Ambulance Service Training & Staffing (AST&S) Grant Program

The Ambulance Service Training & Staffing (AST&S) Grant Program is administered by the Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) to strengthen the emergency medical services workforce across Minnesota. The program is funded through Minnesota Laws 2025, Special Session, Chapter 3, Article 5, Section 3, and is intended to help ambulance services develop or expand paid “Earn While You Learn” EMT training programs. These programs are designed to reduce workforce shortages and improve ambulance staffing capacity by enabling prospective emergency medical technicians to receive paid employment while completing required EMT education and certification requirements. The initiative is intended to reduce financial barriers for trainees, broaden recruitment opportunities, and improve long-term EMS workforce stability throughout Minnesota communities. The 2026 application cycle is currently open, with applications due by June 5, 2026. Award notifications are anticipated in July 2026. The initial grant performance period is expected to begin July 15, 2026, and continue through June 30, 2027, although applicants are not required to propose projects covering the entire grant term. OEMS notes that extensions or continuation awards may be considered at the discretion of the State. The program is competitive, and total awards will depend on the number of applicants and the amount of funding requested. A total of $1.5 million is available for the grant program during this cycle. Eligible applicants are limited to ambulance services licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144E. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that at least 50 percent of their ambulance staffing during the prior calendar year was provided by emergency medical technicians. OEMS will evaluate eligibility through one of two methods. Under the roster-based requirement, at least 50 percent of EMS personnel listed on the service’s eLicense roster must hold EMT certification. Under the response-based requirement, at least 50 percent of EMS responses reported in the Minnesota State Ambulance Reporting System (MNSTAR) during the previous calendar year must have included an EMT listed on the patient care report. The grant specifically targets ambulance services that rely heavily on EMT staffing and aims to strengthen that workforce pipeline. Grant funds may only be used for specified allowable expenses associated with EMT recruitment and training. Eligible expenditures include EMT education program tuition, EMT certification examination fees, background study fees for new EMT employees, and wage and benefit costs for employees attending EMT education programs or participating in related activities. Wage and benefit reimbursement is capped at amounts commensurate with entry-level EMT compensation and may not exceed $26 per hour. The State reserves the right to award amounts different from those requested by applicants. The solicitation does not specify minimum or maximum award amounts, though prior awards ranged from approximately $76,000 to $292,000. Applicants must submit applications electronically through the OEMS online application portal no later than 4:00 p.m. Central Time on June 5, 2026. No paper submissions will be accepted, and late submissions will not be reviewed. Required application materials vary depending on the funding request amount. Applicants requesting less than $50,000 must submit an application with narrative questions, Exhibit A assurances and signed coversheet, and Exhibit B budget and work plan template. Applicants requesting $50,000 or more must additionally submit capacity responses, debarment certifications, evidence of good standing, nonprofit or for-profit disclosure documentation where applicable, and certification regarding felony financial crimes. OEMS states that incomplete applications will be rejected and not evaluated. Questions regarding the grant opportunity must be submitted by email to finance.oems@state.mn.us. Written questions are due by May 20, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Central Time, and responses will be published on the OEMS funding opportunities page within three business days following the Grant Applicant Information Session. A virtual applicant information session is scheduled for May 26, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time. Participation is recommended but not mandatory. OEMS emphasizes that oral responses provided during the information session are non-binding, and only written responses distributed afterward should be relied upon by applicants. The AST&S program appears to be a recurring state workforce development initiative focused on ambulance staffing and EMT recruitment. Previous recipients from the 2025 funding cycle included City of Jackson / Jackson Ambulance, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, Regions Hospital doing business as HealthPartners Medical Transportation, and Sanford Health Network. The Office of Emergency Medical Services also announced a separate opportunity for community reviewers to assist in evaluating proposals during late June 2026. Questions related to the reviewer process may be directed to melanie.q.riddle@state.mn.us. General program inquiries may also be directed to the Office of Emergency Medical Services at info.oems@state.mn.us or by phone at 651.201.2800.

Ensure all required exhibits are included because incomplete applications will be rejected without evaluation. Clearly demonstrate EMT staffing eligibility thresholds using roster or MNSTAR data. Align requested costs directly to allowable uses such as tuition wages certification fees and background studies.