Minnesota Community-Based Suicide Prevention Coalition Grant Request for Proposals
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is soliciting proposals to support community-based suicide prevention coalitions across Minnesota. Through this grant, communities will bring together multisector partners and community members to form coalitions that will strengthen mental wellbeing and prevent suicide through locally driven, comprehensive approaches.
Coalitions will use quantitative and qualitative data, community voice, and existing community strengths to understand local needs and opportunities, identify priorities, select locally relevant strategies, and take action to promote mental wellbeing, strengthen protective factors, reduce risk factors, and prevent suicide.
This grant is one way MDH will support implementation of the 2027–2032 Minnesota Suicide Prevention Plan by investing in community-driven, flexible approaches that reflect local strengths, cultures, needs, and priorities. It aims to build community capacity to carry out comprehensive suicide prevention. Through this funding, communities will advance statewide priorities in ways that are informed by local data, community voice, culture, and context.
Funding and project dates
MDH is seeking proposals for the grant period July 1, 2027–June 30, 2031. Up to $1,000,000 per year will be available to support community-based suicide prevention efforts across Minnesota.
Funding will be allocated through a competitive process. If selected, you may only incur eligible expenditures when the grant agreement is fully executed, and the grant has reached its effective date, whichever is later.
Eligible applicants
Applicants eligible to apply in this competitive process include, but are not limited to, local public health and social services agencies, nonprofit organizations, Tribal governments, Tribal and urban Tribal organizations, units of government, schools and/or school districts, health care and behavioral health organizations, faith communities, emergency response organizations, and other interested agencies demonstrating capacity to provide comprehensive suicide prevention.
Applicants must be located and conduct grant activities within the state of Minnesota.
Questions and answers
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by email or phone to health.suicideprev.mdh@state.mn.us or 651-201-6725.
All answers will be posted within two business days at Minnesota Community-Based Suicide Prevention Coalition Grant Request for Proposals Q&A.
Please submit questions no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time (CT), on Monday, January 4, 2027.
To ensure the proper and fair evaluation of all applications, other communications regarding this RFP including verbal, telephone, written, or internet initiated by or on behalf of any applicant to any employee of MDH, other than questions submitted to as outlined above, are prohibited. Any violation of this prohibition may result in the disqualification of the applicant.
RFP information meeting
A Community-Based Suicide Prevention Coalition Grant Information Meeting will be held on:
Friday, November 6, 2026, from 10-11 a.m. CT on Microsoft Teams
Join the meeting at: Community-Based Suicide Prevention Coalition Grant RFP Information Meeting Nov. 6
Applicants are encouraged but not required to attend the information meeting.
Health equity priorities
It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity, and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant making. The Policy on Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review Policy 08-02 Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review (PDF) establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities.
Eligible projects
Applicants must demonstrate the capacity and infrastructure to hire and supervise a 1.0 FTE to coordinate and facilitate grant activities and the community coalition. Eligible projects must be driven by data and have community input and coalition involvement.
Grant outcomes
- Coalition development: Established and sustained multisector coalitions that strengthen collaboration for mental wellbeing and suicide prevention.
- Community assessment: Increased understanding of community strengths, needs, risk and protective factors, and opportunities for prevention.
- Prioritization and strategy selection: Locally identified priorities and strategies that reflect community data, voice, strengths, needs, and cultural context.
- Action planning and implementation: Increased implementation of comprehensive, locally relevant strategies that promote mental wellbeing, strengthen protective factors, reduce risk factors, and prevent suicide.
- Evaluation and learning: Increased use of data, community input, evaluation, and ongoing learning to understand progress, guide action, and strengthen suicide prevention efforts.
- Sustainability: Increased capacity to sustain effective coalition partnerships and suicide prevention strategies beyond the grant period.
Application and deadline
All applications must be received by MDH no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time, on January 8, 2027.
Applications must be submitted electronically through the Office of Injury and Violence Prevention Online Grants Portal.
Late applications will not be accepted. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to allow sufficient time to address all potential delays caused by any reason whatsoever. MDH will not be responsible for delays caused by mail, delivery, computer, or technology problems.
Acknowledgement of application receipt. The Office of Injury and Violence Prevention grant portal will send an automated email to the user who submitted the application to confirm the submission of your application. Additionally, the application status will change from “Draft” to “Submitted” on the Applicant Dashboard and record the date the application was submitted. If the application is still in draft status by the application deadline, you will no longer be able to edit or submit the application.
If you do not receive an automated email confirming submission, or encounter any other issues with the online application, please contact health.suicideprev.mdh@state.mn.us.
Materials and attachments
