Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization:

The Civic Federation is a 130-year-old independent, non-partisan and nonprofit government research organization that provides analysis and recommendations on government finance issues for the Chicago region and the State of Illinois. The Federation's membership includes business and professional leaders from a wide range of Chicago area corporations, professional service firms, and institutions.

Internship Summary:

Join the Civic Federation for a dynamic internship that offers hands-on experience in fiscal policy research and analysis. An ideal intern need not have a base of understanding in public finance (though it would be helpful!) but will need a desire to quickly learn about public finance issues, from property tax to budgets to the cost of public employee benefits. As a Research Intern, you'll work alongside our Research staff to support ongoing research and conduct your own research that will inform articles and reports that shape the future of Illinois. In this role, you will be able to follow topics that interest you the most to produce articles on matters that most impact Chicago and Illinois citizens, gain insights into the process of utilizing government data to promote efficient government and receive robust mentorship to ensure a valuable internship experience.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct research and write articles and reports on government finance topics such as state and local budgets, pensions, property tax, education, and more.
• Source and analyze data and contribute to the Civic Federation’s long-term research.
• Support the organization’s data visualization efforts through data analysis and building out data dashboards.
• Develop easily digestible versions of the Civic Federation’s research through power point presentations and one-pagers.
• Collaborate with the Research team to develop skills and dive deeply into your own areas of interest.
• Attend internal and external meetings as appropriate to further your own research projects, support the organization’s programming, and network with Civic Federation members and government officials.
• Collaborate with your supervisor to help clarify priorities and determine appropriate assignments for graduate vs undergraduate level and based on the intern’s interests.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pursuing a degree with a focus on political science, government, law, economics, econometrics, public policy, or statistics.
• Possess strong writing skills
• Proficient in data analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft programs including Word and Excel.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Effective team player with a positive attitude and eager to learn about government policy issues.
• Familiarity with data analysis and visualization software (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, etc.) is a plus.

About the Supervisor:

The Research Intern will serve as part of the Civic Federation’s research team. Your research will be primarily supported and directed by Civic Federation Policy and Research Director, Annie McGowan. Annie oversees all of the organization’s research and policy work, and collaborates closely with other staff to communicate the Civic Federation’s key messaging to the public and to support programming and events that amplify the organization’s work. Annie’s research has covered topics including state and local government finance, pensions, criminal justice system issues, and tax policy issues.

Due to the collaborative nature of our small team, the Research Intern will work directly with other members of the research staff. Other members of our research team may provide direct management of the intern’s projects, depending on the topics.

Partnerships and programming work is supported by Ellen Morris Palermo, Director of Program and Strategy. The Research Intern may work with Ellen and her team as needed to help support content production and messaging/communication of our work to external audiences.

Eligibility:

• Undergraduate students
• Graduate students

Location, Modality and Commute:

Our team is in the office Monday-Thursday. Ideally our intern would work in the office on at least one of those days as their schedule permits. Our office is located at: 141 W. Jackson Blvd, #2150 in the Board of Trade Building located in the Chicago loop. Students can take the Metra Electric (ME) Line or 6 Bus from the Hyde Park Campus. We are also located within a few blocks of loop stops for all “L” lines.

Start and End Date:

The Academic Year internships will take place according to the IOP’s timeline, with specific dates and weekly hours to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process:

• Onboarding: November – December 2026
• Intern Work Period: January – May 2027