State dollars helping to attract remote workers
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Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove, which offers a platform and services that help communities attract remote workers, says more than two dozen Indiana communities have taken advantage of state funds to help recruit out-of-state workers. Last April, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed legislation that allows cities and towns to secure funding for talent attraction and retention efforts through local tax increment financing dollars.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. provided $1.5 million in matching funds to help communities boost their talent attraction initiatives.
MakeMyMove says one such community taking advantage of the program in New Haven.
“We’re all-in on using this support to recruit new city residents and support continued investment into these efforts statewide,” said New Haven Mayor Steven McMichael.
McMichael says the city seeded the recruitment program with $50,000, which was then tripled through IEDC funds. It gave the city $200,000 for a resident recruitment budget. McMichael says about half of the budget will be distributed as incentives to new remote workers.
The current package includes $5,000 for relocation, pool passes, a Chamber membership and quarterly Meet Your Neighbor events.
“Other cities grappling with population loss or talent needs can learn a lot from New Haven in terms of creative ways to invest as well as ways to incent remote workers to join them. This public-private collaboration is a model for other states to follow,” said MakeMyMove Chief Operating Officer Evan Hock.
McMichael expects to add 18 new households to New Haven’s population base by working with MakeMyMove and using state and local funding.
MMM says these efforts statewide will bring more than 500 new Hoosiers and more than $40 million in annual economic impact to the state.