Competitive Grant Programs

The Office of Higher Education administers several state and federal programs with statewide impacts:

• Concurrent Enrollment Grants for development of new concurrent enrollment courses and expansion of existing concurrent enrollment programs.
• David J. Tomassoni ALS Research Grant Program supports translational research into the prevention, treatment, and functional improvements of patients/caregiving related to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
• Dual Training Grant is a funding source that generates collaborative and strategic educational solutions between employers and related instruction training providers across Minnesota. Employers or organizations of employers may apply for grants to reimburse expenses related to instruction toward attaining an industry-recognized degree, certificate or credential for their employees.
• DTG - Legal Cannabis Industry is a new competitive grant program that received funding from the 2023 Legislative session. DTG LC is a funding source that generates collaborative and strategic educational solutions between cannabis employers and related instruction training providers across Minnesota. The dual-training model helps cannabis employers meet their workforce needs by pairing on-the-job training with formal related instruction to create a robust learning environment resulting in skilled employees and enhanced company culture.
• Early Childhood and Family Education Teacher Shortage Grants provides grants to postsecondary institutions to address the early childhood and family education teacher shortage. Institutions may use funds to provide tuition relief and other supports for eligible students.
• Emergency Assistance for Postsecondary Students Grants support postsecondary institutions in assisting college students who are experiencing an unforeseen financial emergency that may prevent them from completing their term.
• Hunger Free Campus Grants provide small grants to Minnesota postsecondary institutions so that they can achieve and/or sustain a Hunger Free Campus designation from their respective systems.
• Inclusive Higher Education Grants provides funding to Minnesota postsecondary institutions to develop new or enhance existing initiatives with the purpose of increasing overall enrollment and access for students with an intellectual disability.
• Intervention for College Attendance Grants encourage and support efforts by postsecondary institutions and community agencies to enhance and/or expand pre-college awareness or intervention programs for low-income students.
• Intervention for College Attendance Grants: Formerly Incarcerated Students is a one-time funded grant program to foster postsecondary attendance and retention by providing outreach services to students who have formerly been incarcerated.
• Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grants for research into new and innovative treatments and rehabilitative efforts for functional improvement of people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
• Student Loan Debt Counseling Grant Program to support a Minnesota based organization in providing individual student loan debt repayment counseling to borrowers who are Minnesota residents.
• Student Parent Support Initiative, to be administered in partnership with Minnesota Department of Health, will provide grant funding to entities and institutions to assist and provide support to pregnant and current parenting students who are working to earn a postsecondary credential.