MNbenefits

Adults Cash Programs:

The General Assistance (GA) program helps people without children pay for basic needs. It provides money to people who can't work enough to support themselves, and whose income and resources are very low. People who get GA are also eligible for help with medical and food costs through Medical Assistance (MA) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) provides cash assistance to help adults who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pay for their basic needs. Some people who are blind, have a disability or are older than 65 but do not get SSI because their other income is too high may also be eligible for MSA if they meet the income limit.  People who get MSA are also eligible for help with medical, food and housing costs through Medical Assistance (MA), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and MSA Housing Assistance programs.

Family Cash Programs:

The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) helps families with children meet their basic needs, while helping parents move to financial stability through work. Parents are expected to work and are supported in working with both cash and food assistance. Most families have a lifetime limit of 60 months on MFIP.

When families first apply for cash assistance, they usually start in the Diversionary Work Program (DWP). It is a four-month program that helps parents go to work right away rather than enroll in MFIP.

The 2024-2025 Hubbard County MFIP Biennial Service Agreement is available for review, see below.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, helps Minnesotans with low incomes (including temporary low incomes) get the food they need for nutritious and well-balanced meals. The program provides extra support to help stretch a household's food budget – it is not meant to cover all the groceries a family needs.

SNAP offers monthly benefits loaded on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which looks and works like a debit card. This card can be used to buy groceries at authorized stores, farmers markets and online retailers. 

Housing Support (HS), formerly known as Group Residential Housing (GRH), pays for room-and-board costs for seniors and adults who have low incomes.  The program aids to reduce and prevent people from living in institutions or becoming homeless.

Information for providers about rates for these programs is available on the Housing Support Payment Rates page.

Information on recent updates to Housing Support is available on the Housing Support updates page.

It is important to know that your child is well cared for while you are at work or going to school. Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) can help make quality child care affordable for eligible families.

Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps make child care affordable for income-eligible families.  Families will have a copayment based on their gross income and family size, and most families on Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) child care have a copayment of $0.  Child Care Assistance is available to:

People who are facing evictions, foreclosures, utility shut-offs or other household emergencies may qualify for emergency help.

Emergency Assistance for Families

Emergency Assistance is a cash-grant program for families with low incomes experiencing household emergencies. You don't have to be on or eligible for Minnesota Family Investment Program to get Emergency Assistance, but you do have to meet income guidelines; you can't have received Emergency Assistance within the past 12 months; the Emergency Assistance must resolve your crisis; and you have to use your own money first with the Emergency Assistance used to pay what you can't. The amount of Emergency Assistance might not cover the entire emergency but can help.

Emergency General Assistance (EGA)

Emergency General Assistance is a cash-grant program for adults with low incomes experiencing a household emergency. You don't have to be on or eligible for General Assistance to get Emergency General Assistance, but you do have to meet income guidelines; you can't have received Emergency General Assistance within the past 12 months; you can't be on the Minnesota Family Investment Program (if you are, you should apply for Emergency Assistance); the Emergency General Assistance must resolve the crisis; and you have to use your own money first with Emergency General Assistance used to pay what you can't. The amount of Emergency General Assistance might not cover the entire emergency but can help.

To apply for Emergency Assistance, come into any county or tribal agency and complete the Combined Application Form, have a Combined Application Form mailed to you, complete an online Combined Application Form, or complete an application through MNbenefits.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) is a program that 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 human services.