Budget Analyst VISTA

**This is NOT a traditional job and is a temporary national service position for 12-months**

Join the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas AmeriCorps VISTA Program. AmeriCorps engages individuals in service to meet critical community needs while strengthening civic engagement and developing future public service leaders.

This AmeriCorps VISTA position will serve with the Budget, Strategy, and Research Department, supporting efforts to expand the Unified Government’s capacity to understand local economic conditions, benchmark performance, and improve public understanding of the budget process. The VISTA will help build internal systems, analyze data, and create tools that strengthen transparency and long‑term organizational effectiveness.

This role is ideal for someone interested in public finance, economic analysis, data storytelling, or local government.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Analyze local economic data to better understand poverty and economic conditions in small geographic areas of Wyandotte County
• Research alternative poverty measures, including longitudinal and small‑area indicators
• Build datasets of local economic and demographic information
• Summarize findings in tables, charts, and maps for internal and public use
• Review and expand benchmarking systems, comparing UG revenue, expenditures, and performance to peer cities
• Develop new benchmarking measures and refine existing datasets
• Create public‑facing content that explains the budget process and highlights departmental budgets for platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and the UG website
• Support development of internal performance measures, helping departments identify services and track outcomes

You describe yourself as

• Analytical, curious, and detail‑oriented
• Interested in data analysis, public budgeting, or economic mobility
• Comfortable working with spreadsheets, datasets, and research tasks
• Able to translate complex information into clear, accessible language
• Motivated to support government transparency and community understanding

The Unified Government’s AmeriCorps VISTA Program is

• An ideal steppingstone to a career in nonprofit, civic innovation, or public sector work
• Supportive, encouraging members to pursue professional development and providing in-house learning opportunities
• A collaborative network of individuals working to create long-term, systemic change in Wyandotte County and the broader Kansas City region
• An opportunity to reduce student loan burden or pursue future education through education awards

*Our full-time, 12-month AmeriCorps VISTA positions could be right for you! Passion and general skills are needed, experience is not required; training and resources will be provided. VISTA members receive professional development and experience, but opportunities for future employment are not guaranteed. Multiple positions are available within the Unified Government’s AmeriCorps VISTA Program, and candidates may apply for more than one position.*

Minimum qualifications

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident
• Willing to submit to and pass a national service background check
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

AmeriCorps VISTA Member Compensation

• A living allowance of $983.36 (taxable) is provided every two weeks.
• Upon completion of the 12-month term, CNCS provides a $7,395 Education Award for college loans or future education expenses. Those without loans or plans for future education can receive a smaller cash stipend of $1,800, in lieu of the Education Award.
• A housing stipend of $200 per month to go towards housing costs, such as rent.

AmeriCorps VISTA Member Benefits

• Service-related mileage reimbursement (if assigned site approves)
• 80 hours vacation and 80 hours sick
• Professional development opportunities
• Relocation or settling-in allowance (if moving 50+ miles for service)
• Federal student loan forbearance and deferment
• Healthcare, childcare, and other benefits available

Deadline

Apply by December 1st, 2026 for priority consideration. The anticipated start date is January 11, 2027. All AmeriCorps VISTA service terms are 365 days; thus this opportunity is slated to be 1/11/27-1/10/28.

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary

Pay: $25,567.36 per year

Application Question(s)

• I hold one of the following citizenship or legal residency statuses: US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), and persons legally residing within a state. Please respond YES or NO
• I understand this opportunity is not traditional employment but is national service. The living allowance is $957.46 (taxable) paid every two weeks and is not negotiable. Please acknowledge acceptance of this statement below. Please respond YES or NO
• I am at least 18 years of age or older. Please respond YES or NO
• I live in the KC Metro Area or am willing to relocate prior to my start of service date. Please respond YES or NO
• I can satisfy the national background check requirement. Please respond YES or NO

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kansas City, KS 66101