To receive fire state aid, the fire department’s governing body must apply annually through the Department of Revenue (DOR).

• The DOR distributes the aid on October 1 or November 15 of the current year, or March 15 of the following year. 
• PERA receives the aid from the DOR, reviews and reconciles the information, and then deposits it into the department’s SVF Plan account with the State Board of Investments (SBI). 

Fire State Aid or Status Questions 

PERA does not determine when aid is distributed or how it is calculated. Visit Fire State Aid on the DOR’s website with questions. 

Receiving Aid

Please allow time for processing. SBI account access users can visit the SBI Web Portal to determine if the aid has been applied to the account.

A fire department’s SVF Plan benefit level is the dollar amount earned each year of certified service. Only the governing body has the authority to approve benefit level increases. The governing body can increase benefit levels once per year. The benefit level cannot be decreased.    

Visit the following links for helpful resources: 

• Increasing the SVF Plan Benefit Level handout 
• Understanding Benefit Level Increases PowerPoint 
• Understanding SVF Benefit Level Increases webinar

How to Increase the SVF Benefit Level 

To increase the SVF benefit level,

1. Review the Annual Funding Report, which is emailed to the fire chief and governing body representative by August 1 each year.  
2. Adopt a resolution. If the governing body approves a benefit level increase, that approval is documented in the Benefit Level Increase Resolution. 
3. Submit the resolution to PERA. Email the completed resolution to PERASVF@mnpera.org by December 31 of the current year to ensure the new benefit level can take effect January 1 of the following year. 
4. PERA will review the request and email a response.

PERA SVF accepts required and voluntary contributions.     

Required Contributions

PERA determines if required contributions are due when preparing the Statewide Volunteer Firefighter (SVF) Annual Funding Report. This report is sent to the fire chief and governing body representative by August 1 every year, and required contribution invoices are sent by August 31.

Required contributions are due if the projected annual fire state aid plus the assumed 6% rate of return investment earnings is less than the projected annual financial requirement (the annual cost of participating in the SVF Plan). 

The fire department must submit the required contribution payment to PERA by the following due date (otherwise, interest accrues until the payment is made): 

• Year 1: Payment due by end of first year of participation 
• Year 2 and beyond: Due by December 31st of the following year 

Voluntary Contributions  

Voluntary contributions must be issued by the governing body. Any other entity, such as a relief association, that wants to make a voluntary contribution should transfer funds to the governing body. The governing body sends the payment to PERA. 

How to Make a Contribution Payment 

To make a contribution payment, 

1. Ensure the governing body issues the payment.
2. Make the check payable to PERA.
3. Include “SVF Contribution” on the memo line. 
4. Mail the check to PERA at 60 Empire Drive, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55103-2088. 

PERA applies funds to unpaid required contributions first, then to voluntary contributions. All funds are deposited into the department’s SVF Plan account with the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI).