Sept. 10, 2026
VERONON COUNTY, Wis. – Vernon County is officially launching Driftless Bound, an innovative workforce attraction initiative offering up to $12,500 in cash relocation incentives to encourage working individuals and families from outside Wisconsin to move to the area and establish primary residency.
Funded through a $100,000 Talent Recruitment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and a $25,000 local county match, the $125,000 program aims to recruit out of state households to bolster local employers, school districts, small businesses, and the county tax base.
Under the guidelines, eligible renters relocating to Vernon County can receive up to $2,500 toward security deposits and first month rent payments. Homebuyers and those building new single family homes in the county can qualify for up to $12,500 in direct financial assistance, subject to program and lender guidelines.
Program organizers emphasize that new working families contribute far beyond the workplace by enrolling children in local schools, supporting local shops, volunteering, and strengthening community life across the rural county. Driftless Bound functions as one component of Vernon County’s overarching economic growth strategy, which also includes the Elevate Vernon Grant and Economic Development Loan programs for local businesses and the Community Development Grant Program for municipal projects.
“Vernon County has so much to offer people looking for a place where they can build a career, raise a family, and become part of a community,” said Vernon County Community Development Director Amy Oliver. “As communities across the country compete to attract and retain a strong workforce, Driftless Bound gives us another tool to encourage people to choose Vernon County as the place to build their future.”
To qualify under state grant rules, applicants must currently reside outside Wisconsin and verify a combined annual household income of at least $55,000. Local eligibility rules established by Vernon County require applicants to be at least 18 years old, have at least one household member employed full-time, and agree to maintain Vernon County as their primary residence for at least 24 months. Remote full-time workers qualify provided they meet all employment and income requirements. Applicants cannot have lived in Vernon County within the past 12 months.
Organizers noted that applicants do not need housing secured before applying and can receive preliminary approval first. However, participants must not enter into a lease, accepted offer to purchase, or construction contract prior to September 9, 2026, or before submitting a preliminary application.
“Driftless Bound is about helping more people discover what makes Vernon County a special place to call home, beautiful surroundings, welcoming communities, and a quality of life that is hard to find anywhere else,” said Oliver.
The program originated in January 2026 when the state announced $5 million in competitive talent recruitment grants to address Wisconsin’s long term workforce shortages driven by an aging population and worker retirements. Recognizing an opportunity to bring state tax dollars to Southwest Wisconsin, Oliver presented the concept to the Vernon County Economic Development Committee and the Finance Committee.
During early planning, third party recruitment firms offered to manage out of state marketing, but requested more than $177,000 of the grant funding in administrative fees. Oliver convinced county leaders that the Community Development Department could administer the screening and application process internally, ensuring that every dollar of state and local funding went directly to relocating families and local housing incentives.
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors backed the plan, approving the grant application and authorizing a $25,000 local cash match from county Ho-Chunk funds. (Vernon County receives $1.2 million annually from the Ho-Chunk Nation. $1,000 for every acre of Ho-Chunk land held in trust in the county.)
County Board Supervisor John Pedretti, who chairs the Economic Development Committee, strongly praised the decision to keep administration in-house rather than paying outside vendors.
“Amy (Oliver) is going to do it herself, so all that money could go to our people,” said Pedretti. “It is going to help our local employers like Sleepy Hollow, hospitals, and schools get people on board.”
Supervisor Dave Eggen applauded the Community Development Department for aggressively pursuing state funding opportunities to support rural growth.
“I just realize the importance of having a cheerleader in a county like this,” said Eggen. “You are doing an excellent job, and thank you for all your efforts.”
Throughout the summer, Oliver worked alongside legal counsel and county leadership to refine program rules, creating a streamlined pre-approval background check and eliminating restrictive upper age caps so that trade workers, healthcare staff, and teachers of all career stages could participate.
More information on Driftless Bound guidelines, eligibility requirements, and application forms is available on the official county website.
Driftless Bound FAQs
- What is Driftless Bound?
Driftless Bound is a Vernon County workforce attraction program that provides relocation incentives to
eligible working households currently living outside Wisconsin. The goal is to attract new workers and
families who will establish their primary residence in Vernon County and become part of our local
communities. - Why did Vernon County create this program?
Communities across the country are competing for workers and working-age households. Wisconsin faces
long-term workforce challenges driven in part by an aging population and worker retirements. Driftless
Bound gives Vernon County another tool to attract working households while supporting our local
employers, schools, businesses, and communities. - How are the program’s relocation incentives funded?
There is $125,000 available in relocation incentives, funded primarily through a $100,000 Wisconsin Economic
Development Corporation (WEDC) Talent Recruitment Grant, and a $25,000 Vernon County contribution
(local match). - Why do applicants have to currently live outside Wisconsin?
The state Talent Recruitment Grant was designed specifically to attract new households to Wisconsin. As a
condition of the state funding, Driftless Bound applicants must reside outside Wisconsin when they apply.
This is a state grant requirement, not a restriction established by Vernon County. - Why is there a $55,000 minimum household income?
A combined annual household income of at least $55,000 is also a requirement of the state Talent
Recruitment Grant. Vernon County established additional local eligibility requirements to ensure the
program meets its workforce and residency goals. - What are the basic eligibility requirements?
Applicants must currently reside outside Wisconsin, be at least 18 years old, have a combined annual
household income of at least $55,000, and have at least one household member employed full-time.
Applicants also cannot have resided in Vernon County within the previous 12 months and must meet all
other program requirements, including establishing their primary residence in Vernon County. - What relocation incentives are available?
Renters may receive up to $2,500 toward a security deposit and first month’s rent. Homebuyers and
homebuilders may receive assistance of up to $12,500, subject to program and lender requirements. - Do I need to have housing lined up before I apply?
No. Applicants can apply for preliminary approval before securing housing. However, applicants must not
DRIFTLESS BOUND
FAQs
have entered into a lease, accepted offer to purchase, or construction contract before September 9, 2026,
or before submitting their preliminary application, whichever is later. If preliminarily approved, applicants
can then secure eligible housing and complete the appropriate full application within the required
timeframe. - Can I rent instead of buying a home? What about building?
Yes. Driftless Bound was designed to provide several paths to residency. Eligible participants may rent a
home, purchase an existing home, or build a new primary residence in Vernon County. - Can remote workers qualify?
Yes. Remote workers may participate if they meet all program eligibility requirements, including the full-
time employment requirement. Vernon County’s broadband infrastructure makes remote work a viable
option in many areas of the county. - How long do participants have to live in Vernon County?
Participants must establish Vernon County as their primary residence and maintain it for at least 24
months-but we hope they’ll find plenty of reasons to stay much longer! Participants who leave before
completing the residency requirement may be required to repay a portion of their incentive according to
program guidelines. - Why offer incentives to new residents when people already living here also need support?
Driftless Bound is one part of Vernon County’s broader community and economic development efforts.
When the state made funding available specifically to attract new households to Wisconsin, Vernon County
saw an opportunity to bring those dollars here and put them to work in our communities. The County also
invests directly in existing businesses through programs such as the Elevate Vernon Grant and Economic
Development Loan Program and supports local municipalities through the Community Development Grant
Program. Attracting new workers complements these investments by bringing additional employees,
customers, students, taxpayers, volunteers, and community members to Vernon County. - Why recruit more residents when housing is already difficult to find?
Housing availability is a challenge Vernon County is actively working to address, and workforce attraction is
one part of a much broader strategy. Driftless Bound allows participants to rent, purchase an existing home,
or build a new home, providing multiple options rather than relying solely on the existing for-sale housing
inventory. - What does Vernon County gain when a new household relocates here?
The impact extends beyond filling a job. New working households purchase goods and services from local
businesses, rent or purchase homes, contribute to the tax base, may enroll children in local schools,
volunteer, and participate in their communities. Attracting and retaining working households helps support
a strong local economy and vibrant communities. - Why should someone choose Vernon County?
Vernon County offers something increasingly difficult to find—beautiful surroundings, welcoming
communities, and a high quality of life alongside access to healthcare, schools, broadband, outdoor
recreation, local businesses, arts and culture. Driftless Bound provides a little extra encouragement for
working individuals and families considering where they want to put down roots.
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