To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
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Authorize Staff to Apply for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 Community Equity Grant through the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development for the Project Trellis Local Equity Program
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Authorize staff to apply for the FY 2024-25 Community Equity Grant application cycle for $600,000 of state funds for Project Trellis Local Equity grants; and
2. Approve a $100,000 General Fund allocation as match for the state funds to be used for administrative support of the Project Trellis program for FY 2025-26; and
3. Direct staff to award funding based upon the applicant queue established during the FY 2023-24 Project Trellis Grant Round until all currently eligible applicants are awarded.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board's Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: A Diverse, Equitable & Robust Economy
Strategic Plan Category: 2001 - Promote strong economic resiliency and growth
DISCUSSION:
On Oct. 1, 2024, staff from the County Administrative Office's Economic Development Division received a memo from the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announcing the availability of the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions for FY 2024-25. This funding is the source for the Project Trellis Local Equity Program and is intended to support individuals who were negatively impacted by the prohibition of cannabis and are seeking to enter or remain in the legal cannabis market. The program is operated through the Local Equity Program Manual as approved by the Board and state.
On June 14, 2022, the Board approved an allocation of a $100,000 general fund match for this program. This decision was based on the program's ongoing administrative cost and award funding formula...
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