A Marketing Partnership We’re Proud Of: Our Place & Manticore

Manticore Marketing has had the privilege of partnering with Join Our Place, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families caring for individuals with disabilities. Since the beginning of our collaboration, the relationship has grown into more than a marketing engagement. It has become a shared effort focused on expanding access to resources, strengthening community connections, and helping more families find the support they need.

Recently, Megan Cortjens, Executive Director of Join Our Place, shared her experience working with our team and how structured marketing support has helped her organization grow while staying focused on its core mission.

A Mission Centered on Families

Join Our Place exists to help families navigate one of the most complex challenges they can face: finding reliable services, resources, and support for loved ones with disabilities. Their work focuses on connecting families with trusted providers directly within their communities, bridging the gap between those seeking help and the businesses and experts ready to serve them.

When Megan stepped into her role as Executive Director, she was managing nearly every operational responsibility herself, including marketing.

Before partnering with Manticore Marketing, most outreach efforts were organic and limited in reach. While the organization was doing meaningful work, it was difficult to consistently connect with the broader audience of families and service providers who could benefit from their platform.

“Our biggest challenge was reach,” Megan explained. “We were missing opportunities to connect not only with families in the disability community, but also with the businesses that serve them.”

From Wearing Every Hat to Strategic Support

Like many nonprofit leaders, Megan found herself balancing mission-driven work with technical marketing responsibilities that required specialized expertise and significant time investment.

“I was spending so much time attempting to do marketing that I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about,” she shared. “That’s time taken away from connecting with families and building the organization.”

Our partnership began with a focus on expanding Join Our Place’s digital presence through social media marketing and management of their Google Ad Grant. Over time, the work evolved into a broader strategy designed to increase awareness, drive website traffic, and support long-term growth.

By taking ownership of day-to-day marketing execution, our team helped free Megan to focus on what matters most.

“Working with your agency helps me stay focused on our mission,” she said. “If I’m spending time figuring out advertising platforms, that’s time taken away from serving families.”

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For nonprofits, every dollar carries weight. Marketing investments must directly support impact, not distract from it.

One of the most important areas of collaboration has been maximizing Join Our Place’s Google Ad Grant, a program that provides eligible nonprofits with up to $10,000 per month in search advertising credits.

While the grant offers enormous potential, many organizations struggle to use it effectively.

“I tried to figure it out myself and had a really hard time,” Megan said. “You’ve really been able to tap into that opportunity.”

By optimizing campaigns and aligning messaging with how families search for help online, Join Our Place has been able to reach audiences across the country without increasing advertising spend. Families discovering the organization through Google search has become a meaningful driver of growth.

“It’s allowed so many families to come to us through Google,” she added. “We’re maximizing something that otherwise would have gone unused.”

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Since launching structured digital marketing efforts, Join Our Place has seen measurable growth in visibility, engagement, and partnerships.

Families from across North America are now discovering the organization online, while more service providers are connecting with Join Our Place to support the community they serve.

“I’ve talked to families in California, New York, and across so many cities,” Megan shared. “It’s been incredible to see this community come together around these families.”

Marketing has also helped shift awareness toward businesses that specialize in supporting individuals with disabilities, strengthening the organization’s role as a connector within the ecosystem.

A True Extension of the Team

Beyond results, Megan emphasized the importance of responsiveness and adaptability in a fast-moving nonprofit environment.

As a growing organization, priorities often shift quickly. New initiatives emerge, partnerships evolve, and opportunities appear with little notice.

“You’ve been able to pivot with me confidently,” she said. “Things change fast for us, and having a team that can adapt has been huge.”

Weekly collaboration calls, quick responses, and ongoing strategic guidance have helped create a working relationship built on trust rather than transactions.

“It’s given me confidence knowing that when we need to reach families or introduce something new, it’s handled.”

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One of Megan’s strongest reflections was directed toward other nonprofit leaders who may hesitate to invest in marketing.

“I think nonprofits sometimes question whether marketing supports the mission,” she explained. “But when done well, it expands your reach, your donors, and the families you can serve.”

Rather than diverting resources, effective marketing has allowed Join Our Place to extend its impact, helping more families find support while ensuring donated funds are used efficiently.

“It really comes back to maximizing the mission,” she said.

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For organizations without the resources or need for a full-time marketing hire, Megan sees working with an external agency as a practical and flexible solution.

“It’s a great way to figure out what works for your organization without committing to hiring internally,” she said. “You get professional support when you need it.”

That flexibility has allowed Join Our Place to scale marketing efforts alongside organizational growth, adapting strategy as new opportunities arise.

Looking Ahead

Our work with Join Our Place continues to focus on expanding awareness, strengthening partnerships, and helping more families access the services they need. Supporting organizations whose missions create real-world impact is deeply meaningful to our team, and this partnership is one we are proud to be part of.

To Megan and everyone at Join Our Place, thank you for trusting us to support your mission. We’re excited to continue building on everything we’ve accomplished together.

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