The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) announced Tuesday that the agency still has about $5 million in funding available for licensed cannabis businesses through Cannabis Business Development (CBD) Grants Program..
Funding is available in the form of $75,000 in reimbursements to assist qualified cannabis producers, growers, retailers and testing laboratories. The one-time reimbursement for business expenses is intended to help “soften” the costs of maintaining compliance with state and local laws for early-stage cannabis companies.
NJEDA said it has already disbursed $5 million through the program.
Applicants must be licensed by the state and in good standing with regulators and must submit “at least $75,000 in eligible expenses with supporting documentation and proof of payment.”
The agency also announced that 5% of the funds will be reserved for businesses in “historically underserved” areas as determined by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) based on data including cannabis-related arrests, law enforcement activity, unemployment rates and poverty. The statute covering so-called “Areas of Impact” aims to help communities disproportionately affected by the prohibition of cannabis to participate in and benefit from the regulated cannabis industry.
