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Nebraska Civic Newsroom

A paid reporting program for Nebraskans

The next public meeting needs someone in the room.

Every week, school boards, city councils, county boards, planning commissions, and other public bodies make decisions that affect Nebraskans. Many of these meetings receive little or no news coverage.

Apply to join the reporting teamRead the latest coverage
Flexible assignments. Free training. Paid for every completed meeting.
Downtown Omaha skyline
516
Meetings covered
$8,000
Paid to reporters this year
$34,000
Paid since 2022
How it worksStart your application
01

Apply

Tell us a little about yourself, your interests, and where you're located. No journalism experience is required. We're looking for curious, reliable Nebraskans who care about their communities.

Takes about 10 minutes
02

Training

Complete a short training covering public meetings, objective note taking, ethics, and our publishing process. We'll help you get comfortable before your first assignment.

Paid training provided
03

Cover a meeting

Browse available assignments and choose the meetings that fit your interests and schedule. Most meetings are in person, though some can be covered virtually. You decide when and where you report.

Choose assignments that fit your schedule
04

Publish & get paid

After your meeting, submit your notes through our platform. Our editors review every report for accuracy and consistency before it's published. Once approved, you'll receive payment for your assignment.

$16/hour for published assignments
Why it matters

The decisions that shape our communities should never go undocumented.

Every week, public officials make decisions about schools, housing, transportation, public safety, health care, parks, and taxpayer dollars. Yet many public meetings receive little or no media coverage, making it difficult for residents to stay informed about decisions that affect their daily lives.

Nebraska Civic Newsroom trains and pays community members to attend these meetings, take objective notes, and publish accurate summaries. Every report is reviewed by editors to ensure it is clear, factual, and accessible.

Once published, these meeting records become a permanent public resource. Residents, journalists, researchers, community organizations, and public officials can all use them to better understand local government and strengthen civic participation across Nebraska.

[ Visual — map of Nebraska with tracked public bodies marked as square nodes, schematic style ]
A fair trade

What you get

  • PayCivic Documenters are paid $16 per hour for every published assignment. Payments are issued after your report has been reviewed and published.
  • Training Every Civic Documenter completes a free training covering public meetings, ethics, note taking, and our publishing process. You'll have everything you need before your first assignment.
  • An editorEvery report is reviewed by an editor who provides feedback, answers questions, and helps ensure each meeting summary is accurate, fair, and easy to understand.
  • A bylineYour published reports are credited to you, giving you experience contributing to a trusted public record while helping your community stay informed.
  • FlexibilityThere are no required weekly hours. Accept assignments that fit your schedule and report on the meetings that interest you.

What Nebraska gets

  • A recordEvery published meeting summary becomes part of a free, searchable public record that helps residents understand decisions affecting their communities.
  • AccountabilityWhen public meetings are documented, residents have greater visibility into how decisions are made and how public officials serve their communities.
  • Better newsCivic reporting helps identify important issues that may otherwise go unnoticed and provides valuable information that local journalists can build on through deeper reporting.
  • More reportersMany Civic Documenters discover a passion for journalism, public service, or civic engagement. The program helps develop new voices and strengthens Nebraska's local news ecosystem.
  • TrustCivic Documenters come from the communities they cover. Their work helps neighbors better understand local government while making public meetings more accessible to everyone.
Recent workBrowse all coverage
Common questions
  • Do I need journalism experience?
    No. We provide training before your first assignment and work with Documenters from a wide range of backgrounds. We're looking for curious, reliable people who care about their communities, not professional journalists.
  • How much does it pay?
    Civic Documenters are paid $16 per hour for every published assignment. Payments are issued after your report has been reviewed and published.
  • How much time does it take?
    Most assignments include attending the meeting and preparing a written summary afterward. There is no minimum number of meetings you must cover. You choose assignments that fit your schedule.
  • What happens to my notes?
    After you submit your notes, an editor reviews them for accuracy, clarity, and consistency. Once published, your report becomes part of a free public record available through Nebraska Civic Newsroom.

Important decisions happen every day. Help make sure the public knows about them.

Every meeting documented helps create a stronger, more informed Nebraska.

Start your applicationQuestions first? Write to the editors — a person reads every message