Direct answer
Reporters tracking Congress, party committees, or outside spending need timely FEC filings — not a maze of form types. Pachand sends filing alerts when watchlisted committees report, compares how much each side has raised, and maps aggregate donor money by ZIP from public federal data. Preview public race fundraising totals before you build a watchlist.
What newsrooms use it for
- Deadline-night alerts when a Senate or House candidate files quarterly reports
- Cash-on-hand comparisons before debate prep or election previews
- Outside spending and Super PAC activity on watchlisted candidates
- Aggregate donor geography stories — ZIP-level totals, not donor lists
Newsroom workflow
- Before deadline week — preview public race totals for context, then build a committee watchlist for your beat
- When filings land — get filing alerts with receipts and cash-on-hand deltas vs. the prior report
- For local angles — use aggregate ZIP maps; itemized donors stay on FEC.gov for verification
- For deep background — pair with OpenSecrets or FEC.gov; see our OpenSecrets comparison
- Before publish — confirm every dollar on FEC.gov; cite the commission as the official source
Related guides
- FEC data for journalists — full reporter workflow on public data
- Congress fundraising — Senate & House
- Track political spending (federal)
- FEC filing deadlines 2026
- 2026 race trackers — public fundraising snapshots
Frequently asked questions
- Can journalists use Pachand for stories?
- Yes. Pachand monitors public FEC filings for committees on your watchlist and sends alerts when new reports land — with receipts and cash-on-hand context. All data comes from the Federal Election Commission. Verify totals on FEC.gov before publication.
- Does Pachand replace FEC.gov for reporters?
- No. FEC.gov remains the official source. Pachand helps you notice new filings faster, compare period-over-period totals, and map aggregate donor geography by ZIP — without rebuilding spreadsheets on deadline night.
- How is Pachand different from OpenSecrets for newsrooms?
- OpenSecrets is excellent for deep-dive research, donor profiles, and industry totals. Pachand is built for day-of filing awareness — alerts when watchlisted committees file, period-over-period cash comparisons, and aggregate ZIP geography. Many newsrooms use both: OpenSecrets for background, Pachand for deadline coverage.
- Does Pachand cover state and local races?
- Pachand focuses on federal FEC data — U.S. House, U.S. Senate, presidential, and federal party and PAC committees. Mayors, governors, and state senate races use state disclosure systems unless a candidate files with the FEC for a federal office.