It’s no secret that remote work has changed the game for many Americans, allowing them to not only work at a job they love, but to do so while living in a place they love. The combination of an increasingly high cost of living in many urban areas and the flexibility remote work provides has spurred many workers to consider relocating somewhere more affordable.
Thanks to the strong guidance and expertise of Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation Director Kelly Gourley and a grant from the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. (Innovation Center), Lincoln County is on the cutting edge of remote worker relocation in the state, acting as the lead county in the 26-county service area to partner with a remote worker relocation program. The goal is to increase population within the county while providing workers and their families a comfortable, safe, and affordable place to call home.
Gourley grew up in the small town of Scandia, Kansas, located within the Innovation Center’s service area. A graduate of Pike Valley High School and Kansas State University, Gourley earned her bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture. After a stint at an architecture firm, her love for old buildings led her to Michigan, where she worked as a local downtown Main Street manager and then as a Design Specialist for the Michigan Main Street program. Her experience in historic preservation and downtown revitalization gave her a unique skill set that would prove invaluable in her future work.
A couple of years back, Gourley received a marketing call from an up-and-coming company called MakeMyMove, which describes itself as a “marketplace product that connects remote workers and other work-from-anywhere talent with communities that are attracting new residents.” The program emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which redefined remote work and its possibilities.
“What they were trying to do just really stuck in my brain for a while,” says Gourley. Fast forward a year or two, and Gourley and MakeMyMove made another connection. Remote worker relocation incentive programs were emerging in various parts of the country, but Lincoln County — not unlike other rural counties — did not have the expertise to develop such a program on its own.
After several months of conversation, Lincoln County made the decision to partner with MakeMyMove. With its experienced team and consumer marketing knowledge, MakeMyMove seemed the ideal partner for this unique endeavor. The Innovation Center granted an additional $20,000 to help with the cost of the marketing campaign and relocation incentives. With success in attracting remote workers, this program could be implemented on a more regional basis.
Launching a remote worker relocation program was not a comfortable decision for Lincoln County. But Gourley knew something had to be done. “When it comes to economic development, so many of our conversations come down to population. It’s hard to grow when you’ve been losing population for 100 years.”
While such programs are common in urban areas, rural communities haven’t yet ventured much into this territory. Trust was a significant factor. Could they trust the individuals joining the program, and could they trust the program itself?
Lincoln County took a deep breath and stepped into uncharted territory. Gourley notes, “We felt like if you keep doing the same things over and over, you won’t get any different results. We had to try something different.”
Now, a year into the partnership, they’re certainly glad they made that choice. The program has already had a significant impact, bringing people from metropolitan areas to the heart of Kansas. Lincoln County has welcomed its first family, with more on the horizon.
The benefits of the MakeMyMove program are plentiful. When a remote worker and their family relocate, they become part of the local community, supporting local businesses, schools, and more. That positive impact is amplified when multiple families make the move.
Lincoln County has specific goals surrounding the program. The goal is to attract five remote workers to Lincoln County within 24 months with $5,000 relocation grants as part of a complete package that highlights the local quality of life, recreational opportunities, small-town safety, and neighborly character. Marketing is focused not just on individual remote workers, but on attracting families who will help fill key positions in the community and bring students to local schools.
With one family already moved and another planning to close on a home purchase in December, Lincoln County and MakeMyMove are well on their way to achieving those goals. Gourley mentioned several potential families in the pipeline, further bolstering the county’s population. The investment may not yield immediate cash returns, but the long-term benefit to the local economy and school districts is invaluable.
When asked about the future, Gourley emphasized that housing remains the most significant challenge. She acknowledged the need for housing options that fit various household sizes and preferences — noting one family with four children who were fully prepared to make the move but simply could not find a home that met their needs.
Both MakeMyMove and Lincoln County offer perks for movers, including cash bonuses, free gym memberships, farm fresh eggs, and connections with local clubs and organizations.
As MakeMyMove continues to grow, rural communities across Kansas and beyond are watching closely and considering similar initiatives.
In a region where population decline has been the norm for more than a century, Lincoln County’s partnership with MakeMyMove is an inspiring story of adaptability and hope — and a demonstration of what innovative partnerships can do for the future of rural America.
To learn more about the Lincoln County MakeMyMove program, visit livelincolncounty.com. For more about MakeMyMove, visit makemymove.com. Kelly Gourley can be reached at 785-524-8954 or Lcedfdirector@outlook.com.
