April 12, 2019- Cannabis Social Equity Grants Funds Available!
The City of Portland invites you to apply for the 2019 Cannabis Social Equity Grants!
This is a restorative justice and community reinvestment grant opportunity funded by the City of Portland’s 3% local tax on retail cannabis sales.
There is $700k available for Cannabis Social Equity Grants, which can be used for the following purposes according to Ballot Measure 29-180:
"Support for neighborhood small businesses, especially women-owned and minority-owned businesses, including but not limited to business incubator programs, management training, and job training opportunities; and providing economic opportunity and education to communities disproportionately-impacted by cannabis prohibition."
Of that $700,000, Prosper Portland will administer $210,000 to provide industry support and technical assistance to minority-owned cannabis businesses.
The Cannabis Program, in the Office of Community & Civic Life, will award the remaining $490,000 in a 8 to 10-month grants to “promote small businesses, especially women-owned and minority-owned businesses” and “provide economic opportunity and education to communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition.”
For this funding opportunity (fiscal year 2018-19), applicants may request funding for projects and programs ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 in the following priority areas:
- Record clearing and expungement
- Workforce development
- Re-entry housing services
If you have experience or expertise in one of the priority areas, foster interconnected communities, and provide multicultural and community-specific engagement, this might be the grant for you!
Non-profit and for-profit entities of any size are encouraged to apply.
You can use this link to download the 2019 Cannabis Social Equity Grants announcement and application, or click here: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/civic/article/728731
The timeline for awarding the $490,000 in grants is as follows:
- April 12, 2019: Grants application process opens
- May 11, 2019: Information Session about grants application process (MORE INFO SOON)
- May 24, 2019: Grants application process closes
- BEYOND MAY 2019: Grant applicants notified of decision; grant agreements drafted and signed; grant agreements to Portland City Council for approval; notice to proceed given to successful applicants; work begins
Join us for one of our information sessions to learn more:
April 26, 2019 - 10 to 11 am at East Portland Community Office (1017 NE 117th Ave, Portland OR 97220)
May 2, 2019 - 4 to 5 pm at Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (4815 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97211)
Applications are due Friday, May 24, 2019 by 11:59 pm Pacific
Questions? Please visit portlandoregon.gov/CannabisTax for more information, or contact Cannabis Program Policy Coordinator Kimie Ueoka at 503-823-2094 or email Kimie.Ueoka@portlandoregon.gov