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HF 3001

Minnesota financial opportunity grant pilot program established, report required, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Esther Agbaje and 11 co-sponsors

HF 3001 creates a pilot program delivering at least $500/month for 18+ months to eligible Minnesotans via local partners, not counted as income for many programs.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Human Services Finance and Policy
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Bill Summary · HF 3001

Summary of HF 3001 (Minnesota) – 2025-2026 Session

Overall purpose

HF 3001 establishes the Minnesota Financial Opportunity Grant Pilot Program. The program aims to provide regular, predictable direct cash assistance to eligible Minnesota residents to promote economic stability, support workforce participation, encourage community investment, and help meet recipients’ basic needs. The bill also requires an evaluator and a formal reporting timeline, with a onetime general fund appropriation.

Key provisions

Establishment and administration

  • Creation of a direct cash assistance grant pilot program managed by the Commissioner of Human Services.
  • Participants must receive monthly payments designed to promote economic stability and community investment.

Eligible grantees

  • Eligible grantees must be capable of delivering monthly payments and include a local government entity, a Tribal government, or a nonprofit organization with a track record in community development and economic assistance.

Applications and program design

  • Applications must include:
    • Initial program design meeting specific requirements (subdivisions 4 and 6).
    • Plan to identify eligible recipients.
    • Rationale for selecting eligible recipients.
    • Plan for involving impacted community members in design.
    • Commitment to participate in a “financial opportunity community of practice” (training/technical assistance).
    • Cooperation with an evaluator selected by the commissioner.
    • Plan for collecting required data for the mandated report.

Grant activities and recipient payments

  • Grantees must design and implement a financial opportunity disbursement program tailored to the community.
  • Each eligible recipient must receive a monthly payment of at least $500 for a minimum of 18 months.
  • Grantees must collect data required for reporting.

Income treatment and eligibility conditions

  • Cash stipends under the program are not considered income, assets, or personal property for eligibility purposes for several assistance programs (child care, food support, family investment, general assistance, housing, and economic assistance programs).
  • For medical assistance, cash stipends are not counted as income or assets.
  • To be eligible, recipients must attest to need and have household income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level or be recipients of public benefits. Enrollment is not subject to ongoing recertification.

Eligible recipients

  • Individuals or families may be recipients.
  • Grantees may identify priority populations (e.g., families, individuals or youth at risk of homelessness, people seeking training or education, recently relocated individuals or families).

Community of practice and evaluation

  • A Financial Opportunity Community of Practice will be established to provide training and assistance to grantees.
  • At least one independent entity will lead the community of practice and provide support.

Data collection and reporting

  • Grantees must collect baseline and post-participation data on economic status, employment, physical/mental health, food and housing security, education enrollment potential, and other relevant information.
  • An annual report to the commissioner on collected data is required.

Evaluation and final report

  • The commissioner must identify at least one independent, research-based evaluator.
  • A final report on efficacy and cost-effectiveness must be submitted by January 15, 2028 to the legislature, maintaining participant anonymity.

Fiscal and timeline details

  • Sec. 2 authorizes a onetime general fund appropriation in fiscal year 2026 to support the Minnesota Financial Opportunity Grant Pilot Program. The amount is not specified in the bill text provided and is shown as a placeholder ($.......). The appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
  • Up to a portion of the appropriation may be used for outreach, technical assistance, training, and evaluation (also shown as a placeholder).

Potential impact

  • Direct cash supplementation for eligible Minnesota residents could improve short- and medium-term financial stability and potentially affect labor market participation and housing/food security.
  • The program explicitly ensures stipends do not count as income for many major public assistance programs, which may reduce barriers to participation.
  • The involvement of local governments, Tribes, and nonprofits suggests a community-led approach with attention to equity and local needs.
  • Data collection and independent evaluation are intended to inform policy lessons on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of direct cash assistance at a program scale.

Note: Final details on the exact monetary appropriation and allocation for outreach/evaluation will appear in the enacted version or subsequent fiscal documents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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