Tulsa, Oklahoma has created Tulsa Remote, a special program that offers $10,000 grants to eligible applicants who commit to living in the city for a year and working remotely.
Each $10,000 grant will be distributed over the course of a year to eligible remote workers or entrepreneurs who move here from outside of Tulsa County.
Participants initially will receive $2,500 for relocation expenses, followed by $500 monthly stipends and an additional $1,500 at the end of the 12 months.
They’ll also have the option of living in new furnished apartments in the Tulsa Arts District for 33 percent off the base price, as well as free utilities, for the first three months.
why are they offering this?
“Oklahoma is one of the very few states whose cities rely entirely on sales tax for the government operating costs…This is about getting people to move to Tulsa,”
said Perry, director of strategy and communications at Tulsa-based Oklahoma Policy Institute. In Tulsa, an 8.517 percent sales tax, one of the highest in the nation, funds the city’s operating budget, he explained. It’s a model that would work well for high-income, potentially transient residents — like the ones Tulsa Remote may attract — who rent rather than own property.
“Anything they buy in the city, that’s helping our economy and tax base,” Perry said.
While the Oklahoma state population has increased 14 percent since 2000, Tulsa’s population growth has been sluggish, according to Census data.
What to apply?
Applications for Tulsa Remote can be found at TulsaRemote.com. To be eligible for this program, participants must provide proof of employment, be at least 18 years old, and work for a business that is based outside of Tulsa County or be self-employed outside of Tulsa County.
You can´t apply because you don’t have a remote job yet? What are you waiting for?
Debbie
Nominal Nomad 