Reform for Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest group that conducts research and advocates reforms to promote public participation in government, address the role of money in politics, and encourage integrity, accountability, and transparency in government. 

RFI is seeking motivated interns who are interested in gaining experience in policy crafting and research, as well as in fundraising, event planning, and communications. Interns play an integral role at RFI. Our small staff size offers interns the unique opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the organization and gain in-depth experience.

We are currently accepting applications from undergraduate students. This internship is unpaid, but we are absolutely willing to work with students for either course credit or stipend opportunities at their college or university.

RFI’s interns have wide-ranging responsibilities, but some examples of tasks include: 

• Engage in quantitative analysis, research, and writing for policy projects.
• Edit and proofread documents supporting various projects.
• Collect and analyze campaign finance data for research projects.
• Participate in donor outreach and contribute to fundraiser planning.
• Respond to press inquiries on topics relevant to RFI’s work.
• Assist in planning educational events aligned with our mission.
• Draft research reports on topics such as self-funding candidates, campaign finance disclosure laws, and election reform.
• Take on various assignments as needed.

Our preferred qualifications are: 

• Strong research and writing skills.
• Genuine interest in RFI’s mission and the field of government reform.
• Adaptability to a variety of tasks and responsibilities.
• Past exposure to government or politics is a plus, though not required!
• Effective interpersonal skills for collaboration with RFI staff and fellow interns.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Google Docs and Sheets.

RFI offers flexible hours and is willing to work with our interns to determine a suitable schedule. We work remotely at RFI, although there will be occasional opportunities for in-person work and collaboration. 

More information about our work can be found on our website, and interested applicants can submit their application on our Internship Application page. We require a resume, cover letter, and a brief (3-5 pages) writing sample. Please contact outreach@reformforillinois.org with any questions. 

Reform for Illinois is not accepting internship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year. Thank you for your interest!