MENDOCINO CO., 10/11/25 – 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 today. 

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.  

“The aim of offering these supports is to aid the state in its goal of eliminating or reducing the illicit cannabis market by bringing more people into the legal marketplace,” according to the announcement from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. 

The online application portal opened today and can be accessed by clicking this link. Applications are due through the portal by Dec. 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Required documents and an application user guide can also be found by clicking this link.