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Division of Social Equity Overview

The Office of Cannabis Management’s Division of Social Equity is charged with engaging with the community and administering grants to communities that experienced a disproportionate, negative impact from cannabis prohibition and cannabis use.

Division staff will promote economic development, improve social determinants of health, provide services to prevent violence, support early intervention programs for youth and families, and promote community stability and safety.

The division will also act as an ombudsperson for OCM to provide information, investigate complaints under the cannabis law, and provide or facilitate dispute resolutions. Staff also will be responsible for reviewing transfer of a license that was issued as a social equity license.

Grant programs

The Division of Social Equity will implement and oversee the two grant programs established in statute.

  • CanRenew will award grants to eligible organizations for investments in communities where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants. The grant application is now open. Apply by using the following link: OCM CanRenew grant application.
  • CanGrow will award grants to eligible organizations to help farmers navigate the regulatory structure of the legal cannabis industry, and nonprofit corporations to fund loans to farmers for entry and expansion into the legal cannabis industry.

Virtual information session 

OCM hosted a virtual information session on Dec. 10 to update community members about the CanRenew and CanGrow grants. Watch a recording of that event.

Stay in touch with us! 

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