Minnesota was allocated $2.187 billion in the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) as part of the federal CARES Act. Hennepin and Ramsey Counties received a combined $317 million directly, and the remaining $1.87 billion was deposited into the state treasury in April 2020. Data from the reports below is also available on the TransparencyMN website which provides checkbook-level data on how COVID-19 funding has been spent.
The CRF Expenditure Report includes background, allocation process, and uses of the CRF.
The State of Minnesota made available $841 million of the state’s federal CRF allotment to local governments to support coronavirus relief efforts. The Minnesota Department of Revenue received and approved certifications for 85 counties and 1,530 cities and townships. Twelve cities and 261 towns did not request distributions. Because they have more than 500,000 residents, Hennepin and Ramsey counties received distributions directly from the federal government.
The CRF funding for counties, cities, and towns was used to support local government services as well as grants to businesses, hospitals, and individuals who have been affected by COVID-19. Cities and towns must have spent CRF funds by November 15, 2020 and counties must have spent CRF funds by December 1, 2020.
