The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development has announced the opening of the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for local jurisdictions, and the application portal opened Wednesday.

The Mendocino Cannabis Department is one of the local entities planning to apply for the grant program, according to Sara McBurney, the senior program manager of the department, which has received a grant from the program five times in the past and plans to apply each year.

The grants program includes $15 million in funding for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. Eligible local jurisdictions, including cities and counties, can receive up to $75,000 to develop a cannabis equity program or up to $3.5 million to fund equity applicants hoping to open businesses in California’s regulated cannabis industry.

The goal of the Cannabis Equity Grants Program is to reduce barriers to the legal cannabis industry by offering financial and logistical support to local governments and residents who want to start their own cannabis businesses.

Read more at Local News Matters




Frontpage photo: © Petr Vdovkin | Dreamstime



Publication date:

Mon 13 Oct 2025