Minnesota Assistance Programs: Food, Cash, Health Care, Heat, and Tax Refunds in One Guide

Who runs Minnesota assistance programs now

If you last applied for help a few years ago, the agency names may look different. In 2023 the Legislature created the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). According to the Minnesota House Research Department, DCYF was established on July 1, 2024, and programs moved to it from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and other agencies between July 2024 and June 2025.

Today the split looks like this:

• DCYF: SNAP and the Minnesota Food Assistance Program, MFIP, the Child Care Assistance Program, child support, and emergency food programs.
• DHS: Medical Assistance (Minnesota's Medicaid), MinnesotaCare, General Assistance, Housing Support, and disability services.
• Department of Commerce: the Energy Assistance Program and weatherization.
• Department of Revenue: the Renter's Credit and the Homestead Credit Refund.

For most people, the agency change does not matter day to day. Your county or Tribal Nation human services office still takes applications, does interviews, and manages your case for food, cash, child care, and health care. Rules are the same statewide, but office hours, drop boxes, and in-person help vary by county.

Applying through MNbenefits or your county

MNbenefits.mn.gov is the state's online application. One form lets you ask for several programs at once, including food, cash, child care assistance, and emergency help. You can upload documents from a phone, and the application goes to your county or Tribal Nation.

After you apply, expect:

1. A call or letter from your county to set up an interview, often by phone.
2. A list of documents they still need, such as ID, pay stubs, rent receipts, or bank statements. Send copies, not originals, and keep a record of what you sent.
3. A written notice telling you whether you were approved and for how much.

Health care is different. Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare applications go through MNsure, the state's health insurance marketplace, or a paper application to your county. If you are unsure where to start, apply at MNbenefits and tell the county you also need health coverage.

Food help: SNAP and more

SNAP gives a monthly grocery benefit on an EBT card. In Minnesota it is overseen by DCYF and run by counties and three Tribal Nations. DCYF has warned that the federal law signed July 4, 2025 will reduce the number of Minnesotans who can get SNAP, mostly through stricter work rules for some adults, and that the state will have to pay part of benefit costs starting in federal fiscal year 2028.

National SNAP income limits and benefit amounts change each October; our SNAP calculator gives an estimate for your household before you apply. Minnesota also runs the state-funded Minnesota Food Assistance Program (MFAP) for some lawfully present immigrants who do not qualify for federal SNAP.

Beyond SNAP, DCYF funds food shelves across the state through the Minnesota Food Shelf Program and distributes federal TEFAP food. WIC, for pregnant people and children under five, is run separately by the Minnesota Department of Health.

MFIP cash and food for families

The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is the state's main help for low-income families with children, and for pregnant people. It is Minnesota's version of the federal TANF program and is run by counties. It pays a cash portion and a food portion each month, and most adults work with an employment counselor on a plan for work or school.

The House Research Department lists these MFIP monthly standards for 2025. Your actual grant is lower if you have income.

Families can have up to $10,000 in personal property equity. Adults generally face a 60-month lifetime limit on MFIP cash, with some exceptions for hardship. Standards are adjusted over time, so your county will use the current figures when it decides your case.

General Assistance for adults who cannot work

Minnesota is one of the few states with its own cash program for adults without children. General Assistance (GA) is paid entirely from state funds for people who cannot support themselves and do not qualify for federal cash help such as MFIP or SSI.

According to the House Research Department's August 2025 summary:

• Amount: the monthly standard is $350 for one adult (and $350 for each member of a married couple), or $128 for someone living in a medical facility or group residential housing. Your income is subtracted from that amount. The standard is adjusted for inflation each year starting January 1, 2026, so ask your county for the current figure.
• Who qualifies: Minnesota residents with very low income and assets who fit a listed category, such as an illness or injury expected to last more than 45 days, a disability, advanced age, caring for someone who needs full-time care, or a pending Social Security disability or SSI application.
• Time limit: none, as long as you stay eligible. There is no work program requirement.

If you are waiting on an SSI decision, GA can help bridge the gap. You will usually be asked to sign an agreement to pay the state back from any SSI back pay you receive.

Emergency Assistance for a crisis

Minnesota has two county-run programs for one-time emergencies, such as an eviction notice, a utility shutoff, or a need for a deposit:

• Emergency Assistance (EA) is for families with children. Each county sets its own written rules, including how often you can get help. Some counties allow it once every 12 months, others less often.
• Emergency General Assistance (EGA) is mainly for adults without children. The House Research Department says you must face the loss of a basic need, such as shelter or utilities, within 30 days, have net income no more than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and you can receive EGA only once in any 12-month period. Counties have limited yearly allocations, so funds can run short.

Payments usually go straight to the landlord or utility. Most counties expect you to show that you can afford the bill going forward. For rent emergencies in detail, including Family Homeless Prevention funds and what to do after an eviction filing, see our Minnesota rent relief guide.

Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare

Medical Assistance (MA) is Minnesota's Medicaid program. It covers children, pregnant people, parents, adults without children, seniors, and people with disabilities who meet income and, for some groups, asset limits. For most adults under 65, the income limit is about 133% of the federal poverty guidelines. Coverage is free or very low cost.

MinnesotaCare is a state program for people whose income is a bit higher. The DHS eligibility manual says it covers people with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines who do not qualify for MA. Monthly premiums are based on income and are low for most enrollees.

You can apply any time of year through MNsure or your county. Federal Medicaid changes passed in 2025 add new work and renewal rules for some adults over the next few years; our Medicaid guide tracks those dates.

Energy Assistance Program for 2026-27

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) is Minnesota's version of the federal LIHEAP program. The Department of Commerce funds it, and local service providers, mostly community action agencies, take applications. EAP pays a grant directly to your heating company, and it can also help in a crisis, such as a shutoff notice, an empty propane tank, or a broken furnace.

For the 2025-26 season, the income limit was 50% of state median income, or $37,439 a year for one person. Commerce's draft plan for 2026-27 keeps the limit at 50% of state median income (about $73,970 for a family of four) if federal funding holds, but says it would lower the limits if federal funding is cut. Check the Commerce Energy Assistance page or ask your local provider for the final 2026-27 numbers.

Applications are reviewed in the order received, and the season's deadline has been May 31 in recent years. Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule, from October 1 to April 30, also protects households from shutoff if they set up and keep a payment plan with their utility.

Child Care Assistance Program

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), run by DCYF and counties, helps pay for child care while parents work, look for work, or go to school. House Research lists the main rules:

• Parents must be working or in an approved education or training activity.
• Household income limits are set at 47% or 67% of state median income, depending on whether the family is entering the program or already enrolled.
• Children must be under 13, or under 15 if they have a disability.
• The provider must be a licensed center or family child care home, a certified license-exempt center, or a legal nonlicensed provider.

Families pay a copay based on income. Families not on MFIP get help through the Basic Sliding Fee program, which can have a waiting list in some counties, so apply early.

Renter's Credit and Homestead Credit Refund

Two of the most valuable Minnesota programs come through the tax system, and many eligible people never claim them.

Renter's Credit

The Renter's Credit replaced the old renter's property tax refund. You no longer file a separate Form M1PR as a renter; you claim the credit on your Minnesota income tax return with Schedule M1RENT. The Minnesota Department of Revenue says that for tax year 2025:

• Household income must be below $77,570.
• The maximum credit is $2,720.
• Your landlord must give you a Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) by January 31. If you do not get a correct one by February 1, you can ask Revenue for a Rent Paid Affidavit.
• If you missed it on your original return, you can amend that return to claim it.

The credit is refundable, so you can get it even if you owe no income tax. That means it is worth filing a return even with very low income.

Homestead Credit Refund for homeowners

Homeowners still use Form M1PR. Under the 2025 instructions (for property taxes payable in 2026), total household income must be less than $142,490, and the 2026 Legislature added a 14.88% increase to the refund. The return was due August 17, 2026, but the final deadline to claim the 2025 refund is August 16, 2027. A separate special refund of up to $1,000, with no income limit, is available if your net homestead tax rose more than 12% and at least $100 from 2025 to 2026.

Minnesota assistance programs by need

Use this table to find the right program fast.

Getting help, step by step

1. Apply at MNbenefits.mn.gov for food, cash, child care, and emergency help in one application. Check every program that might fit.
2. Answer your county's call for the interview and send any documents they ask for by the due date.
3. Apply for health coverage through MNsure or your county if you do not have insurance.
4. Contact your local energy assistance provider before winter bills pile up.
5. File your Minnesota tax return to claim the Renter's Credit, or file Form M1PR if you own your home.
6. Call 211 for food shelves, shelters, legal aid, and local charities. United Way 211 is open 24 hours a day, free and confidential, at 211, 651-291-0211, or 800-543-7709.

For one-time bills that state programs do not cover, our Minnesota hardship relief guide lists additional options.

Related guides

• LIHEAP energy assistance
• 211 emergency rent assistance
• Unclaimed money
• Emergency rental assistance for eviction

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Amounts and rules are set by Minnesota law and state agencies and can change; your county or the agency's notice is the final word. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any Minnesota agency or government office.