As of Wednesday, April 14 at 11:59 p.m. we are no longer taking new COVID-19 grant applications. Any new applications received  will not be processed. Any appeals or documents from an RMI (Request for More Information) request received within our normal 60 day time frame established on those letters that get approved will still be honored. If we do not receive an appeal or the requested documents within that established time frame, those applications will close due to inactivity and will NOT be reopened. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

On March 26, 2020, the Minnesota State Legislature voted to fund a special appropriation to assist Veterans who may be financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 Specific Programs have been activated specifically in response to mitigate the economic effects COVID-19 is having on our Veterans and their families. These programs can close at any time without notice due to the exhaustion of approved funding. Status updates will be posted here regarding the status of these programs. All of the grants are awarded on a first come, first serve basis, and the amount of grants awarded is limited to the length of existing funding.

COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant

The COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant is to mitigate the negative effects and economic impact COVID-19 has had on Veterans and their families by providing a one-time financial relief grant in the amount of $1,000.

Applications for the COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant must demonstrate a financial loss on or after the date of the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order, March 13, 2020. A closing date for the disaster relief grant has yet to be determined and will depend on the length of the peacetime emergency declared by the Governor of the State of Minnesota and the availability of funding.

To qualify for the COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant, applicants must be:

1. A Veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447, and
2. A Minnesota Resident, and
3. Have been negatively financial impacted by COVID-19.
   * Note: Two Veterans married to each other are both authorized to apply for and receive the disaster relief grant.
   

COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant application status
The MDVA team is working as quickly as possible to process the applications for the COVID-19 grants. Some applicants have already received their checks. We have received more than 4,000 applications to date and our current processing date is noted above.

As applications are uploaded into our system, we send an email to applicants to confirm that step has been completed. If we need any additional information to support your application, we will email you. Thank you for your patience while the MDVA COVID-19 team works diligently to input and process the applications.

The current estimated processing time is approximately 21 business days.

Application Resources:

• /mdva/assets/2020-04-03-covid-19-disaster-relief-overview_tcm1066-426398.pdfProgram Overview Document
• Application Portal (Note: The application portal is not currently compatible with Internet Explorer)

Visit our /mdva/resources/familyassistance/disasterrelief.jspDisaster Relief Grant page for more details and application information. 

COVID-19 Special Needs Grant

/mdva/resources/familyassistance/veteransreliefgrant.jspThe purpose of the COVID-19 Special Needs Grant is to provide one-time financial assistance to a Veteran or surviving spouse who needs assistance due to a COVID-19-related event. Any funding awarded from this grant would go directly to a vendor or creditor of the applicant, and no money awarded goes directly to an applicant or an applicant's family member.

Applications for the COVID-19 Special Needs Grant must be dated no earlier than March 13, 2020. A closing date for the COVID-19 Special Needs Grant is subject to the length of the peacetime emergency declared by the Governor of the State of Minnesota, and the funding available.

To qualify for the COVID-19 Special Needs Grant, applicants must be:

1. A Veteran or the surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a deceased veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447, 
2. A Minnesota Resident, and  
3. Have been negatively financial impacted by COVID-19.
   *Note: two Veterans married to each other are only authorized one COVID-19 Special Needs Grant.
   

Application Resources:

• /mdva/assets/2020-04-03-covid-19-special-needs-grant-overview_tcm1066-426399.pdfCOVID-19 Special Needs Grant Overview Document
• Contact your CVSO
  

Visit our /mdva/resources/familyassistance/veteransreliefgrant.jspSpecial Needs Grant page for more details and application information.

COVID-19 Distance Learning Support Grant

The purpose of the COVID-19 K-12 Distance Learning Support Grant is to mitigate the negative financial impact a family experiences by implementing their school district’s distance learning or hybrid learning plans by providing a one-time grant in the amount of $3,000.

Applicants for the COVID-19 K-12 Distance Learning Support Grant must demonstrate a negative financial impact on or after August 1, 2020. A closing date for the K-12 Distance Learning Support Grant will depend on the availability of funding, but not later than June 30, 2021.

To qualify for the COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant, applicants must be:

1. A Veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447, and
2. A Minnesota Resident, and
3. Have been negatively financially impacted by COVID-19.

Eligible applicants must be able to demonstrate meeting all the requirements below.

1. Have a child who is enrolled in the State of Minnesota in:
   1. Grades K-8 or;
   2. Grades 9-12 with an IEP (Individual Education Plan), Section 504 Plans are not eligible.
2. The child must attend a school that has implemented distance learning or a hybrid program or have newly enrolled (school year 2020-2021) in private school or homeschool option as an alternative to the implementation of distance learning or hybrid program.
3. Provide evidence that your family has experienced a negative financial impact as defined by one of the following scenarios:
   1. A parent had to reduce or eliminate work in order to accommodate the implementation of distance learning or hybrid program for the child.
   2. The child was newly enrolled in a daycare setting or similar business in order to accommodate their parent’s employment and to facilitate the school district’s distance learning or hybrid program for their child.
   3. The parent has newly employed a tutor, nanny, non-parental adult family member, or other similar arrangement to coach, mentor, and implement distance learning or hybrid program for their child.
   4. Newly enrolled in homeschool or a private school but was previously (2019-2020 school year) enrolled in a public school district.

Note: Incurring “normal school expenses” such as school lunch costs, school supplies, etc. does not constitute a “negative financial impact” for the purposes of this grant.

Application Resources

• /mdva/assets/2020-09-11-dlsg-overview_tcm1066-446089.pdfCOVID-19 Distance Learning Support Grant Overview Document
• Contact your CVSO

Other Programs

The State Soldiers Assistance Program (SSAP) typically provides seven different programs year-round that are not tied to our COVID-19 response. Although they are not specifically intended to assist with our COVID-19 response, SSAP programs may be helpful to any Veteran or dependent who may have been affected by COVID-19.

Special Needs Grant

The purpose of the Special Needs Grant is to provide one-time financial assistance to a Veteran or surviving spouse to assist in their financial crisis and to promote stability and prevent homelessness.

Special Needs Grants are open year round. To qualify for a Special Needs Grant, applicants must be:

1. A Veteran or the surviving spouse of a deceased Veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447.
2. A Minnesota Resident.
   * Note: Two Veterans married to each other are entitled to their own separate Special Needs Grants

Application Resources:

• /mdva/assets/2020-04-02-special-needs-grant-overview_tcm1066-426401.pdfSpecial Needs Grant Overview Document 
• Contact your County Veterans Service Officer

Learn more at our /mdva/resources/familyassistance/veteransreliefgrant.jspSpecial Needs Grant page.

Subsistence Assistance (Short Term Disability)

Subsistence Assistance provides financial assistance for up to six months to a Veteran or surviving spouse when they are disabled and prevented from working at their usual/normal occupation for at least 30 days, or without a disabling medical condition within one year of the Veterans death.

Subsistence Assistance is available year round, and provides help with:

1. Shelter associated payments (rent / mortgage / room & board / property taxes / association dues / homeowners’ insurance).
2. Utility Assistance (i.e. electric, gas, propane, water, sanitation/sewer, etc.).
3. Healthcare Premiums
4. Personal Needs Funds (Cash grant).

Application Resources:

• /mdva/assets/2020-04-02-subsistence-assistance-overview_tcm1066-426403.pdfSubsistence Assistance Overview Document
• Contact your County Veterans Service Officer

Learn more at our /mdva/resources/familyassistance/financialassistance.jspSubsistence Assistance page.

Important Message

We understand that many County Veterans Service Offices are currently closed or operating at a reduced capacity and that situations around the state are changing daily. If you are in need of assistance with applying for any of our programs and you cannot receive assistance from your County Veterans Service Officer our Field Operations Team has staff standing by and ready to assist you. They can be reached at FO.MDVA@state.mn.us.

The /mdva/assets/2020-04-08-covid-19-faq_tcm1066-427328.pdfCOVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions document is also available if further information is needed.