The purpose of the Government Finance Research Center (GFRC) in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is to shape and inform public policy and scholarly discourse on government and public finance by (1) identifying, planning, and executing research, therefore providing reports and informed analyses, (2) delivering educational opportunities and technical training, and (3) offering inclusive venues to convene national and local discussions on fiscal and governance issues.

New Report Release! Heading link

In 2021, the Illinois General Assembly commissioned the GFRC to conduct a “Water Rate Setting Study.” This three-year project produced a series of deliverables, including reports, datasets, presentations, and other dissemination products. The first report, published in June 2023, focuses on Northeastern Illinois, or the Lake Michigan Service Area. This second report provides a comprehensive review of rate setting in Northwestern, Central, and Southern Illinois.

Water Rate Setting in Northwestern, Central, and Southern Illinois

What's New at the GFRC? Heading link

The Government Finance Research Blog Heading link

The Government Finance Research Center at UIC is a place for sharing. Academics, practitioners and others can rely on its blog for commentary and information about promising and not-so promising practices and much more. The GFRC blog features a succession of posts short enough to be read by busy people and long enough to offer strong content. They are written by well-known experts in the field.

Check out our latest posts below and click here to see all blog posts.

A Conversation With... Heading link

The Government Finance Research Center works with researchers from a variety of backgrounds to analyze the role that public finance plays in our lives. In the interviews below, we talk with experts to dig deeper into pertinent topics and get their perspective on the past, present, and future of government finance.

See our latest conversation below:

Elaine Yi Lu, Professor and Director in the Department of Public Management at the City University of New York-John Jay College, and Editor, International Journal of Public Administration