Previous Competitive Grant Programs
The following competitive grant programs were previously offered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education but are no longer active.
ECFE Teacher Shortage Grant
The Early Childhood and Family Education Teacher Shortage Grant program (ECFE Teacher Shortage Grant) was established by the 2023 Minnesota Legislature through a one-time funding appropriation. The program provided grants to postsecondary institutions to address the early childhood and family education teacher shortage. The ECFE Teacher Shortage Grant reimbursed grantees for eligible expenses related to providing tuition relief and other supports for students enrolled in early childhood and family education teacher preparation programs in Minnesota.
Grants were awarded in 2024. Funding for this program is no longer available.
- Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Project Title: Elevate ECSE: Empowering Students, Families and Educators through Early Childhood Special Education Licensing
- University of St. Thomas
- Project Title: Supporting Culturally Sustaining Family Education for Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
- University of Minnesota
- Project Title: University of Minnesota - Parent and Early Childhood Education Teacher Shortage Scholarship program
Who was Eligible to Apply?
Eligible applicants included Minnesota postsecondary institutions that offer a PELSB-Approved teacher preparation program that leads to one of the following teacher licenses (initial license, additional license, or endorsement):
- Early Childhood Education
- Parent and Family Education
- Preprimary Education
- Special Education: Early Childhood
ICAP: Formerly Incarcerated Students
The Intervention for College Attendance Program: Formerly Incarcerated Students Grants program was established by the 2023 Minnesota Legislature with a one-time funding appropriation through Minnesota Statutes 136A.861. The intent of the program was to foster postsecondary attendance and retention by providing outreach services to students who have formerly been incarcerated. Grant funds are awarded to programs providing significant opportunities for formerly incarcerated students to have available resources, skills, and guidance to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
Grants were awarded in 2024. Funding for this program is no longer available.
- Faribault Public Schools
- Minneapolis College
- Minnesota North College
- Minnesota State University Mankato
A total amount of $291,000 was available in grant awards. Upon award, grantees were required to match the grant amount dollar-for-dollar. The match could be cash or in-kind contributions.
Who was Eligible to Apply?
Eligible applicants included the following organizations, located in Minnesota, that provided eligible services to eligible participants
- Public and private postsecondary institutions
- Professional organizations
- Community-based organizations
What were Eligible Services?
Eligible services included the following pre-postsecondary and postsecondary education services for eligible participants:
- Academic counseling
- Mentoring
- Navigator services
- Transitional planning for college education
- English as a second language services
- Academic enrichment activities
- Tutoring
- Career awareness and exploration
- Orientation to college life
- Financial aid and literacy education/counseling
Who were Eligible Participants?
Eligible participants were individuals who were formerly incarcerated and pursuing or participating in postsecondary education. Participants were not limited by the type or status of their incarceration release; therefore, a participant on work release would be considered formerly incarcerated for the purposes of this grant.
ICAP FIS may fund support services for eligible participants in preparation for and throughout their entire postsecondary education experience. Eligible participants may be new, returning to, or continuing their postsecondary education.
Student Loan Debt Counseling Grant Program
Providing individual student loan repayment counseling to borrowers who are Minnesota residents.
The 2023 Minnesota Legislature allocated $200,000 per year in the 2024-25 biennium for the Student Loan Debt Counseling Grant Program. The grant is available to eligible Minnesota-based nonprofit qualified debt counseling organizations to provide individual student loan debt repayment counseling to borrowers who are Minnesota residents concerning loans obtained to attend a postsecondary institution.
This program is inactive as of July 1, 2025.
The number of individuals receiving counseling may be limited to those capable of being served with available appropriations for that purpose. A goal of the counseling program is to provide two counseling sessions to at least 75 percent of borrowers receiving counseling.
The purpose of the counseling is to assist borrowers to:
- Understand their loan and repayment options
- Manage loan repayment
- Develop a workable budget based on the borrower's full financial situation regarding income, expenses, and other debt
A qualified debt counseling organization is an organization that:
- Has experience in providing individualized student loan counseling
- Employs certified financial counselors
- Is based in Minnesota and has offices at multiple rural and metropolitan area locations in the state to provide in-person counseling
- Dual Training Grant
- Hunger Free Campus Grants
- Inclusive Higher Education Grant
- Intervention for College Attendance Grant
- Emergency Assistance for Postsecondary Students (EAPS) Grant
- Concurrent Enrollment Grant
- Student Parent Support Initiative Grant
- Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grant
- Tomassoni ALS Research Grant
- Previous Competitive Grant Programs