In a recent press release, the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), announced that in partnership with the Cannabis Advisory Board, had awarded the first grants stemming from the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund (1). Throughout the state of New York, 50 youth-focused non-profits were able to receive $5 million in funding.

The grant money was generated through tax revenue from New York’s more than $2 billion adult-use cannabis market. In New York’s cannabis market, some of the revenue generated is reinvested into communities that have been affected by past drug policies and enforcement (1). The grants are used all over the state in organizations that offer services, such as workforce development, mental health, and housing stability.

“Today, New York State, under Governor Hochul’s leadership, is putting real dollars behind restorative justice and community healing,” said Felicia A.B. Reid, Acting Executive Director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (1). “These fifty organizations reflect the power that communities have to lead real and lasting on-the-ground change. This reinvestment is about more than funding programs; it is about recognizing that the harms wrought by the War on Drugs are no fiction—but that the story does not end there. These grants are evidence of a necessary power shift; they put the resources of the State into the hands of those best able to take a promise from idea to reality.”

“This $5 million in funding is just the very beginning of a long-term effort established by the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act,” said Joseph Belluck, Chair of the Cannabis Advisory Board (1). “As the legal cannabis market expands, the pool of tax revenue will grow — and so must this program. Our goal is to amplify the impact year over year, so it becomes a durable engine for community reinvestment in New York’s most underserved communities.”

“Neighborhoods that have been historically under-resourced, underserved, and over-policed are finally receiving the support necessary to undo years of systemic injustice,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson (1). “When cannabis was legalized in New York State, we knew it would be a game-changer for our borough. The state transformed this once underground industry into a regulated and taxable market that would generate revenue for communities that were negatively impacted by racist drug laws. I want to congratulate Dreamyard Drama Project Inc., Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs, The Point Community Development Corporation, Community Connections for Youth Inc and all the other winners of the Community Grant Reinvestment Fund. These organizations are doing the critical work of healing, rebuilding, and empowering our neighborhoods from the ground up.”

Senator Jeremy Cooney, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Cannabis said in the press release (1), “What has continued to set New York’s legal cannabis market apart is our continued commitment towards equity and our work to undo the wrongs of the failed War on Drugs. Today’s announcement by OCM and the Cannabis Advisory Board is a key step in that mission, investing in the success of the next generation and ensuring they are given the opportunities they deserve to thrive in New York State. While we celebrate today’s news, I also look forward to future investments that will continue to invest real dollars into populations that need it the most.”

In this first round of funding, some of the communities that received the grants included areas, such as Long Island, New York City, Schenectady, Buffalo, Rochester, and Troy (1).

Reference

1. New York State Awards First Round Of Community Reinvestment Grants To 50 Youth-Focused Organizations Across The State https://cannabis.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/10/cgrf-awards-press-release.pdf (accessed Oct 23, 2025).