Join the Team
Become a Public Budget Analyst
Budget Watch is looking for researchers who believe taxpayers deserve to understand where their money goes. You don't need a finance degree: just curiosity, patience with spreadsheets, and a commitment to getting the numbers right.
What you'll do
- Obtain official municipal budget documents from town government websites
- Analyze spending across all major categories using our 10-section framework
- Compare year-over-year trends and benchmark against peer towns
- Identify red flags: structural deficits, fund balance erosion, unusual line-item spikes
- Write clear, neutral, cited findings that any taxpayer can understand
- Submit completed reports through our editorial review process
Who we're looking for
Detail-oriented
You catch inconsistencies. You double-check numbers. You cite page numbers.
Neutral
You raise questions, not accusations. The data speaks for itself.
Comfortable with data
You can read a budget table, calculate percentages, and spot what looks wrong.
Clear writer
You can explain a pension liability to someone who has never heard of one.
What you get
- A byline on every report you publish
- Access to our research framework, templates, and editorial feedback
- Real published work you can show to colleges, employers, or grad schools
- Experience in public finance analysis and accountability journalism
This is a volunteer research role. Budget Watch is an independent, unfunded project.
Ready to join?
Click below to open our application. We review every submission and will be in touch if it's a good fit.
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