On Friday, March 1, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) released a Local Equity Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and announced that they would begin accepting applications for grant funding through local equity programs, as authorized by the state’s Equity Act of 2018 and the Budget Act of 2019.
BCC was appropriated $10 million to award to California counties and cities with inclusion and support-based equity programs that focus on helping applicants and licensees in the cannabis industry who are from areas that have been disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition.
Within weeks, BCC canceled the NOFA and announced that they would not be proceeding any further with the application period until program guidelines could be reviewed and revised.
On July 31, BCC announced that they were once again accepting applications.
A minimum grant of $100,000 was to be awarded to qualified local jurisdiction applicants who were found to be eligible for grant funding.
On Wednesday, October 9, BCC announced the awarding of equity grant funding to ten local jurisdictions for use in commercial cannabis equity programs that provide assistance and services to equity applicants and licensees.
- City of Los Angeles – $1,834,156.38
- City of Oakland – $1,657,201.65
- County of Humboldt – $1,338,683.13
- City & County of San Francisco – $1,338,683.13
- City of Sacramento – $1,197,119.34
- City of Long Beach – $913,991.77
- City of San Jose – $560,082.30
- County of Santa Cruz – $560,082.30
- City of Coachella – $500,000.00
- City of Palm Springs – $100,000.00
Funding criteria was based on program guidelines up to the amount requested by each jurisdiction.
