Sacramento, CA – Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced 78 grants totaling $35.5 million awarded to organizations across the state. The funds come from cannabis tax revenue generated by The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64, 2016), and are allocated through the California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) program.

These grants serve communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs. Harsh federal and state drug policies enacted during that period led to the mass incarceration of people of color, decreased access to social services, loss of educational attainment due to diminished federal financial aid eligibility, prohibitions on the use of public housing and other public assistance, and the separation of families.

“Now in its fourth year, the California Community Reinvestments Grants program continues to be an important tool for communities that still face systemic restrictions and barriers to opportunity and equity,” said Dee Dee Myers, Director of GO-Biz and Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom. “This latest round of awards will support the economic justice and well-being of communities across our state that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.”

Through this program, GO-Biz may award grants to local health departments and qualified community-based nonprofit organizations to support the following activities:

• Job placement
• Mental health treatment
• Substance use disorder treatment
• System navigation services
• Legal services to address barriers to reentry
• Linkages to medical care

To learn more about the program, click here.​