Today I have my interview with the Tulsa Remote Program which was one of my selling points for moving to Tulsa. gtag('config', 'UA-115877007-1'); I was selected as a semifinalist for the Tulsa Remote program and my interview is next week. /* Must be below squarespace-headers */(function(){var e='ontouchstart'in window||navigator.msMaxTouchPoints;var t=document.documentElement;if(!e&&t){t.className=t.className.replace(/touch-styles/,'')}})(). The program brings remote workers and digital nomads to the community by providing $10,000 grants and numerous community-building opportunities. From the historic Cain's Ballroom and Brady Theater, to the award-winning BOK Center and up-and-coming Duet Jazz Club, Tulsa's music scene continues to be a thriving component of its unique culture. 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. We were still hesitant since we'd never even been to Oklahoma. 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. With internationally recognized coffee roasters and breweries, there's always a place to refuel. They do ask about your salary, so dont let that catch you off guard. Last September, A Gathering Place came into fruition as an inclusive riverfront parkwith a childrens adventure playground, a skate park, restaurants and gathering spots. Can I apply if Im already in the process of buying a house/signing a lease in Tulsa? It's a growing segment of the workforce. 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. 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. You are 18+ years old. Funded by George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa Remote has basic requirements. 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. Video interviews are conducted with each finalist selected. Static.COOKIE_BANNER_CAPABLE = true; Oklahoma is one of the very few states whose cities rely entirely on sales tax for the government operating costs, said Perry. Nearly 600 of those applications have come in from the Bay Area, which is now the program's biggest market. Can I apply? With Tulsa Remote you get a built-in community, instead of coming here on my own, which was kind of intimidating, says Law. . Press J to jump to the feed. And two recent studies suggest the investment was worth it. Winter is chilly with chances of snow (and winter storm). The program, explains Stewart, furthers the George Kaiser Family Foundations mandate of reversing the cycle of generational poverty in the local community. For one thing, the cities with the most remote work are the same big superstar cities that dominated the pre-pandemic economy. No, you are not eligible to apply if you recently moved to Oklahoma. The list wasnt topped by new remote hubs like Tulsa, but by Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Austin. The best time to visit Tulsa would be Spring and Fall. Andre Perry, a researcher at Brookings who studies urban development and inequality, supports the basic idea of attracting knowledge workers but cautions that it doesnt always deliver. 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. During our consideration, we liked that Tulsa is in the middle of the country, and there are so many opportunities for road trips! What To Expect When You Rent A Car Now (Youll Be Surprised), Star Female Italian Winemaker Shares Her Love For Tuscany, Take It, Easys: A New Speakeasy And Lounge At The Aria In Las Vegas, The Italian Company Offering An Alternative Kind Of Travel, Emirates Airlines Gets Even More Indulgent With Its New Champagne Service, Rixos Introduces A Five Star, All-Inclusive Experience To Abu Dhabi, Eugene Levys Reluctant Traveler, The Beatles Liverpool, Passport Renewal Delays And More. We saw more and more of those members stay beyond their two years of service, he says. We mailed many items that were not fragile, like cloth, bedding, etc., fit everything else plus our cat and dog into our SUV, and started our trip to Tulsa. In other words, if you get a job in Tulsa, you don't qualify for the cash. There is no deadline at this point, but we might close the application at any time, so people should apply now, said Bolzle. What was your example? Over two years, about 500 people have moved to Tulsa under the program, Ben Stewart, the executive director, told me. Tulsa Remote provides resources to help finalists discover and secure suitable housing before they move to Tulsa, including a new housing portal. Its a win-win.. In Tulsa, an 8.517 percent sales tax, one of the highest in the nation, funds the city's operating budget, he explained. The family sold their house in Madison, Wisconsin, and six months after being accepted into the program, they arrived in Tulsa. In September 2022, EIG released another study of remote work, this one reporting which cities had the highest share of work done from home. 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. This is a BETA experience. The emphasis is on weaving a social fabric among new arrivals and within the wider community. 36 Degrees North, a dynamic coworking space in Downtown Tulsa, provides a place to get work done and collaborate with other local entrepreneurs and remote 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. It doesn't mean you have to be an extrovert since I am an introvert myself, and there are many introverts in the community. I work for a rideshare or delivery service like Lyft or Doordash. Tulsa has seen unparalleled investments to public space for a city of its size. "So many people share with us that they're attracted to potentially moving here, especially from people in more expensive cities," wrote Levit in an email to CBS News on Wednesday. Burlington, Vermont, rolled out a similar program in June and all Alaskans are eligible for payouts via the state's Permanent Reserve Fund. ", "I am loving Tulsa. Aside from the $10,000 disbursed as a house down payment or over time Tulsa Remote members also get assistance with house hunting, access to co-working spaces and weekly social and . Can I still apply if I just recently moved to Tulsa? Who is the ideal candidate for this program? 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. But what makes Tulsa's program unique is its focus on remote workers. Ive never been to Tulsa and want to visit before I make the move. The Oklahoma city is the focal point of Tulsa Remote, a program offering a $10,000 grant and additional incentives to selected . 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. Google Analytics Some of Tulsa's most prominent updates are visible in the city's aesthetics and infrastructure: In the past 10 years, a mix of public and private dollars has helped build the sprawling $465. Just be yourself, we are pretty nice around here despite what you might have heard. The ideal candidate for Tulsa Remote is a fully-employed individual with the flexibility to work anywhere, who does not currently reside in Oklahoma or work for a company based in Oklahoma, and is looking for a community to call home. Needless to say, I didnt get accepted. 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. For Tulsa Remote members, that means individuals are working for a company located outside of Oklahoma. And by attracting remote workers, Tulsa could bring in new residents and income and even plant the seeds of its own knowledge sector. This means we will be spending at least another year in Tulsa and will be growing our company here in the city. The program organizes events and outings, and encourages Remoters to participate in local civic programs. Since 2018, nearly 1,300 talented individuals have joined our ranks, found home in Tulsa, and are helping shape one of Americas greatest cities. We submitted our application for the apartment, put down a deposit, and moved in Mid-May 2021. And they estimate every dollar spent on the program creates $13 in economic activity. Launched in November 2019 by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Tulsa Remote program paid out-of-state residents $10,000 to pickup and move to Tulsa. Those who are interested in moving to Tulsa and hold a full-time remote job based outside of Oklahoma can apply for this program. I dont currently work remotely, but I can transition to remote work in my current role. We moved to Tulsa Oklahoma with Tulsa Remote! wenwensong Thoughts on the program itself would also be useful. Tulsa, Oklahoma, wants you to move there and is offering $10,000 to sweeten the deal. Led by the local George Kaiser Family . Its economy specializes in oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} 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. Recommended for you Cobot en espaol On average, approximately one new job was created in Tulsa for every two remote workers who relocated. The program brings remote workers and digital nomads to the community by providing $10,000 grants and numerous community-building opportunities. Tulsa Remote is not able to aid in the acquisition or approval of such credentials (work visas, etc.). Theyre really big on what you are able to bring to the community. That November, Mother Road Market opened as the citys first food hall with over 20 food and retail concepts plus a commercial kitchen space. Yes, the program involves cutting checks to mostly well-educated, well-paid knowledge workers. They get 1,000 applications a week and interview 200-300 candidates on Zoom. Here are some details of our move and our experience with the program and the city. What was your final outcome? Sen & I've met so many interesting individuals in the Tulsa Remote community and are great friends with many of them. Bynum addresses attendees at an event tied to the Tulsa Remote program. 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. What to Expect When Visiting Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, Top 6 Things to Do in Oklahoma City: 48-Hour Guide. Good luck and when it works out for you.Congratulations and welcome to Tulsa. Like others have mentioned, talk about community involvement, what youre passionate about and what you can contribute to the community. We have a couple of trips out of Oklahoma in the pipeline, so stay tuned for more on that. From tiki lounges to speakeasies and hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bars, there's no shortage of places to grab a drink or celebrate with friends or make new friends. Nervous about making the move? We didn't want to take any of the large furniture to Tulsa since we thought it might just be a one-year thing. I use apartments.com. 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. , this one reporting which cities had the highest share of work done from home. 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. What Tulsa and other cities are doing to woo remote - TechRepublic Details. Google AdSense Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below! Tulsa Remote- How Long Was The Process of Interviewing/Accepting Then the applicants would get thanks for trying or congrats emails. From academics to engineers, you're sure to find your "people" in Tulsa. 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. ), Lower cost of living compared to other major cities in the US, You can move within 12 months after you are accepted, You have full-time remote employment, or you are self-employed outside of Oklahoma. It takes roughly 13 minutes max to get anywhere in Tulsa; in any other city, that's the minimum time it takes to drive 0.6 miles. But LA is not bad in my personal experience, and I've lived there for over 20 years. As part of the application process, you'll do a video interview. })(window,document,'https://static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-','.js?sv='); All Rights Reserved. We even offer a $10,000 grant to help kick-start your new journey. By signing up, I give Tulsa Remote permission to send me periodic news, marketing and updates. Thats what helped me get in, Thank you for the advice! (this is my favorite! Remote Work Program Opportunity lives in Tulsa. 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.. In my opinion, one of the biggest perks of Tulsa Remote is the community the team has built. So we planned for a 7-day journey making multiple stops along the way like Zion National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Shiprock, New Mexico, etc. I started to get envious, she said. Tulsa Wants You To Move There And Will Pay You $10,000 To Do So - Forbes If the finalist has no previous experience with Tulsa, an in-person visit may be scheduled. Tulsa Remote has already grown significantly since the start of 2021 and intends to build upon these economic impacts and expand further in the . They believe that Tulsa Remotes selection process, which intentionally seeks out talent that is needed but otherwise lacking in the city, is what ultimately drives its success. The total drive time from LA to Tulsa straight shot is over 21 hours. Instead they received more than 10,000 in the first 90 days. r=o.createElement('script');r.async=1; The idea is that some may eventually start their own businesses and permanently relocate to Tulsa, according to Ken Levit, executive director of the George Kaiser Family Foundation. Grab your laptop and take a break with dozens of choices around town. We've traveled to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, and Texas and stopped in 16 cities (not counting cities we've visited before moving to Tulsa). The standard answer is that knowledge-sector jobs that can be done remotely are high-paying and tend to have. Multiple calls to a Tulsa spokesperson were not immediately returned. And if you're selected, you'll have to relocate to Tulsa within the calendar year. Any advice for the interview?? In addition to the $10,000 grant, participants will receive a 36-month membership at a local co-working space, support in identifying housing, and regular community-building opportunities. And, perhaps most importantly, how many remote workers want to move in the first place? Remote workers have high-paying jobs, and that income trickles out into Tulsa as they spend it. If selected for the program, how soon can I move? Sen & I live in Downtown Tulsa, where we can walk to most places. Tomm now volunteers for a tutoring program called Reading Partners. We'll pay for you to live here, too. There does seem to be a sweet-spot nature, not just to the size of the Tulsa metro, but other characteristics in terms of their domestic migration pattern, [and] in terms of their lagging in a certain segment of their workforce, says EIG s president and CEO, John Lettieri. 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. I haven't heard anything bad about it yet other than it's tough to get accepted. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $3,519 SF, 2 BR Avg. Transcript. All told, Tulsa Remote is estimated to have contributed $62 million in new labor income to the local economy in 2021. 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. As well as things are going so far, Tulsa Remote raises a big question that crops up in any plan to attract new companies or industries: Why not just give the money to Tulsas existing citizens? Any individual who is able to work remotely may apply. All episodes. Along with the introduction of Tulsa Remote, 2018 has ushered in other community-related initiatives in Tulsa. Perry spoke with CBS News in a telephone interview Wednesday. 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. If so, Tulsa Remote will pay you $10,000 to move to Oklahoma. Glassdoor 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. 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. Podcast - Managing the Future of Work - Harvard Business School 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. Lettieri and Fikri emphasize that the wrong takeaway from the experiment is that any city can enjoy the same economic benefits by offering cash incentives to remote workers. Tulsa's 30+ entertainment and residential districts offer diverse landscapes and inclusive communities for you to find the perfect place for inspiration. I had my semi finalist interview last Thursday. But it is likely less regressive than the all-too-common strategy of cutting taxes to lure corporations. 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. Tulsa's Charms And $10,000 Woo Remote Workers - Forbes Kinda sucks interviewing and being accepted without knowing where the heck you'll live. I prepared like it was a job interview at some corporation. With incredibly diverse cuisine, you can't find food this delicious, at prices this affordable, anywhere else. The application process for the 2020 program is now under way. Need some desk space to get things done? 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. Three months after the move, Tomm switched jobs; she now works for a company in Michigan as a UX and design consultant. Of the nearly 800. Tulsa's Big Bet on Remote Workers - Hbr.org 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. Hi, 32-Levels. Tulsa Remote is designed for individuals who have full-time remote employment with a company outside of Oklahoma. The City of Tulsa and other community organizations lend their support to ensure program participants are fully immersed and engaged in the community. Tulsa Remote Program? : r/tulsa - Reddit Bee Law has called many corners of the United States home. What types of incentives are program participants receiving? Last year, while researching the Tulsa Massacre, Law came across an ad for a program called Tulsa Remote, which enticed remote workers and entrepreneurs to the mid-sized Oklahoman city with a $10,000 relocation stipend. Wear some pants and always make direct eye contact!! I do think it had potential to happen.. How Tulsa is Helping Remote Workers: An Interview with Dustin Curzon of Psst: Our $10,000 grant can now be received as a lump sum upon the purchase of a home! What are some interview tips? , found that Tulsa Remoters have higher real incomes (after accounting for living costs) than they did before the move likely driven in large part by cheaper housing. I had major cabin fever since we were cramped in our tiny apartment that we spent way too much for. 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. Ask about their family and engage in the excitement about relocating to Tulsa! The goal is to reach at least 250. How did that go? Tulsa Remote was estimated to add $62 million in new local earnings in 2021 $51.3 million directly attributable to relocated remote workers and $10.7 million from the employment boost . So after some cocktails by Bartender Sen, I started browsing the internet, and I came upon the Tulsa Remote Program. The initiative resulted in getting than 10,000 applications from over 150 countries. Tulsa Remote is a one-year program designed to attract remote workers from around the country by paying them to move to and work from Tulsa for at least 12 months.