AP Fund for Journalism (APFJ) today announced funding from Microsoft to strengthen the local news ecosystem in Washington state ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Through that support, APFJ will provide 10 local newsrooms across the state with elections coverage and resources from The Associated Press, helping the outlets provide their own audiences with trusted, fact-based information about races and issues most important to their communities.
Participating news organizations will receive AP coverage focused on politics, government and elections, along with the news organization’s authoritative election results, race calls, vote tabulations and state-specific maps and graphics. The newsrooms will also receive reporting resources, including tip sheets with data, context from AP’s coverage and reporting suggestions to help localize national and state stories for their audiences.
“Local journalism is essential to helping voters make informed decisions and understand the issues affecting their communities,” said Rachel White, CEO of the AP Fund for Journalism. “With Microsoft’s support, we are able to provide additional newsrooms in the state of Washington with AP’s trusted reporting and election resources they need to serve their audiences.”
“Local newsrooms play a critical role in our civic infrastructure, especially in an election year,” said Ginny Badanes, general manager for Microsoft’s Tech for Society team. “By supporting the AP Fund for Journalism, Microsoft is helping news organizations in Washington state access trusted election reporting, results data, visuals and local support that might otherwise be out of reach. That means more Washington communities can rely on timely, credible information when it matters most.”
The initiative is part of APFJ’s broader efforts to support local journalism in the U.S. and expand access to reliable, nonpartisan and fact-based news and information.
About APFJ
The AP Fund for Journalism was created in 2024 to support public service journalism and make it accessible to state and local news organizations in the U.S. APFJ’s ambition is to underpin and support the U.S. news ecosystem by ensuring news services and widespread access to reliable, nonpartisan and fact-based news and information in underserved issue areas, including but not limited to state and local news. APFJ also supports journalism in topical areas, like health, democracy, education and climate. Online: https://www.apfj.org/
About AP
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day. Online: www.ap.org
Contact
For APFJ inquiries:
Victoria Collins
Director of Operations
AP Fund for Journalism
[email protected]
For media inquiries:
Patrick Maks
Director, Media Relations and Corporate Communications
The Associated Press
[email protected]
Nicole Meir
Media Relations Manager
The Associated Press
[email protected]
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