• PRINT EDITIONS
  • | CONTACT
  • | TEL: 304.645.1206 | E: hello@wvdn.com
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
West Virginia Daily News
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • Government
    • All
    • City
    • County
    • State
    Governor Patrick Morrisey speaks during his press briefing on Wednesday, Jan. 29 after meeting with House and Senate leaders.

    Morrisey Sees Unique Opportunity to Grow West Virginia Economically

    Shelley Moore Capito

    Capito Votes to Confirm Sean Duffy for Transportation Secretary

    Capito, Whitehouse Announce EPW Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress

    Senate President Randy Smith Names Leadership Team, Major Committee Chairmen for 87th Legislature

    Speaker Hanshaw Announces Plans for Upcoming 87th Legislature

    Miller’s Statement on Being Sworn in to her Fourth Term in Congress

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier County
    • Politics
    • Senate
    • Monroe County
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Entertainment
  • PUBLIC NOTICES
    • PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES
    • PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • STATEWIDE LEGALS SEARCH
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • Government
    • All
    • City
    • County
    • State
    Governor Patrick Morrisey speaks during his press briefing on Wednesday, Jan. 29 after meeting with House and Senate leaders.

    Morrisey Sees Unique Opportunity to Grow West Virginia Economically

    Shelley Moore Capito

    Capito Votes to Confirm Sean Duffy for Transportation Secretary

    Capito, Whitehouse Announce EPW Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress

    Senate President Randy Smith Names Leadership Team, Major Committee Chairmen for 87th Legislature

    Speaker Hanshaw Announces Plans for Upcoming 87th Legislature

    Miller’s Statement on Being Sworn in to her Fourth Term in Congress

    Trending Tags

    • Greenbrier County
    • Politics
    • Senate
    • Monroe County
    • White Sulphur Springs
    • Rainelle
    • Lewisburg
    • Alderson
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Entertainment
  • PUBLIC NOTICES
    • PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES
    • PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • STATEWIDE LEGALS SEARCH
No Result
View All Result
West Virginia Daily News
No Result
View All Result

BREAKING: WSS Mayoral Candidate Requests Recount

June 17, 2025
Bridgette Ranee Rinehart

Obituary: Bridgette Ranee Rinehart, 67

June 17, 2025

Governor Patrick Morrisey Delivers Continued Updates on State Flood Response

June 17, 2025
Family reunion

Huffman Family Reunion Scheduled

June 17, 2025

County Commissioners’ Association of West Virginia Honors Exceptional Leadership and Service at 2025 Annual Meeting

June 17, 2025

Tags

Art BU Business Carnegie Hall Charleston college Community County Court Dear Abby Dr EPA Fair Family Featured Gov Grant Greenbrier Greenbrier County Greenbrier East health Home Justice Land Last Lewisburg Local Man New NY Obituary Plan Project Ronceverte School Son State The Greenbrier University US VA Virginia West Virginia White Sulphur Springs WV
QR Code

West Virginia cash-for-worker program adds 4th destination

by JOHN RABY
in State News
December 2, 2022
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
West Virginia cash-for-worker program adds 4th destination

FILE - Eileen Lallone feels the mist from the waterfalls at the halfway point of the New Tygart Flyer scenic train ride on July 16, 2007, in Elkins, W.Va. A program offering cash and free outdoor adventures to remote workers to move to West Virginia with the hope of offsetting population losses has welcomed 143 new residents in the year since it launched, officials announced Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Dale Sparks, File)

17
SHARES
120
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A program offering cash and free outdoor adventures to remote workers to move to West Virginia with the hope of offsetting population losses has welcomed 143 new residents in the year since it launched, officials announced Tuesday.

The public-private program Ascend West Virginia said it has added a fourth destination where out-of-state workers can apply to live. Applications are being accepted immediately for the Elkins area in the northeastern part of the state.

Elkins is on the western edge of the Monongahela National Forest and is within reasonable distance of skiing and golf resorts. The town of about 6,900 residents hosts the Mountain State Forest Festival every fall.

“You couldn’t ask for a more small-town charm with amazing music and vibrancy and an incredible recreation scene,” Brad D. Smith, who is the program’s founder and current president of Marshall University, said at a news conference.

Applications also are being accepted to the three 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, and the Eastern Panhandle.

Under the remote worker program, successful applicants will receive $12,000 along with free passes to indulge in whitewater rafting, golf, rock climbing, horseback riding, skiing and ziplining. The full relocation package is valued at more than $20,000.

West Virginia lost a greater percentage of its residents than any other state. From 2010 to 2020, the population dropped 3.2%, or about 59,000 people. It’s been such a problem due to long-term declines in the coal, steel and other industries that West Virginia is now the only state with fewer residents than it had in 1950.

In an effort to reverse the exodus, West Virginia is leveraging one of its most appealing assets, its “almost heaven” natural beauty, in direct appeals to outdoor enthusiasts whose jobs enable them to work from anywhere they choose.

The program has drawn more than 20,000 applicants since its launch. It has welcomed 87 new residents to Morgantown and 37 to the Greenbrier Valley. Others will relocate to the Eastern Panhandle early next year from 24 U.S. states and Canada. The program said its retention rate is 98%.

Program participant Ben Frohman moved to Morgantown a year ago from Arlington, Virginia. He was a federal government employee and has since transitioned into the private sector with a national security advisory firm. He also enrolled in a graduate degree program.

His biggest impression of the state was the kindness he encountered after his car had a flat tire at the start of a family trip. A young man and his girlfriend offered their help and went to an auto parts store to buy a tire repair kit while Frohman stayed with his young daughter in the car. The man refused to let Frohman pay for any of the repair items.

“He just said, ‘There been so many times that I’ve been helped in my life, I want to pay it forward,’” Frohman said. “People here help each other out as a matter of course. It really left an impression on my family and me.”

The program plans to welcome more than 1,000 new remote workers to the state over the next five years. The program was founded through a $25 million gift to West Virginia University by Smith, the former executive chairman of Intuit, and his wife, Alys.

As a consolation, those who are not selected will be offered an average of $3,500 in mortgage assistance if they move to West Virginia.

“We have had many families choose that option,” Smith said.

This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.

JOHN RABY

Tags: Brad D. SmithcollegeDestinationFamilyFeaturedFestivalGraduateGreenbrierIntuitMarshall UniversityMonongahela National ForestPlanStateThe GreenbrierUniversityUSVAWest VirginiaWest Virginia University

Related

Mitch Carmichael, secretary of the Department of Economic Development
State News

Fomer WV Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael to Lead New Initiative

June 11, 2025
State News

Governor Patrick Morrisey Applauds New Federal Guidance on Broadband Expansion

June 9, 2025
State News

WorkForce West Virginia announces June 4 Statewide Virtual Job Fair

May 29, 2025
State News

Treasurer Pack Urges U.S. Stock Exchange to Delist Chinese Companies

May 21, 2025
Load More
[adrotate group="11"]
Next Post
East players named to all-state volleyball teams

East players named to all-state volleyball teams

West Virginia Daily News

The West Virginia Daily News has been serving the Greenbrier Valley and southeastern West Virginia since 1852.

Learn more

Information

  • Home
  • Subscribe to the WV Daily News
  • Grants & Assistance
  • Submit News and Events
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ethics, Standards & Corrections
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 The West Virginia Daily News, powered by ECENT CORPORATION. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Menu Item
  • _____________
  • Home
  • Editions
  • News
    • Local News
    • National News
    • State News
    • Crime
    • Business and Tech
  • Community
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
  • Government
    • City
    • County
    • State
  • Entertainment
  • Public Notices

Copyright © 2022 The West Virginia Daily News, powered by ECENT CORPORATION. All Rights Reserved.