HCBS Workforce Development Grant

Requirement 1

At least 90% of the grant funding must go to workers who earn 300% or less of the federal poverty level. The poverty guidelines are based on household size and after-tax income. The 2023 poverty guidelines are:

Verification of household income

To provide proof of income, you will be asked to submit a copy of your most recently filed 1040, 1040EZ or 1040A federal tax form with either your application for the bonuses/stipends or upon acceptance for the cooperatives grant. You must also submit a copy of any individual in your household‘s most recently filed federal tax form with your application. See below for definition of household. If you do not meet the minimum income needed for filing taxes, submit a W-2 Wage and Tax Statement for all adults in your household.

Definition of household

A household is defined as the applicant plus spouse and any tax dependents.

Follow these basic rules when including members of your household:

• Include your spouse if you are legally married.
• If you claimed someone as a tax dependent for the past tax year, include them as a part of your household.
• If you have not claimed them as a tax dependent, do not include them.

Requirement 2

Applicants must be employed as providers of home and community-based services (HCBS) for people with disabilities and older adults. This includes personal care assistants (PCA), as well as many other types of direct care positions. If you are not sure if your position falls under HCBS, you can:

• Ask your employer for clarification.
• For some, but not all positions, you can search for your employer on the DHS Licensing Information Lookup site, which will note the “Type of service” on the search results page.
• Ask a trusted tribal or county case manager you work with.
• Visit the Home and community-based services providers’ webpage for information on those services.

To verify that you work as a provider of home and community-based services, you will be asked to submit either:

• A W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
• An UMPI number (for PCA workers).

Apply

Employee-owned cooperatives grants

Direct support professionals or retiring business owners who are interested in developing employee-owned cooperatives can apply for the cooperatives grant opportunity through Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers’ Direct Support Professionals Employee-Owned Cooperative Program webpage. Information about the grant and the application are available in multiple languages.

Training stipend grants

Traditional personal care assistance workers can apply for one free training that may qualify them for an enhanced rate and a $500 stipend through the training stipend grant opportunity at Direct Support Workers Training Benefit Site. Information about the grant and the application will be available in multiple languages.

Retention bonus grants

Funds to pay out retention bonuses have run out and we are no longer accepting applications. Applications for the retention bonuses were approved on a first come/first served basis as they were received.

Legislation

Minnesota Session Laws – 2021, 1st Special Session, Article 17, Sec. 20

Minnesota Session Laws – 2021, 1st Special Session, Article 17, Sec. 20 has been amended within Minnesota Session Laws – 2023, Regular Session, Chapter 50, Article 1, Sec. 36 to:

Sec. 20. HCBS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT.

Subdivision 1. Appropriation.

a) This act includes $0 in fiscal year 2022 and $5,588,000 in fiscal year 2023 to address challenges related to attracting and maintaining direct care workers who provide home and community-based services for people with disabilities and older adults. The general fund base included in this act for this purpose is $5,588,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $0 in fiscal year 2025. 

b) At least 90 percent of funding for this provision must be directed to workers who earn 300 percent or less of the most current federal poverty level issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. 

c) The commissioner must consult with stakeholders to finalize a report detailing the final plan for use of the funds. The commissioner must publish the report by March 1, 2022, and notify the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and finance.

Subd. 2. Public assistance eligibility.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, workforce development grant money received under this section is not income, assets, or personal property for purposes of determining eligibility or recertifying eligibility for:

1) Child care assistance programs under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B;

2) General assistance, Minnesota supplemental aid, and food support under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256D;

3) Housing support under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256I;

4) Minnesota family investment program and diversionary work program under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J; and

5) Economic assistance programs under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256P.

Subd. 3. Medical assistance eligibility.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, workforce development grant money received under this section is not income or assets for the purposes of determining eligibility for medical assistance under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.056, subdivision 1a, paragraph (a); 3; or 3c; or 256B.057, subdivision 3, 3a, or 3b.

Additionally, under Minn. Stat. 256.4764, Subd. 8, payments received from this grant are excluded from income as defined under Minn. Stat. §290A.03, subd. 3 and Minn. Stat. §290.0674, subd. 2a