Finalists from the MakeMyMove program got paid to move to Columbus. They’re finally here

Earlier in the year the Columbus 2025 organization partnered with Make My Move to attract talented and ambitious people to the Columbus area and now it’s time to welcome the 16 finalists of the Remote Worker Talent Incentive Program .

The program caused some commotion online when it was first announced, it is officially underway and the new residents are beginning to arrive. The Columbus MakeMyMove program was piloted to attract a small cohort of workers that are looking “to build a network and make meaningful connections.”

Over 7,000 applications were submitted and whittled down to 16 adults, with a median age of 34 from all over the U.S. The cohort “represents a vast range of backgrounds and careers, including marketing, cyber security, healthcare, packaging design and volunteer management,” according to the official Columbus 2025 press release .

What are the incentives the movers enjoy?

There was a cash incentive for all 16 of the applicants. The $5,000 cash incentive is split into two parts: The first half is paid upon arrival in Columbus, with proof of residency. The second half is paid after applicants successfully complete their first year as a Columbus resident.

Aside from a monetary, relocation incentive to settle in Columbus, there are other perks to being selected:

• Six months of co-working space at CoWork Columbus

• Annual Community Connection Outing - rafting, ziplining and a mixer with Columbus locals

• Coffee with the mayor

• One year membership to the Young Professionals program

• One year membership to Fetch Dog Park , a social club for humans and dogs alike

• One year family membership to Columbus Aquatics Center

• One year membership to the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce

• Columbus Regional Tennis Association membership

A few of the participants have already arrived and the Ledger-Enquirer had a chance to speak to Althea McBride and Will Bishop. Both McBride and Bishop have a family connection to Columbus and were thrilled to have this opportunity to return to the community.

Get to know a couple of the new Columbus residents

McBride moved from Woodland Hills, a suburb of Calabasas, California, and is a senior paid search manager for Truform Media Group. She said the people she’s met in Columbus “were some of the loveliest people I’ve come across in my entire life. It’s a city within which I could see myself building a family.”

McBride says she is most looking forward to exploring the local art scene , restaurants and finding a good group of friends who can help her get to know the city and introduce her to the community culture.

Bishop, on the other hand, is originally from Columbus but has been living elsewhere for the last nine years. He and his wife, Lindsay, both have family here and Columbus is where they wanted to end up to raise their family.

Bishop, who has already made the move to Columbus and bought a home in Midtown , is a software developer for Imprivata and plans to stay here “for the long haul.” They enjoy antiquing and are excited by the many thrifting opportunities in the area.

All 16 of the participants are set to arrive by the end of the month. Once all are here, Columbus 2025 and MakeMyMove are set to host a mixer that includes a variety of Columbus leaders and innovators.

If you have any suggestions for your new neighbors, sound off in the comments, or you can email me or find me on Instagram.