If you’re facing eviction, a utility shutoff, or another sudden household crisis, emergency assistance in Minnesota comes through two one-time cash-grant programs run by your county or tribal human services office: Emergency Assistance (EA) for households that include a child or a pregnant person, and Emergency General Assistance (EGA) for adults without children. EA is administered by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and EGA by the Department of Human Services. A separate Energy Assistance Program handles heating and electricity bills.
Which Program Fits Your Household
Household composition decides which door you go through. If someone in your home is under 18, pregnant, or a noncustodial parent of a child receiving public assistance, you apply for EA. You do not have to be receiving or eligible for the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) to qualify.1Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Emergency Assistance
Adults without children apply for EGA instead. EGA has a hard frequency cap: one grant in any 12-month period.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 256D.06 – Amount of Assistance Counties and tribal nations can set stricter frequency rules on top of that. EGA grants also depend on the funding each county receives from the state; once a county’s allocation is used up, additional help comes from county funds, so availability can vary by where you live.
Income Limits
Both programs require household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 256D.06 – Amount of Assistance Using the 2026 federal guidelines, that works out to roughly:3HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
- One person: $31,920 a year, about $2,660 a month
- Two people: $43,280 a year, about $3,607 a month
- Three people: $54,640 a year, about $4,553 a month
- Four people: $66,000 a year, about $5,500 a month
The test is annual net income, not gross, so certain deductions apply before your income is measured against the limit.
Residency and Immigration Status
You must be a Minnesota resident. For EGA, at least one household member needs to have lived in the state for 30 days before applying. Counties cannot add residency requirements beyond what state law allows.
Legal noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees, may qualify for EGA. Undocumented immigrants and nonimmigrants are not eligible.4Minnesota House of Representatives Research Department. Eligibility of Noncitizens for Health Care and Cash Assistance EA follows a similar framework; your county or tribal office can confirm how the rules apply to your situation.
What the Grants Pay For
Both programs target the specific expense that is causing the crisis. Common uses include:
- Past-due rent or mortgage to stop an eviction or foreclosure
- Overdue utility bills to restore or prevent disconnection of electricity, gas, or water
- Emergency home repairs such as a broken furnace or failed plumbing that make the home unsafe
The grant covers what’s needed to resolve the immediate emergency and no more. EGA caps the assistance period at 30 days.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 256D.06 – Amount of Assistance The emergency must be real and verifiable, and it cannot be caused by your own disqualification from General Assistance or MFIP.
If the Crisis Is a Heating or Electric Bill
When the problem is specifically energy costs, Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP), run by the Department of Commerce, may help on its own or alongside EA or EGA. EAP pays up to $1,400 toward energy bills, with extra help available for a shutoff or a nearly empty fuel tank, and payments go directly to your utility or fuel provider. A family of four earning up to $71,999 a year can qualify, and the deadline for the 2025–2026 winter season is May 31, 2026.5Minnesota Department of Commerce. Energy Assistance Program
Separately, Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule blocks electric and natural gas shutoffs between October 1 and April 30 if you set up and keep a reasonable payment plan with your utility.6Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Shut-Off Protection It isn’t cash help, but it can buy you time to apply.
How to Apply
You have three ways to file:
- Online at mnbenefits.mn.gov, where you can finish the application and upload documents. It takes about 20 minutes.7MNbenefits. Frequently Asked Questions
- In person at your local county or tribal nation human services office
- By mail, using a printed Combined Application Form (CAF)
Have your paperwork ready before you file. You’ll need:
- Proof of the emergency, such as an eviction summons, utility disconnection notice, or foreclosure letter
- Income verification, including recent pay stubs or bank statements
- Identification and social security numbers for household members
What Happens After You File
You’ll need to complete an interview, either by phone or in person, and your county or tribal office will reach out to schedule it.7MNbenefits. Frequently Asked Questions Reviews can take up to 30 business days.8Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Apply for Benefits In practice, genuine emergencies often move faster because the program exists to prevent imminent harm. Missing paperwork is where most applications stall, so submitting a complete file the first time is the single biggest thing you can do to avoid delays.
If You’re Denied
A denial isn’t the end of the road. You can request a state fair hearing through the Appeals and Regulations Division of the Department of Human Services. The deadline is generally 30 days from the date of the denial notice, and it can stretch to 90 days if you have good cause for the delay.
At the hearing, you have to show the agency’s decision was wrong, so bring the documentation that backs your case: the eviction notice, income records, and anything else that proves you meet the rules. If you don’t show up, you lose by default.
Do You Have to Pay It Back?
Emergency assistance grants are generally not loans. One situation changes that. If you receive emergency assistance while waiting on a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) decision, the state may ask you to sign an interim assistance reimbursement agreement. Under federal rules, that lets Social Security withhold part of your retroactive SSI payment and send it to the state to cover what you received in the meantime.9Social Security Administration. Definitions (20 CFR 416.1902) This applies only to assistance funded with state or county money; federal funds are excluded. If you’re applying for SSI and emergency assistance at the same time, ask your caseworker to walk you through the agreement before you sign so you know what piece of a future back-payment could be redirected.