West Virginia cash-for-worker program adds 5th destination
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (AP) — A program that offers cash and free outdoor adventures for remote workers to move to West Virginia in hopes of offsetting population losses has added a fifth destination where out-of-state workers can apply to live.
The public-private program Ascend West Virginia said Tuesday that applications are being accepted for the scenic New River Gorge region in the southern part of the state, which includes the nation’s newest national park. The New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville is the site of a festival each October where thrill seekers skydive from its 267-foot span.
Under the remote worker program, successful applicants will receive $12,000 along with free passes to enjoy white water rafting, golf, rock climbing, horseback riding, skiing and ziplining. The entire relocation package is estimated to be over $20,000.
Applications are also being accepted for four areas previously announced since the program launched in April 2021: the northern college town of Morgantown, the Greenbrier Valley in the southeastern corner of the state, the Elkins area in the northeastern part of the state, and the eastern panhandle.
The program has welcomed nearly 300 remote workers to the state with a retention rate of 98% and is expected to attract more than 1,000 remote workers over the next six years, Ascend said in a statement.
“The growth of this program is a testament to the increased interest and positive buzz around West Virginia,” said Chelsea Ruby, cabinet secretary for the West Virginia Department of Tourism. “The people of our mountain towns are some of the most warm and welcoming people you will find anywhere in the country. They are eagerly awaiting these new people to move in.”
West Virginia lost a larger percentage of its inhabitants than any other state. From 2010 to 2020, the population declined by 3.2%, or about 59,000 people. It has been such a problem due to long declines in the coal, steel and other industries that West Virginia is now the only state with fewer residents than it was in 1950.
In an effort to reverse the exodus, West Virginia is tapping into one of its most compelling assets, its “almost heavenly” natural beauty, in a direct appeal to outdoor enthusiasts whose work allows them to work wherever they choose.
The program, which has attracted more than 20,000 applicants since its launch, was founded through a $25 million gift to West Virginia University by program founder and current Marshall University president Brad D. Smith and his wife, Alice. Brad Smith is the former Executive Chairman of Intuit.
The latest offering was announced on the state’s 160th anniversary.
“Opening a new regional community is another big milestone for this program,” said Brad Smith.
