The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has awarded the first round of funding through the $5 million Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) Grant Program to 52 licensed dispensary owners across the state.
This grant initiative helps cover startup and operational costs such as commercial rent, renovations, security systems, inventory tracking, and retail technology as well as reimbursement for expenses already paid during the startup process — providing up to $30,000 in reimbursement support per awardee.
“These grants are about more than dollars and cents, they are about investing in the people and communities who are helping to build New York’s cannabis market the right way,” said Felicia A.B. Reid, Acting Executive Director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. “OCM is proud to support the development of cannabusinesses led by formerly justice-involved entrepreneurs. Their work speaks to the incredible promise of business inclusivity and demonstrates what’s possible when equity is more than just a word—it’s a foundation.”
CAURD licensees were the first retail dispensaries to open for legal adult-use cannabis sales in New York State, establishing businesses owned by justice-involved individuals at the bedrock of New York’s adult-use cannabis market. CAURD licensees made New York’s first legal cannabis sales, speeding the delivery of investments into communities across New York State that were impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition.
