Self-directed caregiver grants
In Minnesota, there are over 931,000 people caregiving for a family member, friend or neighbor. 30% of people caregiving experience high emotional stress and 19% have difficulty managing their own needs because of their caregiving responsibilities. While the aging network offers many supportive services for people who are caregiving, greater flexibility is needed to meet the growing need.
Program administration
The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) will use a competitive process to select a financial management services (FMS) provider who can administer a self-directed caregiver grant program. This program will support at-risk family caregivers of older adults and others to sustain family caregivers in their roles, so older adults can remain at home longer. The Minnesota legislature allocated $477,000 for this program in state fiscal year 2027.
In this model of support, individuals who are caregiving develop their own plans for support and receive funds to pay for those supports. Caregivers work with MBA-certified caregiver consultants to determine their needs and to write a support plan. FMS providers work with participants to plan and monitor their budget, including paying for services, goods and workers.
Program launch
MBA plans to launch this program in the fall of 2026. Because this is a new program, the actual number of participants is not known. MBA anticipates serving approximately 100-200 people in the first year.
Grant Request for Proposal
Self-directed Caregiver Grant RFP