Vernon County launches ‘Driftless Bound’ to attract new workers and families

VERONON COUNTY, Wis. – Vernon County is officially launching Driftless Bound, an innovative workforce attraction initiative offering up to $12,500 in cash relocation incentives to encourage working individuals and families from outside Wisconsin to move to the area and establish primary residency.

Funded through a $100,000 Talent Recruitment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and a $25,000 local county match, the $125,000 program aims to recruit out of state households to bolster local employers, school districts, small businesses, and the county tax base...   ...more

Leo's notes: Vernon County’s Driftless Bound program takes a direct approach to rural workforce recruitment, offering out-of-state working households up to $2,500 for rental costs or $12,500 toward purchasing or building a home; recognizing that the upfront cost of securing housing can itself be a barrier to recruiting workers into rural communities. Relocation incentives can help bring households to the door, but sustained workforce growth ultimately requires communities to pair recruitment programs with new housing production—particularly in rural markets where limited inventory may be the biggest barrier. Great outside-the-box approach worth following.