Ambulance Service Training & Staffing (AST&S) Grant – “Earn While You Learn”

The AST&S grant supports ambulance services to develop or expand paid “Earn While You Learn” EMT training programs, reducing financial barriers and strengthening staffing statewide.

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Program Snapshot

• Total funding: $2,000,000 (competitive; number/size of awards depend on total requests). 
• Grant period (anticipated): January 1 – December 30, 2026; extensions/continuations may be considered at the State’s discretion. 
• Purpose: Expand paid EMT training pathways to address workforce shortages and improve service readiness.

Eligibility

To be eligible, an ambulance service must:

• Be licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144E; and
• In the calendar year prior to first application, have ≥50% of ambulance staffing provided by EMTs—verified by either:
  • Roster-based: ≥50% of EMS personnel on the service’s eLicense roster are EMTs; or
  • Response-based: ≥50% of MNSTAR responses included an EMT on the patient care report.

Allowable Costs

• EMT education tuition (approved programs)
• EMT certification exam fees
• Background study fees for new EMT employees
• Wage & benefit costs while attending EMT education or related activities
  Note: Must be commensurate with entry-level EMT compensation and may not exceed $26/hour.

Not allowed: Administrative costs; travel/subsistence reimbursement.

How to Apply

Submit by 4:00 p.m. CT on October 17, 2025 via the online application. No paper submissions; late applications are not accepted. Include all required attachments—incomplete applications are rejected and not evaluated.

Required Application Materials

• Exhibit A: Assurances & signed Coversheet (authorized representative)
• Application narrative: Online questionnaire
• Exhibit B: Work Plan & Budget 
• Note: This link will open an Excel document. If you need an alternative format, please send an email to finance.oems@state.mn.us or call 651-201-2809.
• Exhibit D: Certification (not suspended or debarred)

If requesting ≥$50,000, also provide: Exhibit C (Capacity Responses), Exhibit E (Evidence of Good Standing), Exhibit F (Nonprofit documents as applicable), Exhibit G (For-Profit disclosure as applicable), Exhibit H (No principal felony financial crime in last 10 years).

Review & Scoring

Eligible, complete applications are scored by a review committee; recommendations go to the OEMS Director for final decisions. All funding decisions are final.

Scoring (100 points)

• Coversheet — 10
• Project Overview — 20
• Service Readiness & Need — 20
• Work Plan & Budget — 30
• Grant Project Impact — 20

Reporting & Grant Management

• Monthly reporting schedule (progress report & invoice due): Feb 15, Mar 15, Apr 15, May 15, Jun 15, Jul 15, Aug 15, Sep 15, Oct 15, Nov 15, Dec 15, 2026; Jan 15, 2027. 
• Payments may be withheld for past-due reports.
• Funds may not support trainees who are no longer making adequate progress, are already EMT-certified, or are ineligible for certification; re-enrollment during the grant period is not eligible.

Assurances & Legal

By submitting, the applicant certifies compliance with the approved application, Assurances, and all applicable laws and policies. Work must not begin until the GAN is executed and the State authorizes work to commence.

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Information Session

AST&S Grant Applicant Information Session

• Monday, October 6, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
• Webinar registration

Questions

Email: finance.oems@state.mn.us. Written responses will be posted on the OEMS website after the applicant conference. Oral answers are non-binding.