Frequently asked questions about DSD grants

Eligibility is different for each grant and is typically found in the “Introduction” section of a request for proposal. Generally, DSD grants are for lead agencies, provider organizations, advocacy groups, tribal nations, sole proprietors and organizations that have an EIN/tax ID number.

All divisions within DHS, including DSD, post grant opportunities on DHS’ Open grants, RFPs and RFIs webpage. We encourage you to sign up for grant opportunity announcements by clicking on the link, “Receive emails of new grant and RFP opportunities,” entering your email address and clicking “Submit.”

DSD offers grant opportunities throughout the year. We typically post grants funded by new legislative appropriations between August and February following the legislative session. Grants may be either one-time or ongoing funding, depending on the appropriations set by the Legislature.

You can find application due dates on the Open grants, RFPs and RFIs webpage under “Information Due.” To find the date we published the request for proposal (RFP), click on the title of the RFP, then click on the link to the full RFP document toward the bottom of the page. At the top of the page, you will see the “Date of Publication in State Register” which tells you the date the RFP was published.

• If you are looking for assistance to access home and community-based services, chat, call or email the Disability Hub MN to discuss your options for services, programs and/or benefits. The Hub is a free, statewide resource that helps people solve problems, find financial assistance, plan for their future and navigate systems – such as healthcare and home and community-based services. You may also explore programs and resources on the Disability Hub MN website by clicking on “Top Topics,” “Your Options, and “Hub Tools."
• The Minnesota Microgrant Partnership, a DSD-funded partnership/program through The Arc Minnesota, is available to help people progress toward their personal employment and inclusive housing goals. Visit The Arc Minnesota’s Microgrant Partnership webpage or email Dawn Lampros for more information.
• If you are a person looking for Family Support Grants, Consumer Support Grants, Semi-Independent Living Services Grants (SILS) and Program HH grants, visit the linked pages for more information.
• If you are a sole proprietor with an EIN/tax ID number looking to fund an innovative idea, review DSD’s Innovation Grants webpage for more information on the timeline of the next request for proposal, what the grants cover, typical award amounts, etc.

When applying for a grant through DSD, applicants use an online application and grant management process. We highly recommend applicants allow enough time to complete and submit their proposal by the application deadline found in each RFP. 

The steps to apply for a DSD grant are included in the “Proposal Submission” section of each RFP. Steps to apply, using the DSD online grant management system:

1. Log onto the DSD online grant management system.
2. Use the grant application tutorial as a guide.
3. Create an account.
4. After creating an account, log in and select the name of the grant for which you wish to apply.

Applicants are able to access and save their application as many times as needed until they submit their application. Once submitted, the application is final. The DSD online grant management system keeps application and grant information available and accessible. The online system is also a resource for tracking your application status and, if awarded, managing your grant, submitting reports and communicating with your grant manager.

You can submit a grant application without a tax ID; however, you will need a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN or EIN) to be set up as a vendor if offered a grant award. At minimum, DSD recommends applicants have their FEIN or EIN application in process as soon as they decide to apply for a DSD grant opportunity. Obtaining an FEIN can take at least four to six weeks; please allow enough time to get your FEIN/EIN. The FEIN/EIN is used for identifying your organization; think of the FEIN as a “Social Security number” for your organization. (Note: If you are a sole proprietor who does not have an FEIN, you may use your personal Social Security number as your FEIN.)

To apply for an FEIN or EIN, review the steps to complete the application, click on “Apply Online Now,” then answer the application questions.

DHS does not require a Minnesota Tax Identification Number, which is different from the FEIN/EIN. This number is specific to your business/organization’s tax purposes. Review the Minnesota Tax ID Requirements to determine if your business/organization needs a Minnesota Tax Identification Number.

No. Any person or organization – private, for profit or nonprofit, tribal nation, government agency, etc. – may apply, but the project must benefit members of the public in Minnesota who have disabilities.

Yes. We encourage partnerships. If you apply for a grant opportunity as an organizational partnership, one organization needs to be listed as the lead organization and list additional organizations as “subgrantee/subcontractor.” The lead organization is responsible for the DHS contract requirements that include ensuring the work plan is completed, acting as fiscal agent, reporting and other requirements included in the contract. Subgrantees/subcontractors are accountable to the lead organization, which is ensuring the requirements of their DHS contract are met.

The partnering organizations must include documentation that describes the arrangement between the partnering organizations. This documentation may include outlining which organization is responsible for which tasks in the work plan, a memorandum of understanding (MOU), other type of contract or a separate descriptive document.

The DSD online grant management system allows multiple people to work together to complete an application. This makes it easy for organizations applying as a partnership to complete the application together. See the instructions for using the Collaborator Feature in the grant management system.

Email the DSD grants and contracts team.

A responder’s conference is an opportunity for responders (applicants) to receive background information about a request for proposal (RFP) and the intent of the funding. Responders are also able to ask specific questions of DSD staff about the project or content of their proposal. 

Attendance at the responders’ conference is not mandatory, but recommended. Typically, the answers to questions from the responder’s conference are combined into one document with questions submitted in advance of the conference. We post this document and other materials used at the responders' conference alongside the RFP on DHS’s Open grants, RFPs and RFIs webpage.

Each grant opportunity has its own timeline, which is listed in the request for proposal. There are a variety of reasons a timeline can get shifted. Sometimes the process takes longer than anticipated. This might be because of a delayed negotiation process. Oftentimes, DSD requires more information and clarification on an applicant’s proposal, work plan and/or budget – this can affect the timeline. If DSD continues to engage with you, that is a good indicator that you are still being considered for an award. Every applicant will receive an intent to negotiate or a denial notification via email from DSD. State policy prevents us from notifying non-awarded applicants until all grant contracts are fully signed.

A letter of intent/interest (LOI) for a grant is a formal request requiring organizations to submit a letter of intent/interest for a specific grant opportunity. Based on specific LOI criteria, DSD invites selected organizations to submit a full grant proposal. 

Grant letters of interest are quite short. They determine whether an organization would be a good fit for a grant opportunity. LOI components typically include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Acknowledging that you read and understood the request for proposal
• Project name
• Amount you are requesting
• How you will use the grant funds
• Description of your project idea
• The need your idea will meet
• Population(s) that will benefit from your project
• Geographic location your project will serve
• Certification that all statements are true.

DSD uses an addendum when changes are made to the request for proposal (RFP) after it posted to the State Register. 

DSD posts the addendum alongside the corresponding RFP on DHS’ Open grants, RFPs and RFIs webpage. 

Examples that would require DHS/DSD to add an addendum to an RFP include:

• A correction to an error in the RFP
• A change to dates listed in RFP
• Updates to major components of the RFP that raised similar questions from several potential applicants.

Here are the requirements for qualifying as a targeted organization.

While the state has the authority to extend the due date, it rarely does. In fairness to all applicants, any changes to the request for proposal (RFP), including the due date, must be posted publicly through the Minnesota State Register. We will not consider applications received after the published due date in the RFP. Nor will we grant extensions.

An evaluation/review team may be made up of DHS staff and external partners who are subject matter experts in the area(s) addressed by the grant opportunity.

Reach out to your grant manager to see if an amendment is an option. The answer can sometimes depend on how the legislation is intended and written. For this reason, we cannot guarantee a grantee will receive either request.

Reach out to your grant manager to see if an amendment is an option. The answer can sometimes depend on how the legislation is intended and written. For this reason, we cannot guarantee that an amendment is an option. An amendment is a formal, signed document that makes changes to your current contract agreement. 

Submit a written request to your grant manager if you anticipate significant changes or unexpected delays to your project. An example of when you would need an amendment is if you anticipate not spending all of your grant funds before the end of your contract, or if you need a timeline extension to complete all project work. If you need to request an amendment, plan ahead so you have a few months to complete the contract amendment process, if an amendment is granted. 

Because of the amendment processing timeline, DSD strongly encourages grantees to request an amendment to their contact from their grant manager at least 90 days before the contract ends.

Refer to the “Terms of Payment” section in your signed contract. Invoices are often due quarterly or monthly.

The state will issue payment within 30 days of receipt of the invoice. This timeline begins after resolution of any issues identified in the invoice approval process.

You may use either your own invoice template or reach out to your grant manager to request an invoice template. If you want to create your own invoice, it must include the following information:

• Addressed to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Disability Services Division
• Grantee’s organization name and the address that matches their “Remit To” address in the Minnesota Management and Budget Supplier Portal SWIFT Vendor Resources
• Invoice date and period of time covered by the invoice
• Contract number
• Amount being invoiced for each line item in the contract budget.

State policy 08-10: Grant Monitoring (rev. 2016) (PDF) requires DSD to complete the following:

• Conduct at least one site visit on all state grants over $50,000 and annual site visits on grants over $250,000. A site visit involves the state granting agency staff, the grantee and sub-contractors. The site visit occurs before final payment of the contract is made and is conducted remotely or on-site. The purpose of grant site visits is to review and ensure progress toward the grant’s goals, to build rapport between the state agency and the grantee and to address any problems or issues before the end of the grant period. An effective grant monitoring visit may cover topics including, but not limited to, statutory compliance, challenges faced by the grantee, modifications made to the grant program, program outcomes, grantee policies and procedures, grantee governance and training and technical assistance needs.
• Conduct a financial reconciliation of grantees’ expenditures at least once on grants over $50,000. Before final grant contract payment, DSD completes a financial reconciliation with each grantee. The financial reconciliation involves DSD’s compliance officer selecting one of the grantee’s invoices/request for payment and asking for supporting documentation for the expenses on the invoice. Documentation may include purchase orders, receipts, payroll records, stipend tracking, etc. In addition to ensuring supporting documentation, the compliance officer also looks for consistent, reasonable and accurate expenditures.

Your grant manager will let you know what type of data will be collected through the grant reporting process. Most often, monthly or quarterly reports are required. Examples may include the number of people served, demographics of those served, progress toward grant benchmarks and the impact of the project.

We intend for grants to spark innovation by providing limited-term funds to develop and test new approaches to achieve outcomes in employment, housing and to address direct care workforce capacity in Minnesota for people with disabilities. We will, however, consider program expansion to underserved populations and geographic areas including new and innovative activities not covered by existing state and/or federal resources. Clarifying the difference between the previous project and current proposal will be helpful for evaluators.

Yes. Responders may choose to apply to individual or multiple services, each requiring a separate application. If you only want to submit one proposal that covers two different areas, please select the area that your proposal aligns with the most.