CanRenew Community Restoration Grant

CanRenew community restoration grants support eligible organizations that make investments in communities disproportionately affected by the enforcement of cannabis laws, identified as communities where residents are eligible to be social equity applicants. Learn more about social equity qualifications. The request for proposals is now open. Apply online by Jan. 12, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. CST.

Award amount

For fiscal year 2026-2027, OCM appropriated $10.9 million for CanRenew projects. In recognition of the barriers faced by organizations based within eligible communities, OCM is using a tiered approach to funding. OCM intends to fund investments in eligible communities throughout the state. This is a competitive grant program.

Tier 1: Grantees will be awarded between $2,500 and $10,000. This tier has lower barriers to entry and is geared towards organizations that are newer to state funding.
Tier 2: Award amounts will be between $50,000 and $2,000,000. Grantees will have an enhanced level of risk assessment and monitoring (Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.981). Organizations that are awarded a tier 2 grant will have the ability to implement larger projects.

Grant awardees (2025-2026 funding cycle)

Affinity Care MN (Bloomington) is awarded $100,000.
Beltrami Area Service Collaboration (Bemidji) is awarded $100,000.
Girls Dream Code (St. Paul) is awarded $50,000.
Hired (Minneapolis) is awarded $85,000.
Ignite Afterschool (Minneapolis) is awarded $75,000.
InTENtions (Brooklyn Center & Mora) is awarded $100,000.
Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Minneapolis) is awarded $70,000.
United Way of Steele County (Owatonna) is awarded $100,000.
Vermilion Country School (Tower) is awarded $100,000.
Walker West Music Academy (St. Paul) is awarded $50,000.
World Youth Connect (St. Paul) is awarded $100,000.

Grant timeline

On Nov. 10, the request for proposal opened. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. CST, January 12. Following the end of the application window, applications will be reviewed by a committee. In the spring, selected applicants may undergo pre-award risk assessment. Selected grantees will be announced in the summer of 2026, with grant activities beginning around June 30.

Objective

Projects address a range of community needs, including economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth development, and civil legal aid.

Eligible organizations

Nonprofit organizations
Federally recognized Tribes
Educational institutions
Local units of government
Private businesses
Community groups
Partnerships between different types of organizations

Applications are evaluated based on their potential community impact, the applicant’s track record of success, and community support. Priority is given to applications that demonstrate prior success with similar projects, strong community backing, and support for youth engagement.

Application materials

Please review the CanRenew grant materials below:

Minnesota Statutes

For more information, go to Minnesota Statutes, section 342.70.

Webinars

Check out our CanRenew Grant Informational and Technical Assistance sessions, where we guided prospective applicants through the request for proposals process.

Recorded webinars:

Recording of Oct. 23, 2025 Informational Session

Contact

For questions, email grants.ocm@state.mn.us.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If we have an existing youth program, does that mean we cannot use this funding for it? Would we need to create a new program?
Is there a cap on how much of the budget can be allocated toward equipment purchases?
If our organization is not headquartered in a social equity-eligible community but serves participants from those communities, are we still eligible for funding?
If programming is not physically located in those communities but transports participants to a different location, would that still be considered eligible?
How does the farming operations criterion fit into the grant’s priorities? Does a farm need a specific purpose, or is it enough that it meets the gross sales threshold?

The key factor is the eligible community, not the farm itself. If a project supports reinvestment into early-stage farming communities—such as teaching new agricultural methods to urban farmers who meet the revenue threshold—then it qualifies. However, the grant does not fund revenue-generating operations. If the goal is to fund farm operations, that would be ineligible. If the project is an educational program benefiting early-stage farmers, that would qualify. Farming is just one of seven ways to qualify for social equity status. If the project supports an eligible community—such as funding a park renovation in a community with many small farmers—it could meet the grant criteria.
If we hold an information session in a social equity-eligible neighborhood, do we need to verify that attendees live there? What are the reporting requirements?

No, attendee addresses do not need to be verified for a single event. However, the event should be targeted towards people residing in the social equity community. For projects providing ongoing services, organizations are expected to collect residency information.

In the application, you’ll need to describe how your project supports social equity-eligible communities. You can provide an address, and we have mapping tools to verify eligibility based on income levels, military-affiliated communities, and farming areas. You can also submit a narrative explaining how the project serves social equity applicants. If working with justice-impacted individuals, you may need data showing how participants reflect those communities. However, attendees of your sessions do not need to go through social equity verification.
Can an organization apply for more than one grant?
If an organization receives funding this year, can they apply again next year?
Will grant amounts increase next year if more funding is available?
If an organization has received funding from the city of Minneapolis through the ReCAST grant, can they still qualify for this grant?

Yes, but it depends on the project and the amount of funding already received. If related, the funds should be included in the budget proposal to show how dollars are allocated. Preference may be given to projects serving communities differently than those already funded by ReCAST, but receiving ReCAST funding does not automatically exclude an organization from eligibility.
Can the grant support ongoing programming beyond 12 months?
What is the total amount of funding available, and how many grants will be awarded this year?
Would budget modifications be considered if changes occur before funds are awarded?

It depends. Minor modifications, such as purchasing a different brand of the same product, are allowed. However, significant changes, like switching from building a playground to purchasing a vehicle, would be outside the scope. Any changes made after signing the grant agreement would require an official modification process.

There are provisions around budget modifications, including thresholds for changes. These details will be included in the grant manual for selected grantees. Since this is a competitive grant process, modifications to the work plan will be limited.
The grant submission requires an audited financial statement. Would a 990 form be acceptable instead?

Yes, a Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax) is acceptable. The purpose of the requirement is to assess the organization’s financial stability and ability to fulfill the grant terms. However, Minnesota Statutes, section 11.309.53(3) states that a charitable organization with total annual revenue over $750,000 must file an audited financial statement prepared by an independent CPA.
A community group wants to apply but does not have a federal or state tax identification number. Is there a way around this requirement?
Are churches eligible for funding?
Is there an ideal target number of people served based on the award amount?
Can an organization that is not a nonprofit but is fiscally sponsored by one apply?
If an organization serves individuals who meet social equity status criteria but across a broad geographic area, is that acceptable?
Can an applicant organization address multiple issues?
Is a full match required to receive the 15 points?
Can previously funded programs apply for the grant?
Can for-profit businesses apply?
Can funds be used to purchase supplies for youth participants?
Who submits the application?