Purpose

• Establish a regional food bank grants program to increase the availability of food and essential items for individuals and families in need in Minnesota. The program is administered by the Commissioner of Children, Youth, and Families and funded through state general funds.

Main provisions

• Establishment
  • Creates regional food bank grants to support food banks and Minnesota Tribal governments in distributing food and basic supplies.
• Distribution of funds
  • Grants are distributed to regional food banks and Minnesota Tribal governments using a formula based on:
  • the number of people in households with incomes below the federal poverty level, and
  • the number of unemployed people in the service area.
• Allowed uses
  • Grant money may be used to:
  • purchase and transport food,
  • coordinate distribution to sites approved by the commissioner,
  • purchase personal hygiene products (e.g., diapers, toilet paper).
• Availability at no cost
  • Food and other allowable products bought with grant money must be free of charge at approved sites.
• Restrictions on fund use
  • Grant funds cannot be used to compensate officers, directors, trustees, key employees, or the highest-compensated employees (as reported on IRS Form 990).
• Reporting and accountability
  • Recipients must keep records of grant expenditures and comply with additional documentation requirements set by the commissioner.
  • Recipients must report on how the grant money is used, with the timing and format determined by the commissioner.
• Ineligible expenditures and repayment
  • If ineligible expenditures are found, the amount must be repaid to the commissioner and deposited in the state general fund.

Funding and appropriation

• Appropriation
  • An appropriation of $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the commissioner for regional food bank grants under Minnesota Statutes section 142F.16.
  • The base for this appropriation is $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2028 and $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2029.

Implementation and eligibility notes

• The program targets food banks and Minnesota Tribal governments and is designed to improve access to food and basic necessities for people in poverty or with unemployment in their area.
• The funding is intended to be ongoing for multiple years (the baseline amounts are set for 2028 and 2029).

Significant changes to existing law

• Adds a new funding program under Minnesota Statutes 142F.16 establishing regional food bank grants and specifying how funds are allocated, used, reported, and restricted (not used for executive compensation).
• Creates a formal framework for no-cost distributions of food and hygiene items through regional food banks and tribal governments, with reporting and repayment requirements for noncompliant use.

Relevant Terms - regional food bank grants - Minnesota Tribal governments - federal poverty level - unemployed - transportation and distribution - personal hygiene products (diapers, toilet paper) - no cost / available at no cost - eligibility restrictions (officers, directors, trustees, key employees, highest-compensated employees; IRS Form 990) - reporting and records - ineligible expenditures - general fund - appropriation - fiscal year 2027, 2028, 2029 - Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families - Minnesota Statutes section 142F.16