The News Collaborative of Central Florida is moving into its next phase with new funding, dedicated staffing, and a coordinated plan for regional election coverage in 2026, anchored by public radio participation from Central Florida Public Media.
Launched publicly in January 2025, NCCF brings together independent local news outlets and aligned partners to collaborate on reporting that serves Central Florida residents. The collaborative’s first major project focused on the local impact of Florida House Bill 1365. That effort resulted in more than 100 stories shared across partner outlets, extending the reach of reporting well beyond any single newsroom.
Building on that initial work, NCCF has secured a combined $50,000 in funding from the Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub and the Central Florida Foundation. The funding supports the collaborative’s organizational growth and positions it for expanded coverage of the 2026 elections.
The Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub has identified NCCF as the first of 20 collaboratives it plans to support nationwide over the next five years.
As part of the expansion, NCCF has contracted Erica Rodriguez Kight as its first dedicated project manager. She will establish governance structures, coordinate communication among partner organizations, and support community engagement initiatives tied to reporting. Rodriguez’s background includes reporting roles at The Bradenton Herald and WCJB-TV, along with a reporting fellowship with Cortico AI.
