California officials are now accepting applications for their Cannabis Equity Grants Program. The grants are part the state’s efforts to use cannabis taxes to fund equity programs that benefit people who have been disproportionately affected by the drug-war.
A description of the program states that its purpose is to “advance economic justice for populations, communities and local jurisdictions impacted by the War on Drugs and cannabis prohibition by providing support to the local jurisdictions in California as they promote equity and eliminate barriers for equity program applicants to enter the newly-regulated cannabis industry.”
The funding round is available to any local California jurisdiction that “demonstrates an intention to develop or operate a cannabis-equity program, or has adopted or operated a cannabis-equity program.”
Grant applications will be accepted until December 14th, with the announcement of awards to take place in January. Online applications are available on the website of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
The money from the program is used to fund local programs that provide technical support, regulatory assistance and help with securing start-up capital for equity applicants and licensees. According to a summary on the California Grants Portal, the grants will “further the stated intention of the AUMA” by reducing the barriers to licensing and employment in regulated industries. The state will benefit from this type of support by increasing the number of people who are able to access the legal cannabis market.
The grants for the last fiscal year were announced in February and went to 16 counties and cities across the state. Grants ranged from $350,000 to Oakland to nearly $2.5 million for San Diego County.
The state Department of Cannabis Control announced in September that it was doubling money to be made available to localities in order to accelerate the opening of cannabis retailers within their jurisdictions. This is part of a grant program aimed at reducing the illicit market.
DCC announced the first-of its-kind program back in February. In June, it granted $4.1 million to 18 jurisdictions. In the second phase of the program, regulators will offer up to $150,000 for each retail license that is approved by a city and up to $400,000 per social equity license. Prior to this, awards were only limited to $75,000 or $150,000.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta, (D), addressed these topics at an August press briefing.
Earlier this year, the application period for a separate 48 million grant program to support broader community reinvestment was closed. This program, funded by state marijuana taxes, awards between $600,000.00 and $3,000,000.00 to support job placements, legal assistance and treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders.
GO-Biz reported in May that the state has already awarded more $50 million in marijuana taxes-funded community reinvestment grant.
DCC also awarded nearly $20,000,000 in research grants funded by marijuana taxes to 16 academic institutions for the study of cannabis, including novel cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, and genetics of “legacy strains” from the state.
California has also taken steps to extend its marijuana market outside of the state’s boundaries. Regulators recently requested a formal opinion by the state attorney general’s office about whether allowing marijuana commerce between states would place the state at a “significant risk” for federal enforcement actions.
Documents obtained by Marijuana Moment reveal that the state attorney general’s office is seeking input from local governments and cannabis industry groups in order to finalize this opinion.
In August, local government organizations told the attorney general of the state that interstate commerce wouldn’t invite enforcement action from the federal government. However, many are still reluctant to test this line.
The California AG’s Opinions Unit began the review after received a request from the state Department of Cannabis Control in early January.
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat from California, signed a number of marijuana-related bills during the last legislative session. This included a bill to prohibit employers from asking about previous cannabis use. He also vetoed a bill that would have legalized cannabis cafes.
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The post California Opens Up Applications for $15 Million Marijuana Grant Round to Local Jurisdictions first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
