In the summer of 2010, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation established its Fiscal Internship Program in Washington DC with the goal of encouraging young people to engage in fiscal and economic policy. The program pairs current students with leading public policy organizations to work on issues vital to our country’s future economic well-being. Interns have the opportunity to work for leading scholars for ten weeks during the summer while gaining professional experience, skills, and contacts that will serve them throughout their careers.
Participants in this program have the unique opportunity to:
- Gain substantive policy research experience at a leading organization
- Work under the direct supervision of a respected scholar
- Join a diverse community of experts and students interested in budgetary and economic issues
While fiscal interns typically live and work in Washington DC, please note that the 2021 fiscal internship program may be held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate any updates to the selected interns. Interested applicants may apply to work with any of the host institutions listed below. The host institutions’ work spans a variety of issues including healthcare, Social Security, economic policy, and tax policy, and includes a range of perspectives from progressive to conservative. If selected, interns will work on research assignments related to federal fiscal policy issues under the direct supervision of a leading scholar at their host institution. Interns receive a $6,000 stipend for the ten-week program.
This year’s hosts will include:
- American Action Forum
- American Compass
- Bipartisan Policy Center
- Brookings Institution
- CATO Institute
- Center for American Progress
- Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
- Economic Policy Institute
- Institute for Women’s Policy Research
- Kaiser Family Foundation
- Mercatus Center
- Niskanen Center
- Progressive Policy Institute
- Urban Institute/Tax Policy Center
Qualifications:
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation Fiscal Internship program is looking for a diverse group of talented students who are passionate about policy and good with numbers. The most successful candidates are ambitious, actively involved on campus or in their communities, and have demonstrated superior academic performance.
We seek applicants who have:
- An academic background in economics, political science, public policy, public administration, or a related field
- A demonstrated interest in fiscal and economic policy
- An aptitude for numbers
- Written communication skills
- An open mind and willingness to engage with those who share different opinions and beliefs
- A natural curiosity for learning new things
- A desire to live and work independently in Washington DC
Rising juniors, rising seniors, and current graduate students are eligible to apply. Students must have completed at least two courses in economics, math, statistics, or political science, and have a working fluency with numbers. Experience with Microsoft Excel is highly recommended.
Required Documents:
1) Resume
2) Unofficial Transcripts
3) Personal Statement (250 words): Please describe your future career goals — outlining factors that have influenced you along the way (personal, academic, or professional), and how you feel the PGPF Fiscal Internship program would help you to further your professional journey (250 words). Please use examples and be specific.
4) Statement of Policy Interest (250 words): Please choose ONE policy issue that interests you from the following list: • Federal entitlement spending • Budget process • Taxes • Healthcare • Retirement security • Infrastructure • State/local financing • National security/National defense • Another fiscal policy topic of your choosing. Thinking about this issue, answer ONE of the following (250 words): 1) Describe one aspect of this issue that you would like to reform and why; OR 2) Describe why you feel that this issue is important and why it should be a policy priority in the coming year.
5) Contact information for two references
2021 Internship Dates: June 7-August 13, 2021
Summer Stipend: $6,000
Deadline to Apply: January 31, 2021
Website: https://www.pgpf.org/what-we-are-doing/grants/grantee-list/pgpf-fiscal-internship-program-in-washington-dc
Contact email: [email protected]
Link to apply: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.pgpf.org_what-2Dwe-2Dare-2Ddoing_grants_grantee-2Dlist_pgpf-2Dfiscal-2Dinternship-2Dprogram-2Din-2Dwashington-2Ddc&d=DwMGaQ&c=dTXc8cCP8suVpClwB1HRHQACHN4UFMgL7MtSjCbKyts&r=rjBxeqeIfIXkMHk93ixKaKoN7ANUE_Yagcc4GLJpb_M&m=-emDQKGWT0nePbhp1zm2DMMv-RZ74oGdLzpUSLBEn7s&s=gRTaQU4YYxqVeMgoqHFP6mELWGBVgwNM3D7Sak0xlL0&e=
