MakeMyMove/Incentive programs
By Aliss Higham
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Moving somewhere new can be expensive, but local governments and organizations in many U.S. cities are offering financial incentives to cushion the blow and attract new residents.
Through MakeMyMove, an online marketplace, towns, cities and regions connect with professionals and remote workers by providing relocation packages that may include cash stipends and down-payment assistance. Many programs also include added perks such as free co-working space, gym memberships or cultural benefits to help newcomers settle into their new surroundings.
The goal is straightforward: to bring in fresh talent, boost populations and support local economic growth. While many of these initiatives are designed with remote workers in mind, some are also open to people willing to take on jobs in the area. However, many have certain caveats and are aimed at certain types of workers.
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Below are some of the most lucrative incentives you can get for moving.
Detroit, Michigan — $31,680
The Detroit Tech Fellowship offers a $2,000 monthly stipend for one year to support rent and living expenses and enable founders to focus full time on startup development.
The fellowship targets entrepreneurs who graduated from a Michigan college or university in May 2022 or later and who will commit to staying in Detroit for at least 12 months, working a minimum of 40 hours per week on scaling their venture. Applicants must be founders of an established startup with fewer than 10 employees and express an interest in remaining in Detroit after the fellowship while engaging with the local startup ecosystem during their tenure.
Overall, those taking part can receive $31,680.
Jackson, Michigan — $26,400
An initiative in Jackson builds new homes on vacant city-owned lots and sells them to qualified buyers earning up to 120 percent of the area's median income.
The city of Jackson's 100 Homes Program provides as much as $25,000 in down-payment assistance per home, making homeownership significantly more accessible for qualifying buyers.
The program is open to both current Jackson residents and those looking to relocate and requires owner-occupancy. Homes are purchased with traditional mortgages.
Other perks include a free annual golf course membership and free participation in local community events, giving new residents a total financial incentive of $26,400.
Fort Wayne, Indiana — $14,480
The Hoosier Homes Plus in Allen County offers 5 percent in down-payment assistance and closing-cost support for eligible buyers.
With the county's median home price cited around $254,000, that 5 percent can translate to about $12,700 to help cover upfront costs of making the big move.
The program pairs its financial assistance with a bundle of local perks, short-term memberships and community-oriented benefits meant to ease the transition for newcomers—including co-working access, introductory cultural and retail memberships, and short-term grocery help—bringing the total incentive to $14,480.
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