Division of Community and Economic Development Overview

The Division of Community and Economic Development (DCED) translates Minnesota's cannabis legalization into meaningful community and economic opportunity.

Our work is grounded in Minnesota Statutes, which direct the Office of Cannabis Management to invest in the development, stability, and safety of eligible communities. We accomplish that by building community capacity, expanding access to capital, supporting entrepreneurs and workers, and implementing social equity policy that promotes a fair, transparent, and sustainable cannabis marketplace.

While equitable licensure remains an important part of our work, our mission extends far beyond licensing. We are committed to ensuring cannabis legalization creates lasting opportunity for the communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Our vision

Minnesota cannabis legalization is the national standard for reparative social equity policy.

What we do

Community capacity building and capital access via grants

Strong communities are the foundation of a successful cannabis industry.

Through the CanRenew community reinvestment grant program, we invest in organizations that strengthen eligible communities through economic development, youth development, violence prevention, civil legal aid, public health, housing stability, and other community-driven initiatives. Beyond grant funding, we connect organizations to technical assistance, training, and partnerships that help build long-term capacity.

Access to capital remains one of the greatest barriers to entering the cannabis industry.

Through the CanGrow farmer training and farmer loan grant program, the division expands access to affordable financing and technical assistance for eligible farmers pursuing opportunities in Minnesota's legal cannabis market. We partner with community lenders and financial organizations to increase access to responsible capital while supporting long-term business success.

Small business development

Starting a cannabis business requires more than obtaining a license — it requires preparation, knowledge, and ongoing support.

The division helps entrepreneurs build readiness through educational programming, technical assistance, networking opportunities, and partnerships with business development organizations across Minnesota. Programs like our Social Equity Mixer Series connect entrepreneurs with regulators, technical assistance providers, lenders, and industry experts to help businesses launch and grow responsibly.

Workforce development

Not everyone enters the cannabis industry as a business owner.

The division is committed to creating career pathways into Minnesota's cannabis workforce by connecting job seekers with employers, promoting workforce training opportunities, and partnering with community organizations to increase access to employment across cultivation, manufacturing, retail, compliance, laboratory testing, and ancillary industries.

Our statewide Cannabis Resource and Hiring Fair and workforce initiatives are designed to ensure legalization creates quality employment opportunities alongside business ownership.

Social equity policy

Minnesota's commitment to equity is embedded throughout Minnesota Statutes, chapter 342.

The division supports implementation of key social equity policies by:

• Administering social equity verification.
• Reviewing petitions for variance related to disqualifying offenses.
• Reviewing ownership transfer and change requests involving social equity classified license holders.
• Operating the ombudsperson program.
• Engaging communities to inform future policy and legislative recommendations.
• Monitoring implementation and reporting on social equity outcomes.

These efforts help ensure Minnesota's cannabis industry remains transparent, accountable, and aligned with legislative intent.

Events calendar