Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) Awards Over $2.9 Million in Grants

/in /by

Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) awards over $2.9 million in grants

Mankato, MN, February 2, 2026 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MNRAAA) has announced that 19 programs from 13 organizations were granted Title III funding awards totaling more than $2.9 million. The awards are funded under Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and include Supportive Services, Nutrition Services, Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs, and Family Caregiver Services.

As a state-designated Area Agency on Aging, MNRAAA administers OAA funds and is responsible for the development of a coordinated and comprehensive system of services for older adults and their caregivers in Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine Counties. To accomplish this, MNRAAA awards Title III OAA funding to agencies and organizations that provide direct services for older adults (age 60+) and their caregivers.

“MNRAAA is pleased to showcase these community-based organizations and the services they provide to their community. These organizations are assisting in building strong communities where older adults and caregivers can thrive,” MNRAAA Executive Director Jason W. Swanson stated. “With individuals living longer and healthier lives (a great thing!), we need to provide services that support the whole person while maintaining their dignity and independence.

The following grants have been awarded for 2026:

Title III-B Supportive Services

  1. Central Community Transit (Kandiyohi, Meeker, and Renville Counties)
    1. CCT Senior Transportation Program 2026
    2. Services Include
      1. Assisted Transportation
      2. Transportation
  2. City of Tyler (Lincoln County, City of Tyler only)
    1. Tyler Snow Removal Assistance Program
    2. Services Include
      1. Chore
  3. Essential Senior Services (Nobles County)
    1. Essential Senior Services Chore and Homemaker 2026
    2. Services Include
      1. Chore
      2. Homemaker
  4. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    1. Eldercare Program
    2. Services Include
      1. Assisted Transportation
      2. Chore
      3. Homemaker
      4. Transportation
  5. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (All 27 counties of the MNRAAA service area)
    1. Legal Aid
    2. Services Include
      1. Legal Assistance
      2. Legal Education
  6. United Community Action Partnership (Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. Assisting Seniors on the Go
    2. Services Include
      1. Assisted Transportation
  7. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    1. Caring Hands
    2. Services Include
      1. Chore
      2. Homemaker

 

Title III-C Congregate Meals and Home Delivered Meals (including Federal Title III-C, State of Minnesota Funding, and Nutrition Services Incentive Program)

  1. Lutheran Social Service (LSS) of Minnesota (Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan Counties)
    1. LSS Meals Programs
    2. Services Include
      1. Congregate Dining
      2. Home-Delivered Meals
  2. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. Prairie Five Meals
    2. Services Include
      1. Congregate Dining
      2. Home-Delivered Meals

 

Title III-D Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Funding Recommendations

  1. C.E. of Southwest Minnesota (Cottonwood, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. C.E. Evidence-Based Programs for Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs
  2. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    1. Finding a Healthy Way through VINE’s Evidence-Based Programming for Evidence-based Health Promotion Programs

 

Title III-E National Family Caregiver Support Services

  1. C.E. of Southwest Minnesota (Cottonwood, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock Counties)
    1. C.E. Caregiver Support Services
    2. Services include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Respite-In Home
      3. Caregiver Support Groups
  2. Caregiver Response Effort & Service Team (CREST) (Martin County)
    1. Opening Doors for Caregiver Healthy Living
    2. Services include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Respite-In Home
      3. Caregiver Support Groups
      4. Caregiver Training
  3. Interfaith Caregivers (Faribault County)
    1. Caregiver Support and Respite Program
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Respite-In Home
      3. Caregiver Respite-Out Home Day
      4. Caregiver Training
  4. Lutheran Social Service (LSS) of Minnesota (Big Stone, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, Sibley, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. LSS Caregiver Support and Respite Program
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Respite-In Home
      2. Caregiver Respite-Out Home Day
      3. Caregiver Counseling
      4. Caregiver Support Groups
      5. Caregiver Training
  5. Prairie Five Community Action Council (Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties)
    1. Step by Step, Side by Side
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Training
  6. VINE Faith in Action (Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet Counties)
    1. Empowering Caregivers – A Comprehensive Program of Education and Support at VINE
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Support Groups
      3. Caregiver Training
  7. Waseca Area Caregiver Services (Waseca County)
    1. Caring Hands for Caregivers
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Counseling
      2. Caregiver Respite-In Home
      3. Caregiver Respite-Out of Home Day
      4. Caregiver Support Groups
      5. Caregiver Training
  8. Wellspring Faith in Action (Watonwan County)
    1. Family Caregiver Project
    2. Services Include
      1. Caregiver Respite-Out of Home Day
      2. Caregiver Support Groups
      3. Caregiver Training

 

About the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging

MNRAAA is a private non-profit organization based in Mankato, MN. MNRAAA, as the designated area agency on aging, covers twenty-seven counties in Southwestern Minnesota. MNRAAA also operates the Veteran Directed Care program in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. As a non-profit, is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Share on:
You might also like
January 2026 Resource Roundup