Assistance Programs in Minnesota

The Energy Assistance Program helps income-qualified Minnesota households pay home heating and electric bills and covers emergencies like a broken furnace or a shutoff. Both homeowners and renters can apply. The program runs each year from October 1 through May 31 through the local service provider for your county. To find your provider, call the Commerce Energy Information Center at 1-800-657-3710.

Free home energy-efficiency work for income-qualified Minnesota households: insulation, air sealing, and heating-system repairs that permanently lower your energy bills. Both homeowners and renters can qualify. The Department of Commerce runs the program through local service providers, and it shares one joint application with Energy Assistance. Call the Commerce Energy Information Center at 1-800-657-3710 to reach the provider serving your area.

SNAP, still called Food Support by many Minnesota counties, puts monthly food money on an EBT card you use like a debit card at most grocery stores and many farmers markets. Apply online at mnbenefits.mn.gov, the state's one application that also covers cash and other help, or file a paper Combined Application Form (DHS-5223) at your county or Tribal human services office. A SNAP outreach specialist through MNFoodHelper (mn.gov/dhs/mnfoodhelper) can help you apply for free.

WIC gives healthy food, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and health referrals to pregnant and postpartum people, infants, and children up to age 5. Minnesota WIC runs through local agencies of the Minnesota Department of Health. Apply online at health.state.mn.us/wicapply, or call 1-800-942-4030 to find the WIC clinic nearest you.

Medical Assistance is Minnesota's Medicaid program, free or low-cost health coverage for children, pregnant people, parents, adults, older adults, and people who are blind or have a disability. MinnesotaCare covers many people whose income is a little too high for Medical Assistance, for a low monthly premium. Apply through MNsure at mnsure.org, or reach DHS Health Care Consumer Support at 1-800-657-3672.

Minnesota's Child Tax Credit is a refundable credit of $1,750 for each qualifying child under age 18, with no limit on the number of children. Because it is refundable, it can come back to you as cash even if you owe no tax. The credit begins to phase out once income passes $31,950, or $37,910 for a married couple filing jointly. Claim it on Schedule M1CWFC with your Minnesota return.

MFIP is Minnesota's cash and food assistance for low-income families with children, and it is the state's version of TANF. It combines a monthly cash grant with food help and pairs most parents with MFIP Employment Services to move toward work. Apply online at mnbenefits.mn.gov or with a paper Combined Application Form (DHS-5223) at your county or Tribal human services office.

The Working Family Credit is Minnesota's version of the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable credit for workers with low income. It equals 4 percent of your earned income, up to a maximum of $379, and it can pay out even if you owe no tax. You claim it on Schedule M1CWFC with your Minnesota return, the same form that carries the state Child Tax Credit.

Temporary weekly payments if you lost work through no fault of your own, from Minnesota's Unemployment Insurance program at DEED. Apply online at uimn.org, which is the fastest way, or by phone at 1-877-898-9090 for Greater Minnesota or 651-296-3644 in the Twin Cities, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm. Phone service is offered in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.

Minnesota's legal aid programs provide free civil legal help to low-income residents on housing, family, public benefits, consumer, and other noncriminal matters. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid also helps people age 60 and older and people with disabilities. Call 1-877-696-6529 to reach intake, and find free legal information and your local office at lawhelpmn.org.

Dial 2-1-1 from any Minnesota phone, or call 1-800-543-7709, for free, confidential help finding local assistance with housing, utility bills, food, healthcare, and more. Minnesota 211, run by United Way, answers around the clock, every day, in many languages. You can also text your zip code to 898-211 or search at 211unitedway.org.