CAMBRIDGE, Ohio – The Cambridge-Guernsey Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) is launching a reverse scholarship program – the Guernsey Impact Initiative – which is designed to address the county’s declining population by encouraging young adults to stay or relocate to the community. The program will pay up to $20,000 in student loan debt over a four-year period for selected participants who work and live in Guernsey County.
“Guernsey County’s updated strategic plan, approved by the county commissioners in November 2025, identified youth retention and attraction, and housing, as the two biggest challenges facing the county,” said Bill Arnett, Executive Director, CIC. “The Guernsey Impact Initiative is one way we are actively working to address the challenges identified in the plan,” he said.
To qualify for the program, applicants must have earned their degree within the last three years if they already live and work in Guernsey County, or within the last seven years if they plan to relocate to Guernsey County. If selected for the program, non-residents must commit to relocating to Guernsey County within 90 days.
“Our county has so much potential, and our young adults are a huge part of that. When we met with local students, they told us they wanted to stay in Guernsey County, but money often made the decision for them,” said Andrea Jackson, Development Specialist, CIC. “The Guernsey Impact Initiative is designed to change that by helping local young adults stay, while attracting new talent who want a supportive place to build their future. We want to make it easier for all young adults to call Guernsey County home,” she said.
The Guernsey Impact Initiative is modeled closely after the successful Make Muskingum Home Program, which has supported more than 50 participants over the past several years. “We are grateful to the team at the Muskingum County Community Foundation for helping us develop the Guernsey Impact Initiative,” Arnett said. “We are hopeful our program will have the same positive impact here.”
More information is available online at https://makeguernseymyhome.com. Pre-applications can be submitted through the website now. Applicants will be accepted October 1 – October 31, 2026, with the first four program participants being announced before the end of 2026.