Nevada County, California is set to receive $500,000 from the state for cannabis social equity programs, The Union reports. The Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions is funded through the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).
Diana Gamzon, executive director of Nevada County Cannabis Alliance, told the Union the purpose of the grants “is to advance economic justice for populations and communities impacted by cannabis prohibition and the War on Drugs by providing support to local jurisdictions as they promote equity in California and eliminate barriers to enter the newly regulated cannabis industry for equity program applicants and licensees.”
According to the Nevada County Cannabis Local Equity Program Manual, social equity applicants must be able to show “a nonviolent conviction history related to cannabis,” that “their annual income is below the median income” in the county,” trauma history while participating in the illicit cannabis industry “including sexual assault, exploitation, domestic violence, and/or human trafficking,” and homelessness or lost housing as a result of cannabis enforcement.
The award is designed to help applicants with state and local cannabis fees, licenses, regulatory costs and capital improvements. The county also offers professional consulting, environmental site development, business training, and compliance assistance to social equity licensees.
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