Financial Support

The following programs help low-income people with cash or food support needs:


Food Support Program (SNAP) - This program helps low-income people with their food costs.

Minnesota Health Care Programs Application (MNSURE) - This program helps to pay for health care costs.

Long-Term Care Application (LTC) - Use this form to apply for MA payment of long-term-care services. Long-term-care services include nursing home care and services in your home through a waiver program.

Emergency Assistance (EA) - Emergency Assistance provides special financial support for a case facing unexpected emergency expenses (such as eviction or losses from a fire), not more often than once every 12 months.

Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) - This program helps to pay childcare costs for low-income working families. People may be eligible for child care assistance if they are in need of child care services in order to secure employment, retain employment, and they meet the program income guidelines.   

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) - This program is Minnesota’s Cash and Food Assistance program for families who need assistance.

Diversionary Work Program (DWP) - When most families first apply for cash assistance, they will participate in the Diversionary Work Program, or DWP. This is a 4-month program that helps parents go immediately to work.

General Assistance (GA) - This program serves as Minnesota’s primary safety net for single adults and childless couples. The GA Program provides monthly cash grants for persons who cannot provide for themselves and whose income and resources are less than program limits.

Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) - This program is a state funded program that provides a monthly cash supplement to people who are aged, blind or disabled and who receive federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Housing Support (Formerly Group Residential Housing GRH) - This program is a state-funded income supplement program that pays for room-and-board costs for low-income adults who have been placed in a licensed or registered setting with which a county human service agency has negotiated a monthly rate.

Refugee Programs - This program coordinates services to assist refugees in making the transition to life in the United States. These services include resettlement and placement, cash and medical assistance, and employment and social services.

Energy Assistance Program (EAP) - The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps income eligible households living in Benton, Stearns, Sherburne and Morrison Counties with paying a portion of their home heating costs.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (PDF)



  1. Cyndi Bachan

    Income Maintenance Supervisor

  2. Karen Szczodroski

    Income Maintenance Supervisor