Context:

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is piloting a MakeMyMove relocation program offering eligible newcomers up to $9,500 to relocate, aiming to ease workforce shortages and attract younger residents. The package combines a $5,500 cash stipend with about $4,000 in local experiences and memberships, including YMCA access, golf benefits, arts VIPs, and family activities. Applicants must be 18+, live outside Wisconsin, earn at least $55,000 annually, and commit to moving their primary residence to Fond du Lac County for at least one year, with a remote-work option available. The initiative positions Fond du Lac as an affordable lakeside community with strong recreation and employment growth, while coordinating support through local partners. Applications are submitted via MakeMyMove, which guides approved entrants through qualification and relocation steps, signaling a forward-looking effort to attract talent and stabilize the local economy.

Dive Deeper:

• Fond du Lac, a city of about 44,000 on Lake Winnebago's southern shore, launches a talent-attraction initiative under the MakeMyMove platform, offering eligible newcomers up to 9,500 in incentives to relocate.

• The package splits into a 5,500 cash relocation stipend and approximately 4,000 in local experiences and memberships, such as Fond du Lac Family YMCA access, golf benefits, VIP arts passes, and baseball experiences with the FDL Dock Spiders.

• Eligibility requires applicants to be at least 18, currently living outside Wisconsin, and earning a minimum household income of 55,000, with the obligation to relocate their primary residence to Fond du Lac County for at least one year, plus full-time employment for local-track applicants.

• Remote workers can apply through a separate remote-work track, while local employment opportunities are handled through another relocation pathway; coordinators assist with the moving process and post-arrival resources.

• This initiative marks Fond du Lac as the first Wisconsin community in MakeMyMove, joining other U.S. cities that use relocation incentives to attract workers and families amid labor shortages and an aging population.

• Officials emphasize Fond du Lac’s affordability, year-round lake recreation, and family-focused amenities as competitive advantages, highlighting activities like fishing, sailing, ice skating, and the annual Sturgeon Spectacular festival.