Bill > SF538

This bill establishes a new position of Director of Grants Management and Oversight within the Department of Administration, with comprehensive responsibilities for improving and standardizing grant management across Minnesota's executive agencies. The director will be required to have professional experience in auditing and legal compliance, and will be tasked with fostering more consistent grant processes, ensuring compliance with grantmaking laws, and promoting transparency. Key responsibilities include creating statewide grants management policies, providing a central point of contact for grant-related issues, overseeing grant technology systems, reviewing agency grant practices, and establishing standards for grant agreements. The bill mandates that executive agencies must fully cooperate with the director, who will have powers to review grant practices, suspend or debar grantees, and require agencies to submit detailed oversight reports. The legislation also introduces new requirements for agencies when administering grants, such as conducting in-person meetings with grantees, maintaining comprehensive documentation, and submitting annual reports on grant activities. The director must be appointed by October 1, 2025, through an open and competitive process, and will build upon the existing Office of Grants Management while incorporating new oversight duties designed to enhance accountability and efficiency in state grant programs.

Government Affairs

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF0538&ssn=0&y=2025