ST. PAUL, MN — The state of Minnesota will distribute “reparations” for harm done by marijuana criminalization, according to a report.
The framework for the “CanRenew” grant program was included in the recreational marijuana bill that Democrats passed in the spring in the Minnesota Legislature.
“This is a form of reparation,” state Sen. Lindsey Port — who authored the cannabis bill — told the Star Tribune.
“Direct harm has been done to communities by prohibition and by the state, and it is our responsibility to undo that harm. This is really our first major investment in doing that, and it should have the same kind of lasting effects that, unfortunately, the war on drugs has had on communities of color.”
Under state law, the CanRenew program will award grants “to communities where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants.”
Read the specific statutes related to the CanRenew program below:
Sec. 61.
[342.71] CANNABIS INDUSTRY COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANTS.
Subdivision 1.
Establishment.
The Office of Cannabis Management shall establish
CanRenew, a program to award grants to eligible organizations for investments in
communities where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants.
Subd. 2.
Definitions.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
(b) “Community investment” means a project or program designed to improve
community-wide outcomes or experiences and may include efforts targeting economic
development, violence prevention, youth development, or civil legal aid, among others.
(c) “Eligible community” means a community where long-term residents are eligible to
be social equity applicants.
(d) “Eligible organization” means any organization able to make an investment in a
community where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants and may
include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, private businesses, community
groups, units of local government, or partnerships between different types of organizations.
(e) “Program” means the CanRenew grant program.
(f) “Social equity applicant” means a person who meets the qualification requirements
in section 342.16.
Subd. 3.
Grants to organizations.
(a) The office must award grants to eligible
organizations through a competitive grant process.
(b) To receive grant money, an eligible organization must submit a written application
to the office, using a form developed by the office, explaining the community investment
the organization wants to make in an eligible community.
(c) An eligible organization’s grant application must also include:
(1) an analysis of the community’s need for the proposed investment;
(2) a description of the positive impact that the proposed investment is expected to
generate for that community;
(3) any evidence of the organization’s ability to successfully achieve that positive impact;
(4) any evidence of the organization’s past success in making similar community
investments;
(5) an estimate of the cost of the proposed investment;
(6) the sources and amounts of any nonstate funds or in-kind contributions that will
supplement grant money; and
(7) any additional information requested by the office.
(d) In awarding grants under this subdivision, the office shall give weight to applications
from organizations that demonstrate a history of successful community investments,
particularly in geographic areas that are now eligible communities. The office shall also
give weight to applications where there is demonstrated community support for the proposed
investment. The office shall fund investments in eligible communities throughout the state.
Subd. 4.
Program outreach.
The office shall make extensive efforts to publicize these
grants, including through partnerships with community organizations, particularly those
located in eligible communities.
Subd. 5.
Reports to the legislature.
By January 15, 2024, and each January 15 thereafter,
the office must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees of the house of representatives and the senate having jurisdiction over community development that details awards given through the CanRenew program and the use of grant money, including any measures of successful community impact from the grants.