Please note this is not an exhaustive list:

Community Specialists will review all applications and invoices and reserve the right to question and/or take action for inappropriate uses of funds.

Unallowable Uses of SHIP Funds:

• Alcohol/Cannabis/THC products
• Animals/any expenses related to animals
• Any cost not directly related to the SHIP grant
• Bad debts
• Building or improving a fitness center
• Building or paving a walking or bike path
• Cash assistance paid directly to individuals to meet their personal or family needs
• Cement (except when used for securing approved SHIP items)
• Clothing and footwear

• Consumable/Disposable items not linked to approved SHIP PSE change start-up expenses

o Consumable/Disposable items may be allowable one time only as start-up costs that are part of an approved SHIP PSE change, except for Community Well-Being activities. Ongoing expenses for consumables/disposable items are unallowable.

• Contributions or donations
• Costs incurred prior to the grant award
• COVID response expenses
• Designated smoking area signs
• Direct patient medical services or care including nicotine replacement therapy; other non-FDA approved devices such as vape pens or essential oil vaporizers
• Direct treatment of disease or disability
• Entrance fees to parks or recreational facilities
• Entertainment/Performers
• Equipment repair or maintenance costs
• Fines and penalties
• Gifts for staff
• Goods or services for personal use
• Illegal substances (under State or Federal law)
• Interest on bills, loans, etc.
• Land rental for gardens
• Liability insurance for community partners/sites
• Lobbying at the federal, state, or local level
• Losses on agreements or contracts
• Electronic Chairs – for example: Massage chair
• Memberships to clubs, camps, fitness centers and similar groups
• Mischarging of costs
• Ongoing subsidies of healthier food alternatives in vending machines, school lunches or workplaces
• Ongoing subsidies of rental fees for equipment use at a recreational center or park
• Political campaigns on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office
• Professional Licensure renewal costs
• Raffles (raising money by selling tickets)
• Rental or purchase of a facility for ongoing activity programming such as smoking cessation or weight loss groups
• Replacement of functioning equipment
• Research (The distinction between research and program evaluation is complex and dependent on the purpose of the study. However, the difference can be summarized in this way: “Research is done for the purposes of generating knowledge, whereas program evaluation is done for the purpose of understanding the extent to which the intervention was effective” (Issel, 2009).
• Scholarships (includes camp fees and scholarships for individuals to participate in events, classes or programs not linked to PSE change)
• Sidewalks or curb cuts
• Staff time beyond 5 percent of individual time to lead trainings (SHIP staff are encouraged to conduct train the trainer courses with partners/sites to ensure sustainability of training programs in their communities)
• Start-up of a non-profit organization or private business
• Start-up or subsidizing the ongoing cost of a weight loss program or group
• Subsidizing the purchase of smoking cessation medications, including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), or non-evidence-based cessation programs (e.g., hypnosis)
• Supplanting of funds from other sources: Community health boards and tribal governments must use funds received under this section to develop new programs, expand current programs, or replace discontinued state or federal funds. Funds must not be used to supplant current state or local funding to community health boards or tribal governments.
• Travel outside of the USA
• Vape/e-cigarette detectors
• Vehicles – motorized vehicles other than e-bikes
• Vending Machines

Community – MN Moves Specific Unallowable:

• Exercise machines
• Bicycles that are NOT planned to have an educational or transportation-related use
• Fitness equipment used for individual behavior change
• Games (examples (not an exhaustive list): bocce ball, cornhole, ladder ball, gaga pit, etc.)
• Ongoing event expenses
• Permanent driver feedback signs (portable are allowed)
• Playground and outdoor fitness equipment
• Community Recreational Sports Leagues which do not focus on the following prioritized populations: rural areas, people of color, older adults, persons with disabilities, women, recent immigrants, members of LGBTQ+ communities, those with lower educational attainment, and those in lower income groups.
• Permanent lighting
• Trees, grass and plants
• Trishaws
• Welcome signs
• Landscaping labor and installation (landscape planning is allowable)
• Recreation sport facility construction (such as pickle ball courts)

Workplace Wellness Specific Unallowable:

• Air Fryer
• Aroma therapy
• Behavior-change presentations and classes to employees
• Books or DVDs
• Building uses: floors, beams, columns, roofing, piles, bricks, mortar, panels, plaster
• Constructing a permanent sports field, pool, court, or similar recreational facility
• Costs associated with hosting a health fair
• Costs for providing employee health screenings
• Décor/Wall Art
• Designated smoking areas, shelters, and ashtrays
• Ergonomic chairs
• Fitness club memberships including on-line memberships
• Forklifts and hand operated lifts
• Home exercise equipment
• Icemaker
• Incentives to employees to participate in surveys during work hours or as part of their work duties
• Magazine subscriptions
• Massage therapy, hand-held massagers, or massage chairs
• Pedometers
• Professional Licensure renewal costs
• Scales or BMI measuring devices
• Shower facilities
• Speakers/Presenters not clearly and significantly linked to sustainable PSE change
• Stability balls to use in lieu of desk chairs
• Subsidizing the ongoing cost of a weight loss program or group
• Teaching/facilitating fitness and yoga classes
• Team building activities
• Tools like stress balls, massage chairs, handheld massage tools like bump balls
• Video gaming equipment

Community – MN Well-Being specific Unallowable:

• Behavior-change classes
• Mental health treatment or training mental health staff in mental health modalities or therapy
• Trees
• Games
• Consumable/Disposable items, including ‘start-up’ consumable/disposable item expenses

School-Specific Unallowable:

• Equipment for or capital improvements to private residences including home schools

Food and/or Beverage Unallowable:

• Food and/or Beverage for community social gatherings – When the sole purpose of providing a meal for community members is for social interaction, the expense is not allowable.
• Food and/or Beverage for one-on-one or small group meetings with community members.
• Food for 1:1 meetings or presentations with individual employers for Workplace Wellness.
• Food for a general education presentation to employees/volunteers (ex. stress management, education around stretching/movement, etc.)