What Nebraska Journalism Trust does

The Nebraska Journalism Trust (NJT) is a Nebraska-incorporated 501(c)(3) public charity and the state's first and only statewide, independent, nonprofit news organization, founded in April 2021 with a $2.7 million founding raise from 1,490 donors. NJT operates three integrated programs under one corporate umbrella: Flatwater Free Press, its flagship publication producing investigative journalism and feature stories distributed freely online, via weekly email newsletters (statewide on Fridays, Omaha-area on Thursdays), and through syndication with partnering outlets across Nebraska; Silicon Prairie News, a startup-ecosystem publication acquired from the AIM Institute in January 2023 covering entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators, complemented by events such as Silicon Prairie Startup Week and the 10 Hour Challenge; and Nebraska Documenters, a program that trains and pays citizen journalists to attend and report on under-covered local government meetings.

NJT's technology stack is described as standard web-based publishing infrastructure and email newsletter systems, with no proprietary platform; the underlying capability is human-driven reporting rather than software. The organization is governed by an 11-member board spanning business, civic, philanthropic, and political leadership, and is operationally led by Executive Director Matt Wynn with advancement led by Director of Advancement Barbara Soderlin.

NJT's business model is a donation-and-grant-supported nonprofit: there is no subscription paywall, no advertising product, and all journalism is free to readers. Revenue streams comprise individual charitable donations (tax-deductible under EIN 86-3968316, with tiered recognition from under $250 up to a $10,000+ Transformational level), foundation and corporate grants (American Journalism Project, Google, Google News Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Arnold Ventures, and multiple Nebraska-based community foundations), and event-driven community engagement. The organization is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), publishes INN-aligned transparency and policy documents, partners organizationally with Votebeat on election reporting, and has won multiple regional and national journalism awards including the 2024 INNY Startup of the Year and 2024 Insight Award for Explanatory Journalism.

Name

Nebraska Journalism Trust

Legal name

Nebraska Journalism Trust

Website

https://nebraskajournalismtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nebraska Journalism Trust is a Nebraska-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization founded in 2021 that publishes statewide investigative journalism (Flatwater Free Press), startup-ecosystem coverage (Silicon Prairie News), and a citizen-journalism local-government oversight program (Nebraska Documenters), funded by individual donations and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Local Journalism

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Nonprofit journalism
• Investigative reporting
• Local news coverage
• Citizen journalism training
• Startup ecosystem news

Headquarters

HQ city

Nebraska City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is supported primarily by grants and charitable donations from readers. Individual donors contribute at various levels. The founding fundraising campaign received $2.7 million from 1,490 donors. Donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)3 public charity with tax ID 86-3968316.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funders include American Journalism Project, Google, Google News Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and numerous local foundations including Lincoln Community Foundation, Omaha Community Foundation, and Nebraska Community Foundation. Grants support operations and specific journalism initiatives.
3. Event Revenue: The organization hosts events including Flatwater Festival, Silicon Prairie Startup Week, and 10 Hour Challenge. These events build community engagement and may generate some revenue while also serving as donor cultivation opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nebraska Journalism Trust operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization producing investigative and feature journalism, startup ecosystem reporting, and a citizen journalism program. Its three core offerings are Flatwater Free Press (flagship statewide investigative publication), Silicon Prairie News (Nebraska startup and entrepreneur coverage), and Nebraska Documenters (paid citizen journalist training to attend local government meetings). Content is distributed freely online, through email newsletters, and via partner news outlets.

Product overview

Nebraska Journalism Trust operates as a platform of three distinct publications and programs. The core offerings include Flatwater Free Press (flagship investigative journalism publication), Silicon Prairie News (startup ecosystem coverage), and Nebraska Documenters (citizen journalism program for local government oversight). Flatwater Free Press serves as the primary investigative and feature journalism outlet, while Silicon Prairie News focuses on the entrepreneurial and innovation community, and Nebraska Documenters engages citizens in covering local government meetings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flatwater Free Press: The flagship publication produces investigative journalism and compelling feature stories that hold leaders accountable, explore solutions, and lift up the best of Nebraska. Stories are freely available online, through weekly email newsletters, and through partnering news outlets across the state.
• Silicon Prairie News
• Nebraska Documenters

Products and services

• Flatwater Free Press Nebraska Journalism Trust's flagship statewide publication producing investigative journalism and feature stories that hold leaders accountable, explore solutions, and elevate the best of Nebraska. Content is freely available online, through weekly email newsletters, and through partnering news outlets across the state.
• Silicon Prairie News Publication covering Nebraska's startup ecosystem, reporting on entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators, and providing in-depth stories, community-driven insights, and an events calendar. Also hosts events including Silicon Prairie Startup Week and 10 Hour Challenge.
• Nebraska Documenters Program that trains and pays citizen journalists to attend under-reported meetings of local government boards and publish notes about what happened, providing civic oversight and preparing participants for engagement as journalists, organizers, or candidates for office.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple state legislative bills introduced following investigative reporting (e.g., four water quality bills following 'Nebraska's Dirty Water' series)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• VotebeatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Flatwater Free Press has a partnership with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering voting access and election administration nationwide. The partnership is for a time-limited election reporter role where the Flatwater reporter works directly alongside Votebeat staff, bringing local context and deep Nebraska storytelling backed by Votebeat's expertise in election systems.
• Institute for Nonprofit News (INN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nebraska Journalism Trust is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News, a national network of nonprofit news organizations. The organization publishes corporate documents, policies and financials in accordance with INN network policies and best practices.
• Report for AmericamajorOthersReport for America is listed as a supporter, providing funding and supporting journalist placement in local news organizations across the country.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Votebeat: Nonpartisan nonprofit news organization covering voting access and election administration; NJT partners directly with Votebeat on a co-located election reporter role in Nebraska, making it a tightly aligned operational peer.
• CalMatters: California statewide nonprofit news outlet covering policy, accountability, and civic affairs — the closest direct functional analogue to NJT's statewide independent nonprofit model, just at much larger scale.
• Mississippi Today: Statewide nonprofit newsroom covering Mississippi government, policy, and investigative stories; highly comparable in scope, revenue model (donations and grants), and rural-state market dynamics.
• The Connecticut Mirror: Statewide nonprofit news organization covering Connecticut government and policy; closely mirrors NJT's mission, donor-supported model, and statewide accountability focus.
• Block Club Chicago: Nonprofit community newsroom covering Chicago neighborhoods with a donation- and membership-funded model; comparable in operating a free, ad-light, reader-supported digital news operation.
• VTDigger: Vermont statewide nonprofit digital news outlet focused on accountability journalism; structurally similar to NJT in being a small-state, donor- and grant-funded, all-digital investigative operation.

Broad incumbents

• ProPublica: The largest U.S. investigative nonprofit newsroom; comparable in mission (nonprofit investigative journalism), awards profile, and reliance on foundation and donor funding, but operates at national scale.

Emerging players

• The 19th News: National nonprofit newsroom covering gender, politics, and policy; comparable as a foundation- and donor-funded investigative nonprofit, though NJT is regionally focused and 19th is national.
• The Marshall Project: National nonprofit investigative newsroom focused on criminal justice — comparable in topic specialization, awards profile, and donor-supported model to NJT's investigative beat.

Others

• Report for America: National service program that places journalists in local newsrooms and is itself a NJT funder/partner; functions as a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a peer outlet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100070601733730
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nebraska-journalism-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nebraska Journalism Trust