital marketing, website development and organizational growth.
177,657Facebook views in 90 days for Hosea House, a Northern Kentucky soup kitchen
Up 139 percent from the previous 90 days, with 78 percent of views from people who did not yet follow the page (April to July 2026).
57.5Korganic LinkedIn views for a diaspora-focused nonprofit
Content built around real people and community activity, with 3-second video views up 183.3 percent (2025).
37.9%more interactions for an HIV education nonprofit
Posts that paired common myths with plain facts made complex health information short, clear and easy to share (2025).
FEATURED CLIENT STORY
As a Maryland nonprofit serving African immigrant families expanded its programs, its communications needs became more complex.
The MCS Agency supported its branding, messaging and outreach as the organization developed from a grassroots food distribution initiative into a larger operation with multiple programs, vehicles, staff and facilities.
Our role was to help the organization communicate a growing mission consistently across its public presence.
Read the Case Studyfull-time staff since we began working together
Plus a federal grant, a fleet of three trucks, cold storage and a building on the way.
Client reviews
The retreat ran with a level of calm and order we had never experienced before, and our team finally felt supported rather than stretched.
Her team listened closely, helped us articulate what we had been struggling to say and shaped a brand story that finally sounded like us.
The MCS Agency became the steady partner we depended on.
How we work
We begin by understanding your organization, your audiences and what you need marketing to accomplish.
We learn about your organization, existing communications, resources, challenges and priorities.
We establish objectives, identify audiences, develop the message and agree on the work required.
We create, coordinate and implement the agreed communications activities, working with your team as needed.
We review performance, report on progress and recommend adjustments based on results.
Every engagement is defined by its scope, whether that means ongoing support or one project.
Learn About Our Approach
Leadership
The MCS Agency is led by Clara Matonhodze, founder and principal consultant, with more than 26 years of experience in marketing and communications.
Clara works with organizations to develop communications strategies, strengthen their brands and manage the work needed to reach their audiences.
She is supported by a team of creative, digital and technical professionals who contribute expertise according to each project's requirements.
We believe clients should have access to experienced thinking and the people who can put it into practice.
Meet Clara and the TeamIn the community
Our work with nonprofits and small businesses is shaped by an understanding of the communities they serve.
Clara's professional and civic involvement spans immigrant and refugee initiatives, workforce development, international relationships and community organizations in Greater Cincinnati.
That experience informs our approach to communications, particularly when organizations need to reach people across different backgrounds, priorities and perspectives.
Learn More About Us
Free resources
Free download
A practical guide for nonprofits and small businesses exploring responsible AI adoption, including readiness assessments, planning tools and policy guidance.
Download the Free Field GuideFree tool
Find out how your website performs across search visibility, speed and accessibility, and identify areas for improvement.
Run Your Free AuditFree assessment
Review how clearly your organization communicates its identity, purpose and value.
Take the Brand AssessmentMore free tools: AI Readiness Assessment Digital Toolkit All resources
Insights and newsletter
Practical marketing guidance for people who have other jobs to do.
Our newsletter and insights explore communications strategy, websites, digital marketing and artificial intelligence from the perspective of nonprofits and small businesses.
We focus on useful information, realistic decisions and what organizations can put into practice.
When each option fits, with real budget numbers.
AI readinessWhat keeps AI search tools from recommending you, and ten quick moves that change it.
StrategyFour frameworks for leading through uncertainty.
Digital for the Rest of Us™ arrives every other week with one practical answer you can use the same day.
Your client hub is where you send requests, track progress, and find your files, reports and next check-in.
Questions
Yes. We provide outsourced marketing and communications support for organizations that need ongoing services without hiring a full internal team. The scope can include strategy, content, social media, websites, newsletters, campaigns and other communications activities.
A fractional CMO provides senior marketing leadership, planning and oversight. An outsourced marketing department manages the ongoing work needed to carry out marketing and communications activities.
Some organizations need one service, while others need both.
Yes. We work on individual projects, including branding, website development, communications planning and digital campaigns. Each project is scoped according to its requirements.
Yes. We can provide strategic leadership, specialized expertise or additional capacity to support an existing team.
Yes. We are based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and work with organizations locally and beyond the region through in-person and virtual collaboration.
Begin with a conversation about your organization, your goals and the marketing support you need. We will discuss the appropriate scope and next steps.
You may need someone to lead your marketing, a team to handle the work or a partner for your next project.
We can help you determine the right approach.
Start a ConversationYour first conversation is with Clara Matonhodze, founder and principal consultant.
