Minnesota Grants Management
Policies & Statutes

Improving the state's grant-making is one of the primary goals of the Office of Grants Management. One tool for accomplishing this is the creation of comprehensive grants management policies as outlined in Minnesota Statute 16B.97 sub. 4 (a)(1). The following grants management policies are applicable to all Executive Branch agencies, boards, commissions, councils, authorities and task forces. The policies and forms below will open in a new browser window.

Current Office of Grants Management Policies:

Policy 08-01: Grants Conflict of Interest (PDF)
Minnesota state agencies must work to deliberately avoid both actual and perceived conflicts of interest related to grant-making at both the individual and organizational levels. When a conflict of interest concerning state grant-making exists, transparency shall be the guiding principle in addressing it.

Grants Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (Word document)

Policy 08-02: Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision and consistency in competitive grant awards. State competitive grant review processes shall be conducted using review criteria that are identified in the notice of grant opportunity or request for proposal and a standardized scoring system to rate each application against the chosen criteria.

Policy 08-03: Publicizing Grants Notices and Requests for Proposal (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to include sufficient information in notices of grant opportunities and requests for proposal (RFPs) so that potential applicants may make informed decisions about applying for and managing state grants. It is also the policy of the State of Minnesota to publicize competitive grant opportunities broadly.

Policy 08-04: Use of Grant Agreements (PDF)
Minnesota state agencies must use a written grant agreement for all grants made by the agency. Grant agreements must conform to Minnesota Statute 16 B.98 subd. 5, "Creation and Validity of Grant Agreements."

Policy 08-05: Public Comments Concerning Fraud and Waste in State Grants (PDF)
As directed by the Commissioner of Administration, the Office of Grants Management (OGM) will serve as the central point of contact for questions and comments about fraud and waste in state grants and about the violation of statewide grants policies. The OGM will also respond to other public questions and concerns about state grants.

Policy 08-06: Financial Review of Nongovernmental Organizations (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to make grants to nongovernmental organizations that are financially stable enough to carry out the purpose of the grant. Before awarding a grant of over $25,000 to a nongovernmental organization, Minnesota state agencies must assess a recent financial statement from that organization. Items of significant concern must be discussed with the grant applicant and resolved to the satisfaction of state agency staff before a grant is awarded.

Policy 08-07: Single and Sole Source Grants (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota that grants are to be competitively awarded as much as possible. Single and sole source grants are to be used when only one entity is reasonably able to meet a grant’s intended purpose and objectives, due to their geographic location, specialized knowledge, relationships or specialized equipment.

• Grant Single Source Justification Form (Word document)
  

Policy 08-08: Grant Payments (PDF)
State agencies shall specify the method and schedule of payments for each grant in the grant agreement. Grant payments may not be issued until the funds are encumbered and the grant agreement is fully executed. Reimbursement is the preferred method for making grant payments.

Policy 08-09: Grant Progress Reports (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to monitor progress on state grants by requiring grantees to submit written progress reports at least annually until all grant funds have been expended and all of the terms in the grant agreement have been met. Grant payments shall not be made on grants with past due progress reports unless the state agency has given the grantee a written extension.

Policy 08-10: Grant Monitoring (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to conduct at least one monitoring visit per grant period on all state grants of over $50,000 and to conduct at least annual monitoring visits on grants of over $250,000. State agencies must also conduct a financial reconciliation of grantees' expenditures at least once during the grant period on grants of over $50,000.

Policy 08-11: Legislatively Mandated Grants (PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to manage legislatively mandated grants with the same level of oversight applied to other state grants, while respecting and maintaining the legislative intent. Legislatively made grants shall be monitored using the same standards applied to other types of state grants. In situations in which the purpose and amount of a grant is stated in law, but the grantee organization is not stated, state agencies must use either a single/sole source or competitive process to select the grantee.

Policy 08-12: Policy on Grant Amendments (PDF)
Because fully executed grant agreements and grant agreement amendments are legally binding documents for enforcing the terms of a grant, it is the policy of the State of Minnesota to document changes to a grant agreement using a fully executed grant agreement amendment.

• Grant Program Exception Request Form (Word document)

Policy 08-13: Grant Closeout Evaluation(PDF)
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to consider a grant applicant’s past performance before awarding subsequent grants to them. State agencies must consider a grant applicant’s performance on prior grants from that agency before making a new grant award of over $5,000.

See the OGM Policy Archives for the original version of revised policies.

Minnesota Statutes that affect state grant-making

The following state laws pertain to grant-making:

Minnesota Statute 16B.97-Grants Management

Minnesota Statute 16B.98-Grants Management Process

Minnesota Statute 16A15-Accounting System; Allotment and Encumbrance

Minnesota Statute 16B.483-Intellectual Property

Minnesota Statute 16C.05, subd. 5-Audit Clause

Minnesota Statute 15.994-Internet Grant Information

Minnesota Statute 13.599-Grants

Minnesota Statute 43A.38-Code of Ethics for Employees in the Executive Branch

Minnesota Statute 10A.07-Conflict of Interest

Minnesota Statute 15.43-Acceptance of Advantage by State Employee; Penalty

Minnesota Statute 116L.66-Jobs Registration

Minnesota Statute 201.162-Voter Registration

Minnesota Statute 270C.65-Taxpayer ID Number

Minnesota Statute 412.201-Statutory Cities Authority

Minnesota Statute 471.87-Public Officers, Interest in Contract; Penalty

Minnesota Executive Order 05-03-Regarding Grant Management