Our office provides comprehensive support to Social Equity Licensees and the Cannabis business community through a number of programs including the Technical Assistance Program, the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF) Survey and Reporting, the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program, and the Social Equity Investor Portal (Coming Soon).
Programs
Technical Assistance Program
The Office of Social Equity, in close partnership with the Maryland Cannabis Administration, administers a technical assistance program to prospective and verified social equity applicants. Our inaugural Technical Assistance program was administered for the Fall 2023 Licensing Application Round and continues to support those businesses that received a conditional license following the March 14, 2024 Licensing Award Lottery.
Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund
The Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, funded by a percentage of adult-use cannabis tax revenue, provides funding to local jurisdictions to support community - based initiatives that benefit low-income communities and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition.
The Cannabis Reform Act of 2023 requires the Office of Social Equity to solicit public input on the potential uses of Community Reinvestment and Repair funds. The insights derived from the survey conducted in 2023 emphasize the public's desire to allocate Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund resources toward critical areas such as mental health and substances abuse programs, education, and housing and homelessness prevention services.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of survey respondents expressed strong support for the reinvestment of cannabis tax revenue into communities that have been disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs. This endorsement represents a compelling mandate to prioritize the equitable distribution of resources within these historically impacted areas.
CRRF Survey Results Report, December 15, 2023.
Social Equity Partnership Grant Program (coming 2024)
The Social Equity Partnership Grant Program aims to promote certain partnerships between operational cannabis licensees and social equity licenses; a qualifying partnership is one where an operational cannabis licensee provides training, mentorship, or shared commercial space/equipment to a social equity licensee.
Resources
At the Office of Social Equity, we believe the power of collaboration enhances our commitment to the community by having a diverse set of government agencies and resources easily accessible for those looking to enter the market.
We work very closely with various local government agencies to effectively streamline the licensees process, share vital resources, and work together to create innovative solutions for the adult-use cannabis market. By leveraging the unique strengths of each agency, we are committed to a cannabis market that allows full participation to those who have been disproportionately impacted and excluded by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition.
For more information on our collaborative initiatives, please visit:
