EBT cash benefits in Minnesota come from four need-based programs that load money onto the cash side of your EBT card each month: the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) for families with children, General Assistance (GA) for adults who can’t support themselves, Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) for people who are elderly, blind, or disabled, and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) for newly arrived refugees. Payments run from $360.50 a month for a single adult on GA up to $1,073 or more for larger families on MFIP, and the cash can be spent on rent, clothing, household supplies, and most other non-food needs.
The Four Cash Programs and Who They Fit
You can only receive benefits from one of these programs at a time, so the first step is figuring out which one matches your situation.
MFIP is the main cash program for families with children. It pairs a cash grant with food assistance on the same card and is designed to move caregivers toward employment. MFIP is Minnesota’s version of the federal TANF program and carries a 60-month lifetime limit on cash benefits for caregivers, with hardship extensions available in some situations.1Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)2Minnesota Department of Human Services. Combined Manual – 60-Month Lifetime Limit
General Assistance pays monthly cash to adults without children who can’t work enough to support themselves because of illness, disability, age, or other qualifying circumstances.3Minnesota Department of Human Services. General Assistance
Minnesota Supplemental Aid adds extra monthly cash for adults who receive SSI, or who are over 65, blind, or disabled and meet income limits without SSI.4Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota Supplemental Aid
Refugee Cash Assistance covers eligible refugees during their first eight months in the United States when they don’t qualify for other programs.5MNPrairie County Alliance. Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)
One program you may see mentioned elsewhere no longer exists: the Diversionary Work Program ended on March 1, 2026, and families now apply directly for MFIP.
How Much You Get
MFIP
MFIP’s monthly cash portion for 2026 scales with household size:6Minnesota Department of Human Services. MFIP Assistance Standards
- 1 person: $431
- 2 people: $661
- 3 people: $778
- 4 people: $886
- 5 people: $980
- 6 people: $1,073
- Each additional person beyond 10: $66
These figures are the cash side only. MFIP also includes a separate food portion that loads onto the same EBT card but can only be used for groceries.
GA and MSA
GA pays $360.50 a month for an eligible adult. A married couple with no children where both spouses are eligible gets $360.50 each.7Minnesota Department of Human Services. GA Assistance Standards
MSA pays more and depends on living arrangements. In 2026, a person living alone can receive up to $1,055 a month, a person living with others up to $755.33, and a married couple living alone up to $1,582.8Minnesota Department of Human Services. MSA Assistance Standards
Who Qualifies
Every cash program requires Minnesota residency and U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status. Beyond that, each program sets its own income and asset tests.
MFIP uses a “Family Wage Level” as the gross-income cutoff. For 2026, the thresholds include $1,225 a month for a household of 2, $1,573 for 3, $1,887 for 4, and $2,180 for 5.6Minnesota Department of Human Services. MFIP Assistance Standards GA is built for people with very low or no income who can’t work enough to support themselves, so its income bar is low.
MFIP and GA both cap countable assets at $10,000. Go over that, and you’re either ineligible or have to spend down within a set time.9Minnesota Department of Human Services. Combined Manual – Asset Limits Your home doesn’t count, and one vehicle per household member aged 16 or older is also excluded.1Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
MFIP Work Requirements
MFIP comes with strings attached. Caregivers have to work or participate in approved activities for a minimum number of hours each month:10Minnesota Department of Human Services. Hourly Requirements for Plans
- Single parent with a child under 6: 87 hours per month
- Single parent with no children under 6: 130 hours per month
- Two-parent families where both are eligible: at least 55 hours per week combined
Approved hours can include a job, job search, education, or other activities in your employment plan. New participants whose skills suggest they can find work quickly must spend at least 30 hours a week on job search for up to three months. Exceptions apply for people dealing with family violence, those in Family Stabilization Services, and teen parents. Missing the hours without good cause triggers a sanction that reduces your benefit.
How to Apply
The quickest route is online at mnbenefits.mn.gov, which the state says takes about 20 minutes.11Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Apply for Benefits You can also mail or drop off a Combined Application Form (DHS-5223) at your local county human services office.12Minnesota Department of Human Services. Combined Application Form (DHS-5223) The same form covers MFIP, GA, RCA, and SNAP.13Minnesota Department of Human Services. Combined Manual 0005.09 – Combined Application Form (CAF)
Have identification, proof of Minnesota residency, Social Security numbers for everyone in your household, and income documentation (pay stubs, unemployment, child support) ready to upload or bring with you. Your county or Tribal Nation may schedule a phone or in-person interview after you submit; wait for them to reach out. Reviews can take up to 30 business days from the application date, so plan for a wait of six weeks or more in real time.11Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Apply for Benefits
Using the Cash Side of Your EBT Card
Once approved, your card holds two separate accounts: cash and food. You use the cash side at store point-of-sale machines to pay or get cash back, and at ATMs to withdraw cash.14Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card A PIN protects the account.
When Benefits Load
- MFIP, odd-digit case number: after 6 a.m. on the second-to-last day of the month
- MFIP, even-digit case number: after 6 a.m. on the last day of the month
- GA, MSA, and RCA: on the first of the month, regardless of case number
Fees
You get four free cash withdrawals a month, at ATMs or point-of-sale. After that, each withdrawal costs $1, capped at $10 per month. Cash back with a purchase doesn’t count as a withdrawal and is free. ATM operators can tack on their own surcharges.
Checking Your Balance
Call 1-888-997-2227, log in at the EBT Edge cardholder portal, or check your last receipt.
Where You Can and Can’t Spend It
Cash benefits are more flexible than food benefits, but Minnesota law still draws clear lines.
You cannot buy tobacco or alcohol with EBT cash. The card itself carries that warning printed on it.15Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 142A.13 – Electronic Benefit Transfer Card Getting caught means disqualification from all cash programs: one year for a first offense, two years for a second, and permanent for a third.16Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 256.987 – Electronic Benefit Transfer Card
Liquor stores, tobacco stores, gambling establishments, and tattoo parlors have to block EBT cash transactions at their registers and in-store ATMs. “Gambling establishment” covers licensed racetracks, Tribal casinos, and any business that pulls at least half its revenue from gambling. In practice the card just won’t work there.
The cash side also works only in Minnesota and its four neighboring states: Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Trying to use it outside those five states is prohibited. The food portion of your card isn’t subject to this geographic limit.15Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 142A.13 – Electronic Benefit Transfer Card
If Your Benefits Are Stolen
Minnesota’s replacement rules for stolen cash are strict. State-funded MFIP cash cannot be replaced. Only the federally funded portion of MFIP cash qualifies for replacement, and you have to report the theft, cancel the card immediately, and file a Replacement of Stolen EBT Benefits form (DHS-8557). GA and MSA cash cannot be replaced at all.17Minnesota Department of Human Services. Replacing Stolen EBT Benefits That makes PIN protection the whole ballgame. Don’t share it, cover the keypad, and report suspicious transactions by calling the number on the back of your card.
Appealing a Denial or Reduction
If your application is denied or your benefits are cut, you can appeal. Most appeals go in writing by mail, fax, or in person to the Minnesota Department of Human Services Appeals Division, or online using form DHS-0033. A decision can take up to 90 days from filing. If you disagree with the result, you have 30 days to ask the commissioner to reconsider or to appeal to state district court.18Minnesota Department of Human Services. Appeals