The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) recently awarded 78 California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG), totaling $35.5 million awarded to organizations statewide.
The funding allotment stems from cannabis tax revenue generated by the Adult Use of Marijuana Act and is structured to aid communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.
“Now in its fourth year, the California Community Reinvestments Grants program continues to be an important tool for communities that still face systemic restrictions and barriers to opportunity and equity,” said Dee Dee Myers, director of GO-Biz and senior advisor to Gov. Newsom. “This latest round of awards will support the economic justice and well-being of communities across our state.”
GO-Biz is authorized to award grants to local health departments and qualified community-based nonprofit organizations to support the job placement; mental health treatment; substance use disorder treatment; system navigation services; legal services to address barriers to reentry; and medical care linkages.
State officials noted stringent federal and state drug policies enacted previously resulted in the mass incarceration of people of color, decreased access to social services, loss of educational attainment due to diminished federal financial aid eligibility, prohibitions on public housing and other public assistance, and family separation.