Most equity businesses may get up to $40,000 to $50,000. 100% equity owned businesses with applications formally referred to Planning are eligible for up to $100,000.
Check if you are eligible
You must meet some criteria to qualify for a grant.
As of October 14, 2020, you must:
- Be a Verified Equity Applicant with a unique ID number
- Have a cannabis business application with a status of processing, under-construction, or approved (any other statuses are not eligible for grants)
You can get reimbursed for expenses like rent, fees, compliance, fixtures, cannabis testing, and capital improvements.
Start process to do business with the City
You must be able to do business with the City of San Francisco to get funding. If you are not yet able to, you can register to be a City bidder.
You must ultimately become a City supplier, after registering as a bidder to get your funding. You can finish the process later.
Include your bidder number on your application or email it to cannabisgrants@sfgov.org at a later time.
Prepare your documents
You may need the following insurance if you’re an operating business
- General Liability Insurance
- Automobile Insurance, if applicable
- Workers' Compensation, if you have employees
- Product liability insurance, if applicable
If you own your business 100%, you may need other waivers.
Learn about the grant and send in questions
An initial webinar is available for grantees to view via a recording on YouTube. A second recording about insurance requirements is also available on YouTube. A third webinar emphasizing the process to submit funding request forms is also available. Please leverage the most recent recordings for the most up to date information.
Email cannabisgrants@sfgov.org with any questions about the grant process.
Download FAQs.
Apply to get grant money
When you apply, we will ask you:
- Demographic questions
- Information about you or your point of contact
- Information about your business
We will let businesses know how much money they can expect to get by December 2020.
Finish process to do business with the City
To ultimately get funding, you must apply to be a City supplier, after registering as a bidder. You must also sign a grants contract provided by the City.
If you are not yet a City supplier, you must apply to have that status through the Office of Contract Administration. Email your supplier number to cannabisgrants@sfgov.org.
Claim reimbursement
You will get information about how to claim your reimbursement when you sign your grant agreement.
You can get reimbursed for expenses related to:
- Capital improvements
- Fixtures and equipment
- Legal services
- Local and State application, licensing, and regulatory fees
- Regulatory compliance
- Rent payments
- Testing of cannabis
- Tax liability of the cannabis business
All eligible businesses can get reimbursed for expenses incurred between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
Get reimbursed from the City
We’ll reimburse you for eligible expenses.
Keep your records. We may follow up to make sure the funds were used appropriately.
Last updated April 07, 2021