Silicon Prairie News has been selected as a 2025-2026 Report for America host newsroom, an opportunity that will expand coverage of Nebraska’s innovation economy. Through this partnership, the newsroom will add a dedicated journalist to cover corporate innovation and tech workforce development.

Report for America is a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to address coverage gaps in underreported communities and sectors.

“Corporate innovation and workforce development are pivotal to Nebraska’s economic future, and we’re excited to deepen our reporting in these areas,” said Stefanie Monge, editor of Silicon Prairie News. “This partnership marks an important step in our mission to tell the stories that define the evolving innovation economy in Nebraska.”

The state of innovation in Nebraska

Technical.ly’s recently launched Map of Innovation Ecosystems underscores Nebraska’s increasing visibility as a national startup hub.

Nebraska, with its strong foundations in industries like AgTech, FinTech and logistics, compares favorably to other mid-sized innovation hubs. The state offers affordability, strong infrastructure and a “big small town” culture that fosters collaboration and opportunity. However, as the Technical.ly reporting highlights, challenges remain in scaling up innovation-driven industries and addressing workforce gaps.

“Corporate innovation and workforce growth are key drivers of Nebraska’s economy, yet they remain underreported,” Monge said. “This beat will shine a light on the companies, leaders and talent shaping the Silicon Prairie.”

Nebraska’s growth is closely tied to its ability to attract and retain tech talent. The demand for skilled talent remains a top priority for businesses looking to innovate and scale. The new beat will explore the intersection of large corporations, startups and tech workforce development programs that are driving progress.

A partnership to strengthen local journalism

Report for America provides critical support to local newsrooms by funding up to 50% of a journalist’s salary, offering training and connecting corps members with industry-leading mentors. This model allows newsrooms like SPN to expand their coverage while focusing on issues that matter most to their communities.

“Since our program started, we’ve seen first hand the impact of helping newsrooms tell their story to help their community better understand the roles and benefits of local news,” shared Morgan Baum, director of local news sustainability at Report for America. “People are stepping up to generate new ways to fund newsrooms across the country.” 

Report for America’s 2025-2026 cohort includes more than 100 newsrooms across the country. A majority of these focus on underreported issues, including local government, education and economic development. See the list of incoming host newsroom partners and available journalist positions here.

A new beat for Nebraska’s future

Since its founding, Silicon Prairie News has chronicled the rise of Nebraska’s startup ecosystem, covering the founders, companies and investors driving innovation across the region. The addition of a dedicated beat on corporate innovation and tech workforce development reflects the newsroom’s continued focus on the region’s entrepreneurial growth.

This coverage will include:

• How Nebraska’s major corporations are advancing innovation strategies
• The role of workforce development initiatives in addressing tech talent shortages
• Collaborations between startups, businesses and educational institutions
• Nebraska’s standing in the national innovation economy

“We’re honored to partner with Report for America to deepen our coverage of the state’s entrepreneurial economy,” Monge added.

Journalists interested in applying for the new reporting position should submit applications here through Report for America by February 3, 2025. This new role, and beat, will commence in July 2025.