San Francisco Receives Funding for Cannabis Social Justice Program

Leaders in San Francisco announced last week that the city has received $4.5 million in funding from the State of California to bolster its Cannabis Equity Grant Program.

The funds, which are part of the California governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, “will help build on the program’s original goal of addressing inequalities in the cannabis industry through the creation of cannabis public companies,” the city said Friday .

“COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our city’s small businesses and entrepreneurs, including those in the cannabis industry,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in the announcement. “With the support of the state and the direction of the Office of Cannabis, this funding will ensure that the Cannabis Equity Grant Program continues to achieve its goal of providing access to the industry for those who have been disproportionately impacted by previous policies.”

Last year, San Francisco and a number of California cities such as Los Angeles and Oakland launched their own Cannabis Equity Grant Programs with funding from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

San Francisco says its Office of Cannabis (OOC) has since “distributed over $5.5 million in flexible grants to more than 50 venture capital companies, with awards ranging from approximately $50,000 to $150,000.”

“Of grantees, 65% identify as Black, strengthening access to communities historically harmed by previous policies and the War on Drugs. The OOC has worked diligently to ensure that all available funds are used for the benefit of applicants, with 100% of grants being awarded before the end of the grant term,” the city said in its announcement of the new funding on Friday.

“Historically, the Equity Grant Program represents the government proactively addressing drug policies that have harmed our communities,” Nikesh Patel, director of the San Francisco Office of Cannabis, said in the announcement. “We’re hearing from social justice applicants how powerful these grants are in advancing their businesses. We are proud to continue to develop a program that incorporates community input, meets applicant needs and ultimately lowers the barriers to entry into the cannabis industry.”

The city says the program “is structured in a way that gives grantees the opportunity to determine the best use of their award.”

These grantees “may request reimbursement of grants and/or advances for 13 eligible expense categories, including but not limited to accounting services, capital improvements, legal assistance, regulatory compliance and rent,” and also “may take advantage of free technical assistance to better support them.” this process.”

Friday’s announcement included testimonials from some of those grantees.

“The Office of Cannabis Grant Program provides important support and opportunity for social justice applicants to start their own business in the regulated cannabis industry. As a native of the Fillmore District of San Francisco and a woman of color, my community has been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs. I want to thank the Office of Cannabis for this unprecedented opportunity to achieve my dreams and I couldn’t be more grateful,” said Joyce Hicks, CEO of Neicey Pieces LLC.

Rudy Corpuz, CEO of SGI Brannan LLC, said the grant program “gave me the opportunity to open my own retail business.”

“It’s helped me tremendously, not only as a social justice partner, but also as a longtime member of the San Francisco community trying to empower those who have also been harmed by the War on Drugs,” Corpuz said.

Meanwhile, Cali Heals CEO Perry Jones says “not all money is good money” when it comes to building a business.

“However, when it comes to the San Francisco Equity Program, cannabis grants have presented me with an opportunity not only to start my own cannabis business, but potentially to realize generational wealth for myself and my family,” Jones said.