Minnesota Microgrant Partnership

Achieve Your Goals with a Microgrant!

A Microgrant is a small amount of money that The Arc Minnesota can spend on items to help with housing or employment goals. 

You may be able to get a Microgrant if you are a person with a disability living in Minnesota. This includes physical disabilities like spinal cord injuries, sensory disabilities like blindness or deafness, and developmental disabilities like autism or Down syndrome. These are not the only disabilities that mean you can apply for a Microgrant but are some examples. You may need to show us proof of your disability, like a doctor’s note. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services funds the Microgrant Program. The program only helps people with projects or goals related to housing or employment. Microgrant staff purchase items to help meet those goals. $1,500 is the most we can spend per application. We accept applications from people with disabilities or their staff, family, friends, or supporters. We can only award one Microgrant per year (12 months) to each person. 

Thank you for your interest in the Microgrant program. We have reached the limit that we can accept for this month. Please try to apply again on Monday, June 2nd at 8 am. The application links will be here at that time.

We will not accept applications in May while we wait for our funding to renew. 

Here is a PREVIEW of the application in English to help you prepare ahead of time. IT IS NOT THE ACTUAL APPLICATION. Click here for the preview only. The links to actually submit an online application are typically available on the first Monday of each month at 8:00 am and close very quickly. You can look at the preview and get your answers ready to submit when the application links are live. Here is a video overview of the program. The password is: Z*00n7X*

Somali Application 

Hmong Application 

Spanish Application 

What is your employment or housing goal?

Do you have a goal to get a job in the community? Would you like to live as independently as possible, maybe even in your own home or apartment? 

• Could a job coach, training, or a uniform help you reach your employment goal? 

• Would a rental deposit or home furnishings help you get your ideal housing situation? 

When you apply, tell us how $100-$1,500 could help you reach your goals.  

Microgrant money may not be used for monthly rent, bills, vacations, gift cards, beds/mattresses, subscriptions, software, or cars. Other exceptions may apply—please review the application preview linked above for more information. 

If you need a bed, here are some options since Microgrants cannot accept applications for beds: 

• Bridging.org 
• MyVeryOwnBed.org 
• Beds4Vets.org 
• Freecycle.org 
• ShpBeds.org 
• AHopeToDream.com 

If you need a computer, try PCs for People before applying for technology with our Microgrant Program. Here is their website: https://www.pcsforpeople.org/get-tech/  

If you need furnishings for your home, please try Bridging first. We can help with a referral if you need one. Here is their website: https://bridging.org/services/get-help/ 

How do I apply for a Microgrant?

Click one of the application links to submit your application online. These will be at the top of this page when they are available at the beginning of the month (NOT the preview). If you need help or want a paper application mailed to you, call us at 952-234-3883. 

When will I know if my application has been approved?

This program is very popular, so the review and grant award process takes 45 days. This program is not intended for emergency situations. Additionally, we do not have enough funding to award every application. Applications may only receive partial funding so that we can help more applicants.  

A volunteer panel reviews each application. They make recommendations to ask for more information and approve or deny applications. 

Microgrant staff makes all purchases and cannot reimburse you for items you already purchased. 

 FAQs: 

• Do I need to submit proof of my disability with my application? No. We submit your information to DHS to verify your disability first. If DHS cannot find you, then we will contact you for documentation showing proof of your disability. A note from your doctor or other care professional works best.  

• Does the Microgrant pay for delivery fees? We can pay for delivery, but that amount has to be included in your overall budget. Furniture that costs $1,500 and has a delivery fee of $200 would be considered over budget and declined.  

• How do I request specific items? If I find a table I like, would that particular one be possible? Or would I just write “table” and you would find one for me? We use your application’s item list as our shopping list and only purchase those specific items. That’s why we ask for as many details as possible. Please include links on your application so we get exactly what you want. If we are unclear about an item, we will contact you before buying anything.  

• How many people get accepted for each round of Microgrants? How soon will the application links close? The application links are live at 8:00 am and usually close by 9:00 am on the first Monday of the month. The program has gotten very popular so it closes when our monthly limit (usually 20 applications) is reached. Click HERE for a preview of the application to help you prepare your answers for when the actual application links are live. 

Please contact us with questions at Microgrants@ArcMinnesota.org or 952-234-3883. Good luck! 

Microgrant Success Stories

Joshua was already a DJ but he needed a laptop to expand his music selection and gain a broader clientele.	Suzy is standing in her bright yellow commercial kitchen with her line of “Sunshine Suzy” corn snacks made possible by a Microgrant.	Andrew needed reliable transportation for his job at McDonald’s so he applied for a new bike and helmet.