Since its founding in 2018, Tulsa Remote has brought nearly 1,300 remote workers to town, and a new study suggests that the investment is paying off. You are 18+ years old. The researchers estimate that one new full-time job was created in Tulsa for every two Remoters who moved there. The participants report no decrease in productivity since moving. Google AdSense No. There are lots of smaller cities that can offer inexpensive housing. But there are outstanding questions about the program, too. November 14, 2018 / 2:09 PM This is not a one-size-fits-all solution.. Its economy specializes in oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing. a=o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0]; The application process for the 2020 program is now under way. Tulsa's 30+ entertainment and residential districts offer diverse landscapes and inclusive communities for you to find the perfect place for inspiration. Funding is currently provided by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. In exchange, successful applicants are required to call the city home for at least 12 months. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Tulsa Remote is right for you. , this one reporting which cities had the highest share of work done from home. , Prithwiraj Choudhury, a professor at Harvard Business School who. For Tulsa Remote members, that means individuals are working for a company located outside of Oklahoma. The Tulsa Remote program opened to applicants in November 2018. The city is also aiming to become one of the country's largest technology and business hubs. Glassdoor GKFF says it works hard to ensure that Remoters will be active in and connected to local communities, and it considers these factors when screening applicants. Our ideal candidate is open to calling Tulsa their home long-term and meets our core eligibility requirements: Full-time remote employment or self-employed outside Oklahoma. The George Kaiser Family Foundation is funding the program in its entirety and expects to spend somewhere between $250,00 to $500,000 in 2019 on 20 to 25 program recipients, but there's no hard limit to how many the program will welcome. They also have to relocate to Tulsa within a year of being accepted into the program, plus commit to living in Tulsa for at least that same amount of time. In creating Tulsa Remote, Stewart says he was inspired by Teach for America, a non-profit organization that deploys graduates from the countrys top universities to low income communities to teach for two years. And as effective as the GKFFs $10,000 stipends have been, its not sustainable to get in a bidding war with other cities to lure workers. At that point I had learned that they wanted me to live in Tulsa proper and our lifestyle is more suited to the suburbs. A program paid workers $10,000 to relocate to Tulsa. For one thing, the cities with the most remote work are the same big superstar cities that dominated the pre-pandemic economy. In partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which is footing the bill, Oklahoma's second-largest city announced an incentive package targeting remote workers to relocate to Tulsa. If selected for the program, do I have to live downtown? I'd be interested to know who you interviewed with, the kinds of questions they and you asked. Launched in November 2018, the program aims at attracting individuals who already. Has the arrival of remote workers benefitted the city as a whole? We submitted our application for the apartment, put down a deposit, and moved in Mid-May 2021. We've designed community building programming, events and meetups to help you engage with the organizations, local nonprofits and individuals that are working to make Tulsa the best it can be. To be considered for the Tulsa Remote program, we ask that applicants meet all four eligibility requirements: You can move to Tulsa within the next 12 months. The job came with a raise, which was amplified by the lower cost of living. The interview process in order to be considered for the grant is fairly standard . Its been almost a year since Sen and I moved to Tulsa from Los Angeles, and I am glad to report that we love it here! For my interview, I tried to think of the top 4-5 things that were most interesting about me, and how I'd bring them to the table, so to speak. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $1,184 Austin, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $917K SF, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $390K New York, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $546K LA, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $394K DC, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $484K Seattle, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $443K Boston, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $442K Denver, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $385K Portland, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $610K San Diego, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $242K Chicago, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $296K Austin. Led by the local George Kaiser Family . Apparently they only accept those who are interested in moving to Tulsa. Remote workers tend to be well paid; theyre in white collar digital and professional occupations, generally speaking, and those tend to come with pretty high salaries, explains Kenan Fikri, EIGs research director. We'll pay for you to live here, too. Perry spoke with CBS News in a telephone interview Wednesday. Dont know much more about the process as of yet, but I know next step is at least one video interview. It was intriguing to see how Black entrepreneurs were building back up Tulsa, as a Black entrepreneur and founder myself, says Law, who was invited to be one of 842 members of Tulsa Remotes 2021 cohort. What it does have is a lower cost of living compared to other cities. So if you ask me who should apply for Tulsa Remote, I will tell you it's for those who are open to moving away from their home and making new friends. Claire Tomm decided to apply to Tulsa Remote after hearing about it from a friend whod participated. To qualify, you must be a full-time remote worker or self-employed outside of the state. According to a 2018 Upwork report, 63 percent of companies surveyed had at least one employee working remotely, and hiring managers predicted that in the next 10 years, 38 percent of their full-time employees will work mostly remotely. No. I am moving to your city in the next couple weeks. Amid these challenging times, were still safely welcoming new members to Tulsa. If the finalist has no previous experience with Tulsa, an in-person visit may be scheduled. So while I thought there would be more than one interview, it doesn't seem like it, unless visiting is mandatory with an in person interview happening at that time. Which makes most of us super open to meeting new people and new like-minded friends. ". Thats the logic that leads EIGs models to estimate such a high payoff for Tulsa Remote. Full-time remote employment or self-employed outside of Oklahoma. I do think it had potential to happen.. Cookie Notice Three months after the move, Tomm switched jobs; she now works for a company in Michigan as a UX and design consultant. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; The following steps are to check out the city either in person or virtually (I recommend you to check out the city in person for a full experience) and make your final decision if you want to make the move. I work for a rideshare or delivery service like Lyft or Doordash. LET THEM ENTICE YOU WITH THAT GRANT. I haven't heard anything bad about it yet other than it's tough to get accepted. It was not like that at all and lasted all of about 10 minutes. We are still documenting and gathering data for all the ways the program has helped our community, said Bolzle. Tulsa Remote, a program that offers people $10,000 to move to Tulsa, Okla., for a year, started in the fall of 2018, but has seen a spike in demand during the pandemic. I was selected as a semifinalist for the Tulsa Remote program and my interview is next week. Space to run, play, climb and slide. Oklahoma is one of the very few states whose cities rely entirely on sales tax for the government operating costs, said Perry. Ask about their family and engage in the excitement about relocating to Tulsa! While the program is only a one-year commitment, the ideal candidate is open to calling Tulsa their home long-term. "Anything they buy in the city, that's helping our economy and tax base," Perry said. I did not get accepted because I already had plans to move to Tulsa. The City of Tulsa and other community organizations lend their support to ensure program participants are fully immersed and engaged in the community. It inspired us to think of other ways to bring people into the equation, and remote work was an interesting venue.. No, you are not eligible to apply if you recently moved to Oklahoma. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $4,088 New York, 2 BR Avg. It doesn't mean you have to be an extrovert since I am an introvert myself, and there are many introverts in the community. As long as the program continues to have a positive impact on the community, we will continue it.. Bynum addresses attendees at an event tied to the Tulsa Remote program. Anyone can schedule a Guided Tour at their convenience. Ive never been to Tulsa and want to visit before I make the move. With internationally recognized coffee roasters and breweries, there's always a place to refuel. The Tulsa Remote program started in 2018, and its core activity is the attraction of talented individuals to Tulsa (Oklahoma) via providing a financial incentive of $10,000 for remote. Lindzon's writing focuses on the future of work and talent as it relates to technological innovation, as well as entrepreneurship, technology, politics, sports and music. Yes, I am from Los Angeles, where the crime rate is high too! Sen & I live in Downtown Tulsa, where we can walk to most places. I got an email from Tulsa Remote about a week later notifying me that I am a semifinalist and am advancing to the next step with a video interview that happened within the same week. In September 2022, EIG released another study of remote work, this one reporting which cities had the highest share of work done from home. Its a win-win.. Just in case anyone is planning on applying: DO NOT TELL THEM YOU ARE OR HAVE PLANS TO MOVE TO TULSA. How did that go? Good luck and when it works out for you.Congratulations and welcome to Tulsa. Yes. I feel very a part of Tulsa now, he said. You have full-time remote employment or are self-employed outside of Oklahoma. An award-winning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through Fast Company's distinctive lens, The future of innovation and technology in government for the greater good, Fast Company's annual ranking of businesses that are making an outsize impact, Leaders who are shaping the future of business in creative ways, New workplaces, new food sources, new medicine--even an entirely new economic system. Getting to see more of the country is one of our goals for 2021 and beyond. . Transcript. What Our Members Are Saying Jared Lindzon is a freelance journalist and public speaker born, raised and based in Toronto, Canada. Exhibited my photography work during the Accidentally Wes Anderson: THIS IS AN ADVENTURE exhibit in the Philbrook Museum of Art. What types of incentives are program participants receiving? We even offer a $10,000 grant to help kick-start your new journey. The Tulsa Remote team reviews each application. But it is likely less regressive than the all-too-common strategy of cutting taxes to lure corporations. Tulsa Remote is designed for individuals who have full-time remote employment with a company outside of Oklahoma. Sen & I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Los Angeles, California, in May 2021 with theTulsa Remote(TR). On average, approximately one new job was created in Tulsa for every two remote workers who relocated. On top of the cash subsidies, the program, dubbed "Tulsa Remote," comes with a free membership to 36 Degrees North, a. Google Analytics I write about destinations, travel news/trends, dining and culture. This means we will be spending at least another year in Tulsa and will be growing our company here in the city. And they estimate every dollar spent on the program creates $13 in economic activity. Since 2019, Tulsa Remote has brought over 1,800 people to the city by offering them $10,000. How long did it take to find out they were interested, after applying? Levit expects the first cohort will touch down in Tulsa in early 2019. Tulsa is not the only city that offers remote workers cash in exchange for taking up residence, but researchers warn not every city stands to enjoy the same economic benefits in return. We even offer a. The study also found that for every two household members brought to Tulsa through the program, one new local job was created. It doesnt have much in the way of a technology sector. If selected for the program, do I have to live in Tulsa? I do think it had. They want to know how you would integrate into Tulsa, what your skills are and to learn more about your personality. Creatives mold the vibrant culture in Tulsa. Following its launch in 2018, Tulsa Remote will go from having chosen 100 people last year to doubling that amount for its 2020 process. For example, if John Doe applies on September 1st, his partner must apply no later than September 14th to be considered. Recommended for you Cobot en espaol Amid these challenging times, were still safely welcoming new members to Tulsa.You can check out our COVID-19 information to learn more about how weve adjusted. The interviewer asked a few standard questions like why I wanted to move to Tulsa, questions about my remote job, and if I had any questions or concerns about the city. Tulsa remote challenges the notion that remote and virtual must equal placeless. First published on November 14, 2018 / 2:09 PM. Tulsa Remote launched in November 2018 in an effort to recruit a diverse group of talented professionals across multiple industries to relocate and be a part of the existing growth happening in Tulsa. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $2,415 Portland, 2 BR Avg. It's a growing segment of the workforce. I'm a travel blogger, and photographer, recently moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma from Los Angeles, California with my husband Sen, our cat Shadow, and dog Lumi. I remember seeing programs like this a few years back and thought it would be an incredible life experience. The researchers estimate that one new full-time job was created in Tulsa for every two Remoters who moved there. Since 2018, nearly 1,300 talented individuals have joined our ranks, found "home" in Tulsa, and are helping shape one of America's greatest cities. All episodes. Can Tulsa remain a draw for remote workers if other cities copy its model? If so, Tulsa Remote will pay you $10,000 to move to Oklahoma. The question is whether Tulsa can continue to attract remote workers when it has to compete with, say, Wichita, Kansas or Omaha, Nebraska. I dont think people are going to make a permanent life decision, or even a medium term one, based on a relatively small financial incentive, says Lettieri. Video interviews are conducted with each finalist selected. a.appendChild(r); So if you have a business or a business idea supported by technology or is technology-enabled, then apply to this program as well. One of the other biggest perks is that there is NO traffic; the worst traffic would be just a 5 minutes delay. The first step is to apply for Tulsa Remotehere. Additionally, they must be working remotely full-time or self-employed. Press J to jump to the feed. , and it has a smaller share of residents with a college degree than the U.S. as a whole. This includes: currently working with a realtor, in escrow, about to close on your home, have closed on your home, have already purchased a property in Oklahoma, or have signed a lease prior to completing your background check and being formally accepted into the program. The median family income was about 80 percent of the national average, according to the study. So when the 29-year-old entrepreneur was deciding where to launch her video-based social network for anime and geek fandom, QuirkChat, she had a lot of options to consider. What should I prepare for? We had to decide very quickly what to keep, donate or toss. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Tulsa Remote is a case study in how remote work can shift economic development, and it paints a hopeful picture for smaller cities. Any advice for the interview?? All told, Tulsa Remote is estimated to have contributed $62 million in new labor income to the local economy in 2021. Then the applicants would get thanks for trying or congrats emails. Our members are the best part of our program. In Tulsa, an 8.517 percent sales tax, one of the highest in the nation, funds the city's operating budget, he explained. Tulsa Remote does not sell your data. It means that if you are open to making new friends or joining a new community of like-minded individuals then this is for you. "This is about getting people to move to Tulsa," said Matt Fabian, a partner at Massachusetts-based Municipal Market Analytic, in a telephone interview with CBS News on Wednesday. Today I have my interview with the Tulsa Remote Program which was one of my selling points for moving to Tulsa. Can I apply if Im already in the process of buying a house/signing a lease in Tulsa? Tulsa Mayor G.T. And as effective as the GKFFs $10,000 stipends have been, its not sustainable to get in a bidding war with other cities to lure workers. Follow us for travel tips, photos of different destinations in the US and inspiration~, Dig for Crystals at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma city is the focal point of Tulsa Remote, a program offering a $10,000 grant and additional incentives to selected participants to move and work remotely from Tulsa for a year. Less like a job interview, more like a first date. The researchers explain that much of the value of the program comes from ongoing contributions to the local economy, after the one-year requirement has expired. The city's population was 401,800 in 2017, a 2.2 percent increase from 2000. What to Expect When Visiting Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, Top 6 Things to Do in Oklahoma City: 48-Hour Guide. They get 1,000 applications a week and interview 200-300 candidates on Zoom. Tulsa is seeking digital nomads to put their roots down here. As a result, Lettieri says Tulsa hasnt suffered from many of the negative consequences associated with a rush of new, well-paid residents, such as a spike in housing prices and rising cost of living. The people in the community all share similar personality traits. We'd love to get you the information and resources you need to take the leap to move to Tulsa. Our mission has always been to attract talented and diverse individuals from across the country to Tulsa and get them connected to the existing community, said Tulsa Remote Executive Director Aaron Bolzle. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} Hidden Gems in Greater Palm Springs for Your Photographic Adventure! I hope to be joining you soon :), Emphasize your desire to shop locally. And two new studies suggest the program is working: the participants are experiencing a higher standard of living due to the citys low housing costs, and are engaged in the community. You may opt-out by. However, what really has made Tulsa "fantastic" for me, is how well . Dec 4-Notified of finalist status, filled out background check form and informed that once that cleared would be invited to come in person to check Tulsa out. I way overthought the interview. And theyre encouraged to get to know the people in their neighborhood and become involved within their communities. In my hometown in Wilkinsburg, [part of the Pittsburgh metro area], there were a lot of promises made that the recruitment of tech talent would impact other places besides the city [of Pittsburgh], he said in an interview. The remote workers who moved to Tulsa have a higher standard of living than they had before, theyre engaged in their new community, and most plan to stay. While there are many housing options available downtown, participants are free to live anywhere within the Tulsa city limits, including purchasing or renting single-family homes. Were going to stay here for sure, she says. The Tulsa metro area is home to one million people, but its population growth has been slower than many other midsize cities in recent years. Tulsa Remote participants were more likely to say they intend to stay where they currently live than the candidates who were accepted but didnt end up moving. From free coworking space to inspiring educational experiences, our program is designed to make you feel at home from your first day here. We saw more and more of those members stay beyond their two years of service, he says. gtag('config', 'UA-115877007-1'); Sen & I had planned to move around the country via Airbnb (month-long stays), the plan was paused due to the pandemic, but planning and researching it is half the fun. The program wants to attract "talented and energetic people" to Tulsa who care about making a difference in their local community . After I applied, I actually forgot about it, half thanks to the cocktails, half because I didn't think we would get in. Glassdoor has 1 Tulsa Remote reviews submitted anonymously by Tulsa Remote employees. With many programs like TR, 36 Degrees North Incubator, Endeavor ScaleUp, TechStars, Venture for America, and local venture capital firms, etc., to bring in ideas, talents, and funds to make that vision a reality. We moved to Tulsa Oklahoma with Tulsa Remote! MailChimp Pop-up . Benefits: $10,000 (either via monthly stipends or lump sum if you purchase a home in Tulsa) A free co-working space for three years Exclusive events in Tulsa Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $1,475 Denver, 2 BR Avg. What was your example? Rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber, and delivery services such as Grubhub and DoorDash, are not considered full-time remote employment. More than 2,000 people have moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma because of Tulsa Remote, a program that pays remote workers $10,000 to move. I had my semi finalist interview last Thursday. I am super curious about the program and process for those chosen to interview. Check out the Visit Tulsa page of our website. I was moving either way and was actually already under contract on a house. So I turned to Sen and asked if he was down to move to Tulsa, OK, with me if we got in. Nervous about making the move? Any individual who meets the eligibility criteria is welcome to apply, even if they are members of the same family or have a relationship with one another. Tulsa Remote will also give you money to visit before moving, so you can see the apartments in person when you visit. Accidentally Wes Anderson: THIS IS AN ADVENTURE, Korean Friendship Bell San Pedro, Los Angeles, California Jigsaw puzzle, Lions Lighthouse in Long Beach, California - Frame Poster, McWay Falls at Big Sur, California - Framed poster. In 2018, the George Kaiser Family Foundation launched Tulsa Remote, a program for people who can do their jobs from anywhere in the country. Don't just take our word for it. Since the programs launch, and especially since the start of the pandemic, Stewart says hes fielded calls from every corner of the country, and beyond, with inquiries related to replicating the program elsewhere. I use apartments.com. Since 2018, the Tulsa Remote program has offered remote workers moving to Tulsa $10,000 in cash, a desk at a local co-working space, and help finding housing. h.hj=h.hj||function(){(h.hj.q=h.hj.q||[]).push(arguments)}; Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $2,111 DC, 2 BR Avg. The standard answer is that knowledge-sector jobs that can be done remotely are high-paying and tend to have spillovers to the local community at least when housing costs dont rise enough to cancel out those benefits. So any community involvement is what they want to hear. This blog highlights my insights and experience with TR and the city for you to consider before you apply. We didn't want to take any of the large furniture to Tulsa since we thought it might just be a one-year thing. Can I still apply if I just recently moved to Tulsa? According to a report published by the. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Each grant is distributed over the course of a year to eligible remote workers or entrepreneurs living outside of Oklahoma. Lettieri explains that prior to Tulsa Remote, the city had a negative net migration of about 1,200 per year, and the majority of people leaving were college-educated. You are eligible to work in the United States, Can Move to Tulsa Within the Next 12 Months, Full-Time Remote Employment or are Self-Employed Outside of Oklahoma. By signing up, I give Tulsa Remote permission to send me periodic news, marketing and updates. This is an important part of the local economic development strategy, and the fact that it was designed and backed by a key local institution, in partnership with other local stakeholders, is a big part of the battle.. Over 90% stay beyond the year., Since moving to Tulsa this past June, Law has herself hired four locals, and has no intention of leaving once her term is up in the summer of 2022. Is Tulsa Remote offering jobs to the people who apply? In 2019, Tulsa Remote participants ages ranged from 22 to 64. Tulsa has seen unparalleled investments to public space for a city of its size. As Perry writes in his 2020 book Know Your Price, the success of local economic development programs requires bridge-building across communities within a city and the involvement of local residents in the planning process. If anyone has any questions hit me up happy to answer. Did you visit Tulsa? With hundreds of acres of wilderness areas, urban parks and greenspaces, Tulsa offers countless opportunities to get outside, get some fresh air and explore. So we planned for a 7-day journey making multiple stops along the way like Zion National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Shiprock, New Mexico, etc. That's despite accepting under 5% of applicants last year, according to managing director Justin. "They need warm bodies.". Static.COOKIE_BANNER_CAPABLE = true; But LA is not bad in my personal experience, and I've lived there for over 20 years. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. We were still hesitant since we'd never even been to Oklahoma. It is no coincidence that the program has sought to attract roughly the same number of new residents. We have a couple of trips out of Oklahoma in the pipeline, so stay tuned for more on that. To analyze Tulsa Remote, Choudhury surveyed workers who moved as part of the program and compared them to two similar cohorts: those who applied to the program but werent accepted, and those who applied and were accepted but werent able to complete the move for idiosyncratic reasons (like a family member getting sick). Thoughts on the program itself would also be useful. We are planning to live in Tulsa proper. We created Tulsa Remote to enhance Tulsa's talented and successful workforce community by bringing diverse, bright and driven individuals to the city for community building, collaboration and networking. It was one of the most widely publicized bids by a city to become a hub for remote work and so far, its succeeding, according to two recent studies of the program. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $2,069 Seattle, 2 BR Avg. Kinda sucks interviewing and being accepted without knowing where the heck you'll live. Fast Company & Inc 2023 Mansueto Ventures, LLC, Tulsa paid people $10k to move there and work remotely. Tulsa Remote is intended for individualswho reside outside of Oklahoma at the time of application. $10,000 (either via monthly stipends or lump sum if you purchase a home in Tulsa), Opportunity to meet like-minded individuals through the Tulsa Remote community. With the pandemic easing, work-from-home declining, and some companies pushing for a return to the office, Tulsas main competition might not be Wichita and Omaha but New York and Chicago. While the Oklahoma state population has increased 14 percent since 2000, Tulsa's population growth has been sluggish, according to Census data. This was a program that was right-sized and designed to fill a lot of those gaps, and then scaled in such a way as to have a significant impact on an economy of the size of the Tulsa metro.. IF YOU TELL THEM YOU ALREADY HAVE PLANS TO MOVE HERE, YOU WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED. The program brings remote workers and digital nomads to the community by providing $10,000 grants and numerous community-building opportunities. Not a week goes by without hearing from one city thats thinking of this, everyone from Alaska to Hawaii to Georgia to New York State, he says. Our consideration for moving to Tulsa is 100% because of the Tulsa Remote Program! For applicants that need to transition to remote work from a non-remote position, Tulsa Remote may require confirmation that they are able to work remotely. The best time to visit Tulsa would be Spring and Fall. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.