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Request for Proposals

2026 Voter Participation Marketing & Communications Campaign
Issued by: League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida
Issue Date: July 1, 2026
Questions Due: July 8, 2026
Proposal Deadline: July 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Selection & Notification: July 24, 2026
Project Start: August 3, 2026
Campaign Period: August–November 2026
Budget: Up to $50,000

 

1. Introduction

The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida, is seeking a strategic marketing and communications partner to help more Orange County residents become informed voters and participate in the 2026 elections.

Our goal is simple and important: to increase voter participation.

We are not looking for a firm merely to “promote the League.” We are looking for a creative, practical partner who can help us reach people who are eligible to vote but who often do not participate and move them from awareness to action.

This campaign must be strictly nonpartisan. LWVOC does not support or oppose political parties or candidates. Our work is focused on voter education, voter participation, and access to trustworthy election information.

2. About The League of Women Voters of Orange County

The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida (LWVOC), is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy. LWVOC has served Orange County since 1939 and is one of the largest local Leagues in the country, with approximately 850 members.

We conduct voter education programs, candidate forums, voter registration activities, community outreach, and public education on issues affecting democratic participation. More information is available at https://lwvoc.org.

3. The Challenge

Orange County is home to many residents who care about their families, neighborhoods, schools, jobs, housing, transportation, safety, and quality of life — but many do not consistently vote.

LWVOC wants to reach low-propensity and infrequent voters throughout the county, with special emphasis on three targeted precincts, and help them understand that voting is one way their voices and communities are heard.

We recognize that changing voter behavior is more complex than simply sharing information. We are seeking a partner who understands marketing, trust-building, audience segmentation, community influence, and behavior change.

4. Campaign Goal

The central goal of this campaign is to:

Increase voter participation in Orange County with special emphasis on three historically low-turnout Orange County precincts by using trusted, culturally responsive, measurable communications that motivate eligible residents to register, become informed, and vote.

LWVOC has identified a desired long-term outcome of increasing voter turnout in the targeted precincts by approximately 5%. We understand, however, that turnout is affected by many factors beyond the control of any marketing firm. Therefore, proposals should also identify realistic performance measures that the selected partner can directly influence.

These may include:

• audience reaches
• impressions
• social media engagement
• website traffic
• VOTE411 usage
• earned media placements
• email engagement
• attendance at candidate forums or voter education events
• community partner participation
• distribution of voter education materials
• voter registration or pledge-to-vote activity where measurable
  
  

5. Existing Assets

The selected partner will not be starting from scratch. LWVOC has a strong foundation of existing assets, including:

• VOTE411.org, the League’s trusted nonpartisan voter information platform
• candidate forums and voter education events
• an 850-member organization
• in-house communications staff
• community organization partners
• website and social media channels
• email lists and volunteer networks
• existing voter education materials
• relationships with civic, nonprofit, neighborhood, faith-based, and community groups
• a respected nonpartisan brand with deep local roots

We are looking for a partner who can help us use these assets more strategically, expand their reach, and develop cost-effective ways to engage the people we are not yet reaching.

6. Target Audiences

The campaign will focus on all of Orange County, with special attention paid to three Orange County precincts with historically low voter turnout:

• Precinct 603 — Parramore area
• Precinct 620 — Oak Ridge / Millenia area
• Precinct 326 — Semoran / Southeast Orlando area

Together, these precincts include approximately 7,250 registered voters. LWVOC will have contacted all households where registered voters live with postcards promoting Vote411 and by participating in lit drops, canvassing, texting, and phone banking on and around our August 8th Day of Action.

The campaign should pay particular attention to:

• infrequent voters
• young voters
• first-time voters
• voters who may face transportation, language, housing, or access barriers
• residents who are disconnected from traditional civic messaging
• trusted community messengers and local influencers who can help spread the word
• multilingual communities, including Spanish-speaking and Haitian Creole-speaking residents, where appropriate

LWVOC will provide available precinct data, demographic information, election dates, and community context to the selected firm.

7. What We Are Looking For

LWVOC seeks a partner who can:

• understand communities with historically lower voter participation
• develop trusted, culturally responsive communications
• balance paid, earned, owned, shared, and community-based media
• think creatively within a nonprofit budget
• recommend the highest-impact strategies for the available funds
• demonstrate experience with measurable behavior-change or public engagement campaigns
• work respectfully and collaboratively with volunteers and community organizations
• help LWVOC focus on what is most likely to increase voter participation

We welcome proposals from large agencies, smaller firms, boutique marketing shops, public engagement specialists, and teams with experience in civic participation, nonprofit campaigns, community outreach, or behavior-change communications.

8. Scope of Work

LWVOC invites bidders to recommend the mix of services they believe will produce the greatest impact within the available budget. The final scope will be negotiated with the selected firm.

Proposals may include some or all of the following:

Strategy and Campaign Planning

• audience analysis
• message strategy
• campaign theme or creative direction
• recommended communications channels
• timeline and implementation plan
• recommendations for prioritizing resources

Creative and Content Development

• campaign messaging
• graphics and digital content
• social media content
• short video concepts or production
• website copy
• flyers, handouts, or other collateral
• multilingual materials where appropriate

Digital and Social Media

• social media strategy
• paid social media recommendations
• content calendar
• audience targeting
• analytics and reporting

Earned Media and Public Relations

• local media strategy
• press releases or media advisories
• op-ed or commentary support
• radio, television, print, or online media outreach
• opportunities to highlight VOTE411, candidate forums, and voter education resources

Community-Based Marketing

• strategies for reaching residents through trusted local organizations
• outreach through neighborhood, civic, faith-based, educational, and nonprofit partners
• recommendations for community messengers or influencers
• support for League events, candidate forums, and voter education programs

Media Buying

Proposals should clearly explain the firm’s recommended approach to media buys.

Please specify whether your firm would:

• recommend media placements only
• negotiate media placements
• purchase and manage media directly
• manage paid social or digital advertising
• provide reporting on media performance

Any proposed media buy should be separately identified from agency fees and creative production costs.

Measurement and Reporting

Proposals should include a practical plan for measuring campaign performance. LWVOC is especially interested in metrics that show whether the campaign is reaching the intended audience and motivating action.

9. Orientation and Collaboration

The selected firm should expect to begin with a brief discovery and orientation phase. This may include meetings with LWVOC leaders, communications volunteers, voter services volunteers, community partners, and others familiar with the target precincts.

The purpose of this phase is to help the firm understand:

• LWVOC’s mission and nonpartisan standards
• existing programs and communications assets
• community relationships
• target precinct context
• available volunteer capacity
• approval processes and timelines

LWVOC expects a collaborative working relationship. The selected firm will coordinate closely with League representatives throughout the project.

10. Budget

LWVOC has allocated up to $50,000 for this project.

This amount is expected to cover some combination of:

• agency or consultant fees
• creative development
• campaign strategy
• digital or social media management
• media buying, if recommended and approved
• reporting and analytics
• related campaign costs

Because the budget is limited relative to the goal's size and importance, LWVOC encourages proposals that prioritize tactics most likely to achieve reach, trust, and measurable impact.

Proposals should include a clear budget showing:

• professional fees
• creative production costs
• recommended media buys
• optional add-ons or enhancements
• any subcontractor costs
• payment schedule

LWVOC may choose to fund all or part of a proposed strategy depending on cost, feasibility, and expected impact.

11. Proposal Requirements

Please submit a proposal of no more than 12 pages, excluding resumes or brief work samples in an appendix.

Proposals should include:

• CompanyOverview

  Briefly describe your company, your relevant experience, and why this project interests you.

• Understanding of the Challenge

  Describe how you understand the voter participation challenge and the audiences LWVOC is trying to reach.

• Strategy

  Describe your proposed approach. Please explain what you prioritize and why.

• Scope of Services and Deliverables

  Identify the services and deliverables you recommend for this campaign.

• Team

  Identify the people who would work on this project and briefly describe their roles and qualifications.

• Budget

  Provide an itemized budget separating fees, creative costs, media buys, and optional costs.

• Measurement

  Describe how you would measure success and what reporting LWVOC should expect.

• Relevant Experience

  Provide examples of similar work, especially campaigns involving civic engagement, nonprofit marketing, public education, community outreach, behavior change, or low-propensity audiences.

• References

  Provide three recent client references.

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure

  Disclose any current or recent relationships that could create an actual or perceived conflict with a strictly nonpartisan voter education campaign, including work with political candidates, parties, PACs, ballot measure campaigns, or partisan organizations.

• Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Understanding of the challenge and target audiences	20
Strengths and creativity of the proposed strategy	30
Relevant experience and team qualifications	20
Budget clarity and cost-effectiveness	20
Measurement approach and references	10
Total	100

LWVOC may request clarifications, interviews, or presentations from selected respondents.

12. Timeline

RFP issued	July 1, 2026
Questions due	July 8, 2026
Proposals due	July 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Interviews or presentations, if needed	July 15–17, 2026
Selection notification	July 24, 2026
Project begins	August 3, 2026
Primary Election	August 18, 2026
General Election	November 3, 2026

 

13. Submission Instructions

Please submit proposals electronically in searchable PDF format.

Send questions and proposals to:

Saudi Ellis
secretary@lwvoc.org
407-808-1677

Email subject line:
RFP – 2026 Voter Participation Marketing Campaign

14. Nonpartisan Requirements

LWVOC is strictly nonpartisan. The selected firm must ensure that all campaign messaging, materials, media, and outreach remain neutral and focused only on voter education and voter participation.

The campaign may not support, oppose, favor, or appear to favor any candidate, political party, or partisan position.

All public-facing materials must be reviewed and approved by LWVOC before release.

Failure to comply with LWVOC’s nonpartisan standards may result in termination of the engagement.

15. Ownership of the Work Products

All final materials developed for this campaign will become the property of LWVOC upon delivery and payment.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• written copy
• graphics
• videos
• social media content
• campaign concepts
• website copy
• research findings
• source files
• final creative files

Any third-party materials, including stock images, fonts, music, or licensed content, must be properly licensed for LWVOC’s intended use.

16. Confidentiality

Information shared through this RFP process, including precinct-level targeting, budget information, strategy discussions, and organizational partnerships, should be treated as confidential.

Respondents may use this information only for the purpose of preparing a proposal. LWVOC may require the selected firm to sign a confidentiality agreement before the project begins.

17. LWVOC Rights

LWVOC reserves the right to:

• reject any or all proposals
• request clarification from respondents
• interview selected firms
• negotiate scope and budget
• select the proposal that best serves the organization’s goals
• decline to award a contract

18. Appendix Materials Available

LWVOC can provide additional background information to serious respondents or to the selected firm, including:

• target precinct data
• demographic information
• election calendar details
• maps
• existing voter education materials
• information about candidate forums
• website and social media information
• available partner and volunteer resources

Closing Note

This project is about helping people see that voting matters, that trustworthy information is available, and that their voices belong in our democracy.

LWVOC is seeking a partner who can bring creativity, discipline, cultural understanding, and practical marketing judgment to that work.