SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks is an income-based food support program that provides families with $120 per eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out for the summer. Most eligible children are automatically enrolled. When children no longer receive free meals at school, their households might need extra help putting food on the table. The SUN Bucks program is designed to meet this seasonal need.
Summer EBT is now SUN Bucks
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has rebranded all federal Summer Nutrition Programs under the SUN program umbrella. This new name reflects the broad, bright impact the programs have for kids across the nation and in Minnesota, helping them thrive during the summer and beyond. SUN Bucks is the official branded name of the Summer EBT program.
Eligibility
School-aged children between the ages of 7-17 whose households participate in specific public assistance programs, or children who have an approved application to receive free and reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program.
Benefits
Eligible children get $120 on a SUN Bucks EBT card for the summer to spend on approved groceries.
Who is eligible?
Children are automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks if they are eligible for any length of time between July 1, 2024 – Aug. 31, 2025. A child can be eligible for SUN Bucks in any of the following ways:
- Is between the ages of 7-17 and is:
- Homeless, runaway, migrant or foster care
- Is between the ages of 7-17 and a member of a household that participates in any of the following programs:
- Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Medical Assistance (MA) (Household must meet income requirements, see chart below.)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Attends a school or early education program that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) and meet one of the following:
- Their application for free or reduced-price school meals was approved
- They qualify through one of the categories listed above
There are no age restrictions for children who qualify by attending a NSLP or SBP school.
Participation in SUN Bucks does not affect immigration status.
How a child qualifies based on household income
This chart was last updated July 1, 2024. The income requirements to qualify for the free and reduced-price meal program are the same.
Household size | Annual | Monthly | Twice per month | Every two weeks | Weekly |
1 | $27,861 | $2,322 | $1,161 | $1,072 | $536 |
2 | $37,814 | $3,152 | $1,576 | $1,455 | $728 |
3 | $47,767 | $3,981 | $1,991 | $1,838 | $919 |
4 | $57,720 | $4,810 | $2,405 | $2,220 | $1,110 |
5 | $67,673 | $5,640 | $2,820 | $2,603 | $1,302 |
6 | $77,626 | $6,469 | $3,235 | $2,986 | $1,493 |
7 | $87,579 | $7,299 | $3,650 | $3,369 | $1,685 |
8 | $97,532 | $8,128 | $4,064 | $3,752 | $1,876 |
For each additional family member, add | $9,953 | $830 | $415 | $383 | $192 |
Check a child’s eligibility
Families with children who are not automatically enrolled (see above for criteria) and who haven’t already applied for the free and reduced-price meal program for the 2024-2025 school year can take a few steps to find out if they qualify:
- Check to see if the household falls within the income limits outlined in the chart above.
- If the household meets income requirements, contact the child's school to see if it participates in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program.
- If the child’s school participates and the household meets the income requirements, submit an application for free or reduced-price school meals. Contact the child’s school or school district for this application.
- Confirm that the school has the child’s current address. To receive updates about the program, make sure the school has the parent/guardian’s current email address and phone number. If there are additional questions, please submit a SUN Bucks help form.
How the SUN Bucks program works
For each eligible child, families will receive a new SUN Bucks card. Their account will have $120 in benefits for the summer period ($40 per month for June, July and August). SUN Bucks cards can be used just like an EBT card. Learn more about where to shop with a SUN Bucks card, what participants can buy and more on the Minnesota EBT card webpage.
- The card will be labeled SUN Bucks. The child's name and card number will be printed on the front of the card
- Benefits can be used at authorized retailers, such as grocery stores and farmers markets, to purchase healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats and other protein sources, whole grains and dairy
- SUN Bucks benefits will expire 122 days after the benefit availability date. Please visit www.ebtedge.com or call ebtEDGE customer service at 888-997-2227 for the child’s specific benefit issuance date.
- After using all the benefits, keep the card in a safe place. If the child qualifies for SUN Bucks in future years, the benefits will be accessible from the same card. If the card is lost, contact Edge for a replacement.
- Families who receive other EBT benefits should begin using their SUN Bucks card as soon as possible and use up all SUN Bucks benefits before continuing to use their regular EBT benefits
- Families with eligible children who have provided their cell phone number will receive text messages about the SUN Bucks program. Families can opt out at any time. Standard data and message rates apply. See terms and conditions.
There has been a rise in EBT card benefit theft in Minnesota and across the United States. SUN Bucks cardholders can protect their benefits by keeping their PIN private, changing their PIN often, and never giving their card number or PIN information over the phone or text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many children rely on free and reduced-price meals during the school year to meet their nutritional needs. SUN Bucks eligibility requirements were designed to capture this group and help these families meet their children’s nutritional needs over the summer.
Each child must qualify individually for SUN Bucks benefits.
There are two ways a child is automatically eligible for and enrolled in SUN Bucks. Please refer to the eligibility section above.
If a child does not receive these benefits and the family believes they qualify based on household income (see chart above), the family can apply through the Application for Educational Benefits or Alternative Income Application for Community Eligibility Provision schools, commonly known as the application for free and reduced-price meals, through the child’s school or school district. If a family is unsure if their child’s school participates in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, they can inquire with the school or the school district’s nutrition coordinator.
Federal guidelines state that the family income must be 185% or less of the federal poverty limit. Please see the household income chart above for exact numbers.
No. Children who receive MA must also be a member of a household that meets the household income requirements (185% of federal poverty levels) that would qualify them to receive free and reduced-price school meals. See the household income chart above for exact number.
Many children will receive their SUN Bucks cards in late May/early June, including all those who are:
- Enrolled in Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements) or in foster care before March 30, 2025.
Some children will receive their SUN Bucks cards June through September, including:
- Children who have an approved application for free and reduced-price school meals
- Homeless and migrant children
- Children who are enrolled on or after April 1 in the Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements)
- Children who are placed in foster care after April 1
Generally, families do not need to fill out a SUN Bucks application.
Children who receive SNAP, TANF, FDPIR, or Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements) benefits will be automatically enrolled by the Department of Human Services and Department of Children, Youth and Families.
Children who attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program and are approved for free and reduced-price meals are automatically enrolled by their school. Families should contact their child’s school to determine if they are eligible for SUN Bucks.
Children who are known to their local school district to be homeless or migrant and were enrolled in the free and reduced-price school meal program by their school are eligible for SUN Bucks. Families should contact their child’s school to determine if they were enrolled in SUN Bucks.
Children who cannot be certified through any of the pathways listed above may apply for SUN Bucks benefits through an online application. SUN Bucks applications are processed by the Minnesota Department of Education and will be required to have the same eligibility components, including household income requirements.
To fill out a SUN Bucks application directly with the Minnesota Department of Education click here. The deadline to apply is August 31, 2025. Those applying directly will be required to meet the same eligibility components, including household income requirements. Notifications of approval or denial will begin in the spring of 2025.
Please note that submissions for 2024 summer period are no longer being accepted.
For any questions about the SUN Bucks application, please email sebt.mde@state.mn.us
Yes. If the child qualified at any point between July 1, 2024 – Aug. 31, 2025, they are eligible for SUN Bucks in 2025.
Make sure the preferred current phone number and email address are on record with the county and the child’s school.
If an eligible family does not wish to receive SUN Bucks benefits, they can submit a Help Form or call the helpline at 651-431-4608.
If cards have been received, they should be cut up and thrown away.
Children under age seven will qualify only if they attend a preschool or elementary school participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and were approved through the application for free or reduced-price meals. Please contact the school to ask if the meals are provided under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Please be aware that most private preschools and Head Start programs do not participate in these programs.
Children under age seven will qualify only if they attend a preschool or elementary school participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and were approved through the application for free or reduced-price meals. Please contact the school to ask if the meals are provided under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. Please be aware that most private preschools do not participate in these programs.
Every child needs to meet the eligibility criteria individually to receive SUN Bucks benefits. The school-aged child will need to be approved for free and reduced-price meals with their school district or participate in another program, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Most private daycares do not participate in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, and these children will likely not qualify for Summer EBT.
If the student was approved for the free and reduced-price meal program between July 1, 2024 – Aug. 31, 2025, they should be enrolled in the SUN Bucks program automatically by the school district. Alternatively, if they already participate in the Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet income requirements) or are placed in foster care, they will automatically be enrolled to receive SUN Bucks benefits.
Many Voluntary Prekindergarten, School Readiness Plus or Early Childhood Special Education programs participate. Check with the nutrition director to see if the program your child attends is one that participates. Student households must also meet income eligibility requirements.
If a Head Start program participates in National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program, their students may be eligible. For the 2024-2025 school year, only the Head Start program through Duluth Public Schools participated. Student households must also meet income eligibility requirements.
Students must eat their meals in the school to be eligible. Meals must be funded through the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program.
If the child was approved for the free or reduced-price meal program between July 1, 2024 – Aug. 31, 2025, the school district should automatically enroll the child in the SUN Bucks program, even if the child no longer attends school in that district. Check with the student’s previous school’s nutrition coordinator to ask if they sent all student information to the Minnesota Department of Education.
Early graduation does not affect SUN Bucks eligibility.
If the child was approved for the free or reduced-price meal program through a Minnesota school, they will receive their SUN Bucks card from Minnesota. Please update the mailing address by filling out a Help Form. If the child was officially unenrolled from their school in Minnesota and enrolled in a different state, they may need to qualify for SUN Bucks through their new state of residence. Each child is eligible for one SUN Bucks benefit. If you receive more than one card, only use the one from the state where your child most recently attended school. Check the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sun Bucks page to see which states participate in SUN Bucks.
Any child aged 7-17 whose household participates in the Minnesota Family Investment Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Medical Assistance (must meet household income requirements) or is placed in foster care qualifies automatically for SUN Bucks. Homeschooled children who are not school-aged are not eligible for SUN Bucks.
Each eligible child will receive a card with a total benefit of $120.
Funds will be issued on the SUN Bucks cards and ready for use immediately when received. Cards are expected to be mailed starting the last week of May through September 2025. It may take up to three weeks for the cards to be delivered. If the child was determined to be eligible for SUN Bucks after March 31st, they should expect to receive their cards towards the end of June or 15 days after becoming eligible.
SUN Bucks benefits are available for use for 122 days. For example, if benefits are issued and made available on July 31, 2025, they are available from July 31 through Nov. 29, 2025. Benefits for this account would expire as the clock strikes midnight and the date changes to Nov. 30, 2025.
Keep the SUN Bucks card in a safe place to use next summer. Future SUN Bucks benefits for the same child will be accessible from the original SUN Bucks card, unless a replacement card is ordered.
If the child received a Sun Bucks card for 2024, that card will not be used again and can be thrown away.
Families can use the free ebtEDGE mobile app (available In the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) or www.ebtedge.com online portal to see benefit balances, SNAP retailer and ATM locations, benefit schedules, a statement of the last 60 days of transactions made on the card and freeze their card and block online and out of state transactions. Parents or guardians will need to enter the child's SUN Bucks card number and PIN to access account information.
For additional questions or help with a SUN Bucks card, call ebtEDGE customer service at 888-997-2227.
The University of Minnesota Extension and North Dakota State University Extension have created a 2024 Summer Meal Guide specifically for busy families on a budget, which can be used to get ideas for summer meals.
Free breakfasts and lunches are provided around the state. Please download the Free Food for Kids app to find locations. Learn more here.
If a child was determined to be ineligible for SUN Bucks, and families would like to appeal this decision, they may request an appeal hearing orally or in writing. Households must submit their appeal by Nov. 29. This follows the requirement that appeals be submitted within 90 days of the end of the summer operational period (June 1 to Aug. 31). They may request an appeal of a decision made with respect to:
1. An application the household has made for SUN Bucks benefits;
2. A streamlined certification for SUN Bucks benefits
3. A verification process or procedure; or
4. Any adverse actions taken against the household by the Department of Human Services, Department of Children, Youth and Families or the Minnesota Department of Education.
Most hearings are held by telephone, but if requested, may be held by video conference or in person. Households may request a conference with the SUN Bucks program staff to discuss their situation prior to an appeal hearing. This will not affect a family’s right to a fair hearing. Please remember that benefit expungement cannot be appealed, so remember to use up benefits in a timely manner.
To appeal online, households may use the DHS-0033-ENG (Appeal to State Agency) or may send a letter indicating disagreement with the agency's decision.
Requests can be delivered by mail, fax or in person to the Appeals Division at the addresses and fax number below.
By mail:
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Appeals Division
PO Box 64941
St. Paul, MN 55164-0941
Fax: 651-431-7523
In person:
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Appeals Division
444 Lafayette Road N.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Federal regulations do not allow for the replacement of stolen SUN Bucks benefits. The parent or legal guardian can report a lost or stolen card to EBT Customer Service by calling 1-888-997-2227 or by visiting www.ebtedge.com. Please change the PIN in the app to protect any remaining benefits.
For more information about fraud or to report suspected fraud, click the following link: Minnesota Department of Human Services – Report Fraud
Call the SUN Bucks helpline at 651-431-4608.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card
