The Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce is launching into a new recruitment venture, and it has the financial banking of the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office.
On Friday, Treasurer Steven Johnson announced $1.5 million in total grants to several cities as part of the Home in the Heartland program. The Emporia Chamber is receiving over $167,000 for local work.
Johnson says this will address the challenge of both attracting and retaining new residents, with the grants offering supplemental dollars so local leaders can both design and launch their own recruitment efforts.
Interim Chamber CEO Christian Keisler tells KVOE News the state funding will help with a local effort involving a group called “Make My Move.” The Chamber’s goal is to develop a program aimed at interesting remote workers to live in Emporia. The basic plan involves a two-part payment system, where remote workers receive a payment to move to Emporia and another payment after living here for a set period of time. Keisler says the overall goal is to both recruit people to Emporia and make them want to stay long-term.
Make My Move says it has helped over 4,000 people move over the last four years through an application process that also allows prospective residents to get questions answered, compare costs of living, get notified about new programs and opportunities and have access to moving support.
