PRESS RELEASE

Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), in partnership with the Bureau of Cannabis Control, announced $30 million in grant funding through the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions.

The program focuses on the inclusion and support of individuals in California’s legal cannabis marketplace who are from communities negatively or disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization. This is done through small business support services like technical assistance to individuals, reduced licensing fees or waived fees, assistance in recruitment, training, and retention of a qualified and diverse workforce, and business resilience such as emergency preparedness.

At least $23 million of the funding, in the form of low/no-interest loans or grants, will be directly allocated to applicants and licensees specifically identified by local jurisdictions as being from communities most harmed by cannabis prohibition. To date, jurisdictions seeking to create this inclusive regulatory framework represent roughly a quarter of the state’s population.

“These Cannabis Equity Grants reflect California’s desire to lead our legalization efforts with equity and inclusivity,” said Nicole Elliott, Governor Newsom’s Senior Advisor on Cannabis. “We applaud these jurisdictions for not only embracing the challenge of creating pathways to participate in a legitimate cannabis marketplace, but for doing so in a thoughtful way that seeks to uplift all communities. It is our hope that these efforts lead to the creation of a truly diverse industry and that these programs serve as a blueprint for others who share in our commitment to address systemic discrimination and create real prosperity for all.”

Local Jurisdiction Funding for Cannabis Equity Applicants/Licensees

City of Oakland                                               $6,576,705.76

City of Los Angeles                                         $6,042,014.23

City and County of San Francisco                 $4,995,000.00

City of Sacramento                                         $3,831,955.93

City of Long Beach                                         $2,700,000.00

County of Humboldt                                        $2,459,581.02

County of Mendocino                                     $2,245,704.40

Total                                                               $28,850,961.34

Local Jurisdiction Funding for Cannabis Equity Assessment/Program Development

County of Lake                                               $150,000.00

County of Monterey                                        $150,000.00

County of Nevada                                           $149,999.95

City of Palm Springs                                       $149,397.90

City of San Jose                                             $149,300.37

City of Santa Cruz                                          $147,666.75

City of Clearlake                                             $98,890.43

City of Coachella                                            $93,783.26

City of Stockton                                              $60,000.00

Total                                                               $1,149,038.66

To learn more about the program, click here.

The Bureau of Cannabis Control is the lead agency in regulating commercial cannabis licenses for medical and adult-use cannabis in California. The Bureau is responsible for licensing retailers, distributors, testing laboratories, microbusinesses, and temporary cannabis events. For more information about our agency, please visit the Bureau’s website. To learn more about California’s three cannabis licensing authorities and the other state agencies contributing to cannabis regulatory efforts, please visit California’s Cannabis Portal.

Those looking to get in touch with the Bureau of Cannabis Control may contact us directly through email at [email protected].