Applicaitons for funds due October 1
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Application deadline: October 1, 2020
What types of expenditures might qualify for funding?
Applications for grant dollars will be considered for:
- Expenditures relating to restoring or improving safe consumer access at a pharmacy;
- Expenditures relating to securing medications;
- Expenditures surrounding continued or restoring operations under an improved safety model.
Examples could include but are not limited to purchasing a time-delayed safe for controlled medication storage, improving exterior lighting, installing additional safety cameras, making changes to modify customer flow, or re-opening a entrance recently damaged.
What types of organizations might qualify for funding?
Funding to pharmacies will be prioritized, however other organizations storing and dispensing medications may be considered. In addition, organizations seeking grant dollars should be able to tie the project to a noticed need surrounding civil unrest.
What size of grants are available?
Projects where expenditures range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand will generally be considered. Organizations with larger expenditures are not discouraged from applying, however grant amounts may be limited resulting in partial funding.
What is the process for applying?
- To apply, click here to fill out the request form and submit by October 1. Please keep answers short.
- Organizations should limit the number of requests to one.
- Submissions received will be acknowledged via individual e-mail within 24 hours of receipt. If you do not receive an individualized confirmation via e-mail within 24 hours please call (651) 227-6631.
- Only recipients of funds will be notified by October 7, with disbursement mid-October.
Who makes the grant decisions and when?
A taskforce made up of representatives of MnRA and MPhA will make funding decisions by October 7. Taskforce participants and their organizations are not eligible for funding.
Who can I reach out to with questions?
Questions can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (651) 227-6631.
on Thursday, 24 September 2020.
Posted in MnRA News, Retail Operations
Minnesota Retailers Association Statement on Statewide Face Covering Order - July 22, 2020
We appreciate Governor Walz’s approach and direct outreach on his statewide face covering order. This order impacts all retailers, many of which already have a similar store policy in place or are subject to a local masking requirement.
We know from seeing orders in other states when retailers are expected to be the enforcer of mask orders it can be dangerous for retail employees. Minnesota’s approach leads with a strong expectation of compliance and education but stops short of making your neighborhood retail worker responsible for denying service to non-compliant customers. Stores will deal with non-compliant customers in the same way they deal with a customer violating any other store policy.
The Governor puts an expectation in place through signage and “reasonable notification” language. Ultimately Minnesotans are asked and expected to follow the order and we know retailers and their employees will do their very best to help customers understand the order.
We continue to appreciate dialogue with the Governor, Commissioner Grove and others in the administration on how to protect workers and Minnesotans shopping in their community stores while promoting essential economic activity to keep the State moving forward. We are hopeful a masking mandate is balanced with increases in occupancy at stores as the Governor has suggested.
We hope this order also encourages important uniformity across the state. Consistent with how we feel about labor laws and other regulations, a statewide, uniform approach would be far better for consumers, employees and businesses than community-by-community patchworks that fail to recognize mobility and how Minnesotans shop and work today. While the Governor’s order does not explicitly preempt local orders, many local masking requirements in place today are supersede by State action.
To continue down a path to recovery we need the shopping public to feel comfortable visiting their favorite stores. Our research shows that the first four months of the pandemic has been difficult on a majority of retailers. In addition to 20% to 70% sales losses, COVID-19 has cost the average Minnesota small business retailer between $5,000 and $50,000 in store modifications, technology changes, cleaning supplies, and signage.
on Wednesday, 22 July 2020.
Posted in Retail Operations
Local units of government have taken action to require face coverings. Below is a digest of local actions.
NOTE: Most local order are superseded by Governor Walz's Executive Order 20-81 establishing a statewide masking requirement. Click here to learn more about the statewide order taking effect July 25, 2020. See each community below to review the status of each local order as it relates to the statewide order.
- University of Minnesota - The University of Minnesota order stands as the prevailing order. July 1 effective date: Face masks required in any enclosed or indoor space of university campuses and properties. On-campus apartments and dorm rooms are an exception. https://safe-campus.umn.edu/return-campus/face-coverings
- MSP Airport - The Metropolitan Airports Commission order standa as the prevailing order. July 27 effective date: Face masks required in public spaces including outdoor locations where social distancing is not possible. https://www.mspairport.com/TravelConfidently
If you see a community face covering requirement missing, please let Savannah Sepic know by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Written by Savannah Sepic
on Wednesday, 08 July 2020.
Posted in Retail Operations
