County Relief Funding Program

This temporary program was established to provide economic relief for grants to local businesses and non-profits adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program concluded on 4/30/2021 and is no longer active. The waiting list has closed and no additional selections or approvals will be made.

This program made available $114,800,000 to counties in Minnesota. Each County by law, received a pro-rated appropriation from Minnesota Management and Budget.

Appropriations by County
Guidelines
Certification Form
Reporting
FAQs
Funding Awards
Contact

Appropriations by County

View the appropriations by county.
Guidelines

Counties shall use the funds to make grants to individual businesses and nonprofits that, to the extent it is feasible for the county to determine:
- are located in the applicable county in the state of Minnesota or on adjacent tribal land
- have no current tax liens on record with the secretary of state as of the time of application for a grant under this section; and
- were impacted by an executive order related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- A county shall determine grant recipients and the grant amount awarded per grant
- Each county may use the greater of $6,250 or 2.5% of the amount received under this program for administrative costs incurred from making grants under this program. A county may contract with a third party to administer the grant program on behalf of the county.
- Grant funds must be used by the eligible business or nonprofit for operations expenses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A county may award a grant to a business that is owned by a tribal government and located on tribal land if the business has voluntarily complied with Executive Order No. 20-99.
- Nonprofits, nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit museums, and nonprofit fitness centers that earn revenue similar to businesses, including but not limited to ticket sales and membership fees, are eligible for grants.
- The county will periodically report expenditures from this funding source as required by the State of Minnesota.
- Grants under this program must be awarded by March 15, 2021.
- Distributed funds cannot be expended after April 1, 2021.
Certification Form

To receive an appropriation, please review and sign the certification form. Please send the certification form to economic.development@state.mn.us.
Reporting

Counties must submit a report to economic.development@state.mn.us by April 30, 2021.
- Reporting form.
FAQs

Are there limits to the size of grants that may be awarded?

No, there are no limits to the size of the grants. The County will determine grant amounts based on their application process.

Is my business eligible for the County Relief Funding Program?

Counties shall use the funds to make grants to individual businesses and nonprofits that, to the extent it is feasible for the county to determine:
1. are located in the applicable county in the state of Minnesota or on adjacent tribal land;
2. have no current tax liens on record with the secretary of state as of the time of application for a grant under this section; and
3. were impacted by an executive order related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How do I determine if a business has been impacted by COVID-19?

Impacted by Executive Orders since March 2020 related to COVID-19 includes but is not limited to:
- Being closed by any order
- Evidence of being impacted by sales or revenue declines
Does the business need to be headquartered in Minnesota?

The business must be located in the County. The owner of the business and the headquarters do not need to be located in the County. However, it is recommended that any expenditures that are made with funds distributed by the Counties be spent in the same County.

What are acceptable uses for the grant funds?

Acceptable uses include but are not limited to:
- Property Taxes
- Insurance Costs
- Legal Fees
- Payroll
- Rent
- Utilities
- Marketing/Advertising
- Licensing Fees
- Accounting Fees
- Routine Maintenance
- Travel/Vehicle Expenses
- Office Supplies
- Repairs to the existing building and equipment
How can the applicant verify if the business has any Minnesota tax liens against it with the Minnesota Office of Secretary of State (OSS)?

A person can look up tax liens by visiting the Minnesota Secretary of State website.

Does the Secretary of State charge a fee for these lien searches?

Yes, the Secretary of State charges a fee for lien searches, please visit their website for more information.

How long will grant funds be available?

Counties must make awards under this program by March 15, 2021 and complete all expenditures by April 1, 2021. Unexpended funds must be returned to the State by April 15, 2021.

What is the reporting deadline?

Counties must submit the report to economic.development@state.mn.us by April 30, 2021.

What business sectors affected by Executive Order 20-99 were listed as part of the Department of Revenue and DEED programs and what sectors could the Counties consider that have not received funding but were closed by EO 20-99?

Please see the updated list of NAICS.

What is the process and timeline for Counties to receive funds?

Counties must sign and return the certification form to economic.development@state.mn.us. Once received, Minnesota Management and Budget will send a payment within five business days.

Are the grants made under this program are considered taxable income?

The Grant Funds may be subject to federal and state taxes.

Are City owned businesses eligible for the County Relief Funding Program?

Counties shall use the funds to make grants to individual businesses and nonprofits.

What if I have questions about this program?

Please submit any questions or any in person requests regarding this program by email to economic.development@state.mn.us.
Funding Awards

View the Funding Awards Map

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Contact

The FAQ section will answer most questions and is updated regularly based on your questions and comments. If you don’t find your question or have a question about an answer, please email economic.development@state.mn.us and we will reply as soon as possible.