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Vermont Will Give You $10K If You Move There and Work Remotely (fastcompany.com)

If you've been dreaming of moonlight in Vermont -- and getting a re-location subsidy -- "the time has come to make your maple-syrup-coated dreams a reality," reports Fast Company: [F]or those who relocate this year and can prove that they have full-time remote jobs, it's possible to get paid back for moving expenses, internet bills, or membership in a coworking space... The program offers up to $5,000 a year for two years. For the state, the program is one way to try to address its shrinking population. "We're the second-to-smallest state in the nation, and we're also getting older, so we really need to make sure there's more of a workforce here," says Joan Goldstein, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic Development, which is running the Remote Worker Grant Program. The entire state has a population of a little more than 600,000, roughly the size of Louisville, Kentucky.

Vermont also recognized that a growing number of Americans work remotely -- nearly two-thirds of companies today have remote workers, and one recent survey found that hiring managers think it will continue to become even more common -- and that many city dwellers elsewhere are struggling with rent on increasingly overpriced apartments... The median home value in Brattleboro, roughly two hours from Boston, is less than $200,000; a one-bedroom apartment a short walk from the local co-op (and a small coworking space) goes for $850 a month.

The budget for 2019 is $125,000, and will be given out "on a first come, first served basis."

2 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Pipeline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well, if you're from California:

    - The ground doesn't wiggle.
    - It rains. They have water.
    - There are trees and grass.

    I thought pot was illegal under US law but legal under various state laws. "Legal uncertainty" never fun.

    If, however, you're from Vancouver... It's cheaper to live (aside from health insurance). Hard to come up with other advantages, though.

  2. Re:Pipeline by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They only have enough budgeted to pay 12 people

    This is THE WAY GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK. You come up with an idea, and then you run a small pilot project to make sure it actually works and is cost effective. Then, and only then, do you scale it up.