Request for Proposals

Minnesota State Competitiveness Fund
Match Program

Minnesota Department of Commerce is seeking applications for the Minnesota State Competitiveness Fund, Minn. Stat. § 216C.391, which provides matching funds for eligible entities applying for eligible federal funding opportunities requiring a match.

This legislatively created program is intended to increase the competitiveness of Minnesota in securing federal funding from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA, aka the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Awards from these federal programs is critically important to ensuring the state's economy is strong and growing. Increasing competitiveness can be accomplished by improving productivity, improving competition, and improving investments. The State Competitiveness Fund (SCF) Match Program will enhance the ability of eligible entities, defined in Minn. Stat. § 216C.391, and Tribal Governments sharing geography within the borders of Minnesota to successfully compete for federal funds by providing matching funds to those entities.

The Minnesota State Legislature allocated $100,000,000 for Commerce to award grant funding to eligible Minnesota entities and projects to enhance the likelihood of these entities receiving federal funding awards under the IIJA and IRA programs. Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 216C.391 Commerce is soliciting proposals from eligible entities applying for federal funding opportunities requiring matching funds, or applying for federal funding opportunities not requiring a match but for which a match would enhance the likelihood of the federal grant being funded. Projects selected for SCF matching funds must demonstrate that the project will help meet the state's clean energy and energy-related climate goals through renewable energy development, energy conservation, efficiency, or energy-related greenhouse gas reduction benefits.

The legislation stipulates:

• No single entity may receive grants totaling more than $15,000,000; and,
• At least $75,000,000 of the fund must be allocated for grant awards of less than $1,000,000.

This is the third round of the SCF Match Program Request for Proposals.

Proposals are due Friday, September 6, 2024, 5:00 pm CST. Please see the RFP for more details: Request for Proposals (RFP) / Minnesota Department of Commerce - Business (mn.gov) Please download the RFP for details and to be kept abreast of any updates that may be issued.