The Bob Turner Scholars Internship is a hands-on learning opportunity designed to attract high school or community college students to local government and a values-based career. ICMA received a donation to be endowed in honor of Bob Turner to help train future professionals. Bob was a mentor to many individuals who followed in his footsteps and made their own contributions to society. The goal of this program is to ensure that these students have the opportunity to serve a local government as an intern under the guidance of an ICMA member mentor. Each student will work for a CAO or assistant CAO who can dedicate time over the summer to helping students understand the nuts and bolts of local government operations and, most importantly, the value system that drives decision-making and the profession.

Eligibility 

To be eligible to participate in the Bob Turner Scholars Internship Program, host organizations must:

• Chief Administrative Officer (i.e. city/county manager or administrator) is an ICMA member.
• Submit a host application (this does not guarantee participation).
• Designate a mentor and time for mentoring opportunities.
• Submit a meaningful and age-appropriate work plan.
• Submit required financial forms to ICMA (to receive reimbursement).
• Sign a letter of agreement.
• Attend a host/mentor training.
• Participate in program debrief and feedback.

Pay and Salary

The host organization provides compensation, and ICMA reimburses the host organization up to $2,500 upon completion of the summer internship. Hosts are responsible for covering any pay/salary that exceeds $2,500. Hosts are responsible for providing the required equipment for the intern(s) to perform his or her day-to-day duties.

ICMA Benefits

Interns placed in the Bob Turner Scholars Internship Program will receive:

• Complimentary ICMA membership for two years.
• Complimentary registration to the ICMA Annual Conference (*if the intern is 18 years of age by the time of conference).
• Complimentary subscription to PM magazine.
• A tailored cohort experience including biweekly cohort calls.
• Access to ICMA’s Local Government 101.d. 

The Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) is a career-development opportunity that places fellows in full-time local government management-track positions shaped by direct mentorship under senior government leaders and rotational assignments. Talented professionals with a master's degree in public administration, management, public policy, public affairs, or related area, are given the opportunity to assume real responsibility, thrive in an environment that recognizes potential, and gain unique exposure to local government. Mentorship is a key element to the program and can be more critical than the job description or work plan. It’s about how the Host Community connects, supports, and engages them with the work in a development capacity. Fellows are an investment in the future of the profession and the continuity of keeping our communities’ great places to live, work, and play. Please review the host commitments below. 

HOST COMMITMENTS 

Section 1: Salary & Professional Development

Fellow Salary & Benefits

• Host Community will offer a competitive salary for the duration of the fellowship, comparable to that of a full-time employee. Salaries will be determined based on current and future market conditions, taking into account the cost of living in various regions. For instance, the starting salary for Presidential Management Fellows is $42- $56,000 based on cost of living (the GS9 entry-level PMF rate). Most positions come with benefits, though some local governments may provide subsidies for fellows to purchase their own benefits.
• Host Community are encouraged to offer relocation assistance, which may include covering expenses, providing housing options, and/or offering a transportation stipend or reimbursement. Hosts have a greater chance of securing their preferred candidate when understanding the benefits package that appeals to the finalist.
• Host Community will commit to employing the Fellow for one to two years as an ICMA-recognized Fellow, with the aim of either hiring them full-time or assisting them in securing full-time employment after the fellowship.

* Understand that ICMA encourages two or more jurisdictions to share a Fellow to meet the salary requirement if full funding is not available.

Professional Development & Learning 

• Host Community will prepare and submit a work plan (job/rotation description) to ICMA by the time candidate interviews begin. This plan should aim to provide an enriching professional learning experience for the Fellow.
• Host Community will cover travel and expenses for the Fellow to attend the ICMA Annual Conference, with ICMA waiving the registration fee for up to two conferences. Fellows should arrive early to participate in an all-day LGMF orientation held one day before the conference begins.
• Host Community will allow time for the Fellow to participate in scheduled program conference calls and learning activities (approximately one every 4 weeks).
• Host Community are encouraged to provide the fellow with membership in their state association and cover travel and expenses for the fellow to attend the NFBPA Annual Conference, the Local Government Hispanic Network Annual Conference, and/or a state association conference. For a full list of ICMA partner organizations, please visit the State Leadership & Liaison Directory. 

Section 2: Commitment to Mentorship 

Mentorship 

• Host Community will assign a mentor to the Fellow, who will serve as their primary point of contact and coach throughout the fellowship. This mentor could be a top-notch analyst, a department head, a deputy or assistant manager, or the chief administrator. The goal is to prepare the Fellow for leadership in any career path, even if it extends beyond local government.
• Host Community will encourage external mentorship through the CoachConnect platform or other coaching resources.

Section 3: Recruitment Process

• Host Community will receive login information to review finalist applications in February and is expected to make an offer by May. Host communities can also run concurrent local application processes.
• Host Community will adhere to the organizational hiring guidelines and conduct interviews with transparency and fairness. Whenever possible, the manager should be included in the interviews, as their presence can positively influence candidates.
• Host Community will give finalists two weeks to decide on an offer, ensuring they have ample time to make a thoughtful decision without feeling pressured. If any issues arise, the host community will promptly inform ICMA. Additionally, hosts agree not to knowingly hire a Fellow through the LGMF Program who has already been placed in another LGMF-participant community.
• Host Community must contact ICMA immediately once a Fellow has been selected.
   

The Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) is a career-development opportunity designed to attract recent MPA/MPP (or related programs) graduates to be placed in full-time management-track local government positions. Finalists are selected based on academic performance, demonstrated leadership potential, commitment to public service, communication skills, initiative, creativity, and positive attitude. They then interview for 12-month fellowship appointments at local governments across the country, during which they receive direct mentorship from a senior government leader at the organization. (Appointments may be extended beyond the one-year term.)Fellows assume real responsibility, thrive in an environment that recognizes potential, and gain unique exposure to local government. Fellowships are available in local governments nationwide. 

Since the program's launch in 2004, many alumni fellows are now in chief administrative officers or assistant chief administrative officers; many others are in senior positions in local government. 

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible to participate in the Local Government Management Fellowship, applicants must:
 

• Be a recent graduate or student enrolled in a public administration, public policy, or related field master's degree program
• Satisfy all of the requirements for their degree program by August 31, 2025, the year of the fellowship.
• Have no formal local government management work experience
• Be eligible to work in the United States
• Complete the LGMF application by the closing date
  
  

Salaries & Benefits Packages:
Salaries and benefits packages for fellows vary based on a number of factors and are determined by the host city. Both will be discussed with fellows at the end of the interview process, if they are to be offered a position with the host city.

 ICMA Benefits:
Those individuals placed in an LGMF host community receive:
 

•  Complimentary ICMA Membership for two years
• Complimentary registration to ICMA Annual Conference
• Scholarship funding to an ICMA Reimagined Conference
• Complimentary access to ICMA's Applied Knowledge Assessment
• Complimentary subscription to PM Magazine
   

Some sample projects and programs Fellows have managed include:
 

• Complete a study for the Emergency Management Department resulting in departmental reorganization; recommendations approved by the Board of Commissioners
• Lead a group of county employees in implementing a reverse 911 system and secure 55 percent funding from outside sources
• Analyze best practices for and develop a Customer Relations Management System and protocols for responding to citizen requests/complaints
• Develop City/County Code of Ethics
• Design an asset management system for the Parks and Recreation Department
• Help the city develop citizen-centered performance measures
• Work with the Community Development Agency to coordinate efforts in building affordable housing
• Work with county initiative Criminal Justice Information Integration Network to help improve police agency practices through technology
• Coordinate the Department of Defense's new Smart Card initiative and its implementation to emergency responders
• Research models and recommend key policy considerations and restructuring actions for the Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Division
• Draft an annual update to the city's Economic Development Strategy, reporting on the accomplishments of all the departments' programs related to the strategy
• Develop and implement a Citizens' Academy
• Develop a firefighter recruitment strategy to diversify the applicant pool; assist in recruitment through partnership with the NAACP
• Create and manage the hiring process for 911 dispatchers
• Work with employee relations in researching the possibility for use of flex leave as an incentive during the hiring process
• Research and recommend best financial practices for medical and dental self-insurance by local governments
• Provide research for human resources classification and compensation study
• Investigate the leasing possibilities for a parcel of city-owned land near the airport
• Conduct assessment of housing needs of seniors and people with disabilities
• Provide logistical support for new Minority, Women's and Small Business Enterprises Program
• Help to design a county mentoring program
• Organize a sale of surplus appliances from a purchased property
• Create a central monitoring and reporting system to track donated grants and funds given for community event
• Create a new EMS employee recruitment and retention program using Design Thinking approach 

Candidates will be selected on the basis of their academic performance, demonstrated leadership potential, commitment to public service, communication skills, initiative, creativity, and positive attitude.


Application 

• Step 1: Job Application including demographic information, education, work experience, resume, professional references.
• Step 2: Complete the personal statement and local government memo sample. The memo prompt is available in the application. 
• Step 3: Confirm Application and Certify and Submit
   

Supplemental:

• Unofficial graduate and undergraduate transcripts (uploaded directly to the application);
• At least one (1) recommendation letter and up to three (3) from professors/program directors, and/or professional contacts.

**For letters of recommendation, the application will ask you to input the email address of those you are requesting letters from. They will then receive an email to upload the letter directly into the application. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: The individuals you have chosen to write your letters will not receive an email until you submit the application. Please encourage the individuals submitting your letters to have their letters ready so that when you submit the application, they can upload the letter right away. We highly suggest submitting the application before the due date so that letters can be submitted by the due date. 

As the application is web-based, it is strongly recommended that you prepare your essay and case study outside the LGMF application and save your work frequently. When you have completed your essay questions, copy/paste them into the application tool as non-formatted text. Keep your formatting simple, as it will not carry over to this application or may add strange characters.

ATTACHMENTS

Memo Sample Supporting Documentation: You may attach documentation to accompany your memo if you wish; reference this and clearly identify your document and be sure your name is also on the attachment.

Resume: You may attach a resume, and will have the option in the first part of the application.

SELECTION PROCESS

The LGMF Advisory Board will review all applications submitted by the deadline. ICMA will notify all applicants if they have been selected as a finalist once the Advisory Board submits results. Applications will be scored on resume/applicant experience, letters of recommendation, transcripts, personal statement, and local government memo sample content,

Seventy percent (70%) of the total score is based on the personal statement and memo; your demonstrated passion and subject knowledge.

Finalists' applications will be routed directly to host local governments for review. Local governments will contact finalists directly to schedule interviews. If you are contacted by a local government, it is strongly recommended that you prepare for the interview as you would for any other employment opportunity.

Direct any questions to:
lgmfprogram@icma.org; or visit the LGMF Web page for Frequently Asked Questions at http://icma.org/lgmf. 

Good luck!