AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: May 17, 2022
To: All interested parties
From: DHS Disability Services Division
Purpose: To remind interested parties that the request for proposals to help direct support professionals develop and sustain employee-owned cooperatives closes May 23, 2022
Contact: DSD.EmploymentFirst@state.mn.us

Reminder and clarifications: RFP to help direct support professionals closes May 23

DHS is seeking proposals from qualified responders to recruit and support DSPs in developing (or modifying existing) business plans and sustaining 10 employee-owned cooperatives. DSPs are commonly called support staff, direct care workers, personal care assistants, etc. For more information about DSPs, visit The direct care workforce shortage in Minnesota webpage. The purpose of this grant is to support increased wages, increased benefits and retention of DSPs through self-employment. DHS anticipates the term of any resulting contract will be from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024.

DHS developed this project in response to feedback from interested parties on how to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds directed at the direct care workforce shortage.

View the RFP

To view the RFP, visit the Open grants, RFPs and RFIs webpage

Submit a proposal

DHS must receive proposals in response to this RFP through the online application portal.

For help navigating the system, review the DSD Online Grant System Guide (PDF).

Deadline for submission

Responders must submit proposals through the online application portal by 4 p.m. May 23, 2022. DHS will not consider proposals that are late, mailed, faxed or emailed.

Clarification about amount grantee will receive to administer this project

The grantee will receive $50,000 per year, for a total of two years, to administer the grant. In addition to administrative funds, the grantee may charge additional fees for specialized support. For example, the grantee might provide a business plan template as part of their effort to support the cooperatives with developing sustainable and profitable businesses. This would be covered under the administration of the grant. However, in reviewing a cooperative’s business plan, the grantee might notice a need for specialized technical assistance from a financial planner or attorney and might recommend a few options to the cooperative. If the cooperative selects an attorney who works for the grantee, the grantee’s organization may charge the cooperative for the attorney’s services and use part of the $90,000 awarded to the cooperative to pay for those services. In this example, the grantee would receive $50,000 for the year plus the attorney fees.

Clarification about advertising the grant opportunity to DSPs

The grantee will not need to use the $100,000 award toward large marketing efforts. The grantee is expected to make reasonable low-cost efforts to advertise the opportunity, such as posting the opportunity on webpages, networking, sending out email announcements, etc. In addition to these efforts, DHS will use other grant funds to cover larger marketing costs and paid advertising to inform DSPs about this opportunity and additional related grant projects. DHS will use its existing networks to help reach the target audience and will partner with the grantee to find DSPs interested in this opportunity.

Legislation

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 7, article 17, section 20  establishes the HCBS Workforce Development Grant to attract and retain direct care workers.

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE