HCP Associates Named Finalist for PR Daily’s Nonprofit PR Awards

CHICAGO, Ill. (October 15, 2019) – HCP Associates was named a national finalist today by Ragan’s PR Daily Nonprofit Awards for their 2019 fall campaign Strengthen Our Schools (SOS) on behalf of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

The SOS campaign facilitates Hillsborough County Tax Referendum No. 3, a half penny tax delivering over $1 billion dollars over a 10 year time period to improvement projects that included: replacing air conditioning systems, enhancing classroom technology, repairing leaky roofs, and the funding of more classroom space to prevent overcrowding. The referendum passed with 56.35 percent of residents voting ‘YES’ last November.

HCP Managing Partner Eric Polins said, “Nonprofit communications professionals have a tough job.  We are often tasked with creating and driving competitive and controversial campaigns on shoestring budgets that are instrumental in changing lives. It’s very rewarding work on many fronts, and it always feels good when our team is recognized by our peers on a national level.”

HCP was selected to handle the campaign just nine weeks before midterm elections. The eight-week paid political campaign created and funded by the local labor union HCTA and public donations, was positioned and marketed with mass media tactics in order to boost support and earn votes from Hillsborough County residents. Coincidentally, the campaign also earned HCP Associates “Mass Media of the Year Award” from the American Marketing Association (AMA) Tampa Bay.

Being the eighth largest school district in the United States, the Hillsborough County Public School System has over 250 K-12 schools. The district serves almost 200,000 students, approximately 16,000 teachers, and 4,500 educational support personnel. For optimal learning conditions for the Hillsborough County Public Schools, the referendum upped Hillsborough County sales tax by half a penny, with all the funds going towards maintenance projects at schools.

HCP’s strategies reached nearly six million unique impressions by the end of the campaign. The firm persevered and overcame challenges to successfully pass the Hillsborough County Referendum No. 3.

For more information visit www.hcpassociates.com. For more information on the national finalists, please visit https://www.prdaily.com/announcing-pr-dailys-2019-nonprofit-pr-awards-finalists/.