TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today George Kaiser Family Foundation and the City of Tulsa announced the launch of Tulsa Remote, a program offering a $10,000 grant and additional benefits to eligible applicants who move to and work remotely from Tulsa, Oklahoma for a year.
“Tulsa is a generous and welcoming city, and through this effort we hope to draw remote workers who can further complement our talented workforce,” said Ken Levit, executive director of George Kaiser Family Foundation. “Over the past ten years, the Foundation has worked with numerous community partners to bring more than 1,000 young people to Tulsa. We could not be more proud of the contributions of Teach For America, City Year and the many artists of the Tulsa Artist Fellowship who have joined the Tulsa community. We are looking for talented and energetic people who not only will consider re-locating permanently to Tulsa but especially for people who want to make something happen here — to add to the dynamism, idealism and get ‘er done spirit of Tulsa.”
Each $10,000 grant will be distributed over the course of a year to eligible remote workers or entrepreneurs living outside of Tulsa County. Participants will initially be given $2,500 to be put towards relocation expenses, a $500 per month stipend and $1,500 at the end of the 12-month program. The funds for this effort are provided exclusively by GKFF.
"Tulsa is gaining international recognition for the use of modern technology to better serve citizens, and one of the areas where we see great opportunity is as a home for remote workers," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. "Tulsa Remote works to our competitive advantage as a city: a place with remarkably high quality of life combined with comparatively low cost of living and doing business. We have the infrastructure and community in place for remote workers to thrive.”
The program is a joint effort between the City of Tulsa and George Kaiser Family Foundation, an organization working to tackle the most pressing problems in the Tulsa community. GKFF is funding Tulsa Remote, while the City of Tulsa and other community organizations are lending support.
"I was born and raised on the east coast and didn't know what to expect when I first moved to Tulsa from Washington, D.C. In my short time as a remote worker based out of the 36 Degrees North co-working space, I quickly found the community to be welcoming and eager to learn about who I am, and willing to connect me to resources that have made it an easy transition," said Darla Bunting, a recent Tulsa transplant and executive director of Enriched Schools. "Whether I’m grocery shopping, running through Gathering Place or grabbing a bite to eat, in Tulsa, everyone makes me feel like I’m family."
Tulsa Remote will provide co-working space for the year at 36 Degrees North, Tulsa’s basecamp for entrepreneurs, and offer monthly meetups and workshops in collaboration with Tulsa's Young Professionals, an organization that builds relationships with Tulsa’s community, business and government leaders.
“We’re excited to host the Tulsa Remote participants and help them get integrated into our community,” said Dustin Curzon, executive director of 36 Degrees North. “The workshops, meetups and programs held in our space will be a phenomenal setting to facilitate collaboration between innovative remote workers and Tulsa’s entrepreneurs.”
Tulsa Remote program participants will have access to a range of benefits that provide opportunities for support and community, including:
- Discounted Rent: Participants will have the option of living in a brand new, fully furnished apartment in the Tulsa Arts District for 33 percent off base price, plus free utilities, for the first three months.
- Regular Meetups: Programming such as monthly dinners and weekly brainstorm sessions with fellow program members will allow participants to build a collaborative remote community.
- Community Building Opportunities: Programming and events designed for remote workers and Tulsa's entrepreneurs to engage with the community including opportunities to engage with local nonprofits.
- Co-Working Space: A year of desk space at 36 Degrees North as well as programming and events, conference rooms, WiFi, and complimentary snacks and beverages.
- Skillshare Workshops: TYPros, Tulsa’s young professional cohort, will offer monthly workshops to help participants develop new skills and strategies to effectively work remote.
"The Tulsa Remote participants will be an incredible addition to our vibrant network of entrepreneurs," said Maggie Hoey, executive director of Tulsa’s Young Professionals. "We're looking forward to having a new group of civically engaged people join in our tight-knit community and discover all the resources Tulsa has to offer."
In an effort to identify and select successful candidates for the program, Tulsa Remote has partnered with Tulsa-based Hogan Assessments, a global leader in personality assessment and leadership development.
“By leveraging the predictive power of our core personality assessments, we can greatly increase the probability of determining who will enjoy and appreciate living and working in Tulsa,” said Ryan Ross, managing partner of Hogan Assessments. “At Hogan, we’ve always admired the work GKFF does for the community, and we are honored to participate and help advance Tulsa.”
The City of Tulsa and GKFF launched this program to expose professionals to Tulsa’s affordability, its central location between the coasts, and the supportive professional community. Tulsa is ranked as one of the most affordable cities to live in, and also houses world-class museums like the Philbrook and Gilcrease, a growing food and drink scene, and a brand new $465M riverfront park, The Gathering Place.
Applications and more information on Tulsa Remote can be found at TulsaRemote.com. To be eligible for this program, participants must provide proof of employment, be at least 18 years of age, work for a business that is based outside of Tulsa County, and commit to moving and living in Tulsa for at least one year.
About the George Kaiser Family Foundation
George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) is a charitable organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through investments in early childhood education, community health, social services and civic enhancement. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, GKFF works primarily on initiatives developed in collaboration with Tulsa-based direct service organizations. For more information about George Kaiser Family Foundation, visit www.gkff.org.
