Leaders in Columbus are welcoming new talent to the community with a new economic development strategy to incentivize move-ready talent to relocate to Columbus. This innovative talent attraction program aims to incentivize remote workers to relocate to Columbus, Georgia’s second largest city.

“With a focus on talent attraction and retention, we saw an opportunity to promote our community to those who work remotely and can choose where they want to live,” said Columbus 2025 Executive Director Tabetha Getz. “Columbus has a lot to offer potential residents, including a vibrant downtown, world-class whitewater rafting, and a thriving arts and culture community.”

Columbus 2025–the first city in Georgia to partner with MakeMyMove–developed a unique program to bring new residents to Columbus and encourage them to become active members of the community while contributing to the local economy. 

Columbus is currently recruiting remote workers who:

• Are employed full-time and able to relocate while retaining their current position;

• Earn at least $75,000 annually

• Live at least 75 miles outside the city limits of Columbus at the time of application for the program; and

• Must relocate primary residence to Muscogee County, GA within six months.

Successful applicants will be selected for the program by a committee of local residents. They will receive an incentive package that includes $5,000 cash per family, along with an additional $2,400 worth of soft incentives to help integrate new residents into the community. Movers are required to reside in Columbus a minimum of one year to receive the full benefits of the program. 

Columbus 2025 is working with MakeMyMove to generate interest from remote workers as part of a larger talent attraction goal of four percent population growth by 2026. “Columbus is a city on the rise and offers a strong sense of community with big city amenities and a lower cost of living,” Getz said. “We are piloting the program as one piece of the talent attraction strategy, with the goal of attracting a small cohort of remote workers in 2024 and expanding the program in the future.”

MakeMyMove calculates the addition of seven remote workers will add more than $600,000 in immediate economic impact for the community through the new residents’ spending and tax contributions. That new activity is also expected to create four new local jobs.  

“Recruiting remote workers pays off well above the initial incentive investment,” said MakeMyMove Co-founder and COO Evan Hock. “Remote worker recruitment is a fast and economical way for communities to grow. These workers bring their jobs, families and spending power with them, adding immediate benefit to the community.”

Interested applicants can learn more and apply online at www.columbus2025.com/makemymove.