About the Trust Fund
The first of its kind in Massachusetts, the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund (CSE Trust Fund) was established by Section 14A of Chapter 94G of the General Laws (Authorizing Statute) and is administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED). This new initiative will make financial assistance available to eligible applicants for the purpose of encouraging the full participation in the Commonwealth’s regulated marijuana industry of entrepreneurs from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement. The goal of the CSE Trust Fund is to increase equity and opportunity within the state’s regulated marijuana industry.
The Authorizing Statute also established the Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board to work with and advise EOED on the promulgation of regulations and administration of the Trust Fund. For information on the Advisory Board’s membership, upcoming meetings, past meeting minutes, etc., please visit the Advisory Board’s webpage. EOED is in the process of promulgating regulations that will govern the administration of the CSE Trust Fund. A public hearing was held January 12th, 2024, on the draft regulations and a copy may be found here.
The CSE Trust Fund will house several financial assistance programs to support eligible cannabis entrepreneurs. The Immediate Needs Grant Program is the first program to provide financial assistance from the CSE Trust Fund and will open January 23, 2024, at 9:00 AM.
The Immediate Needs Grant Program
The Healey-Driscoll Administration is pleased to announce the availability of financial resources with the launch of its first program from the CSE Trust Fund: The Immediate Needs Grant Program, which will offer grants to support cannabis business license holders with urgent financial needs. The program will provide grants to eligible Marijuana Establishments and Medical Marijuana Treatment Center businesses (see Appendix I of the NOFA for definitions) in amounts up to $50,000 to support imminent or outstanding expenses essential to the operation of the business such as personnel costs, rent, utility or other facility expenses, loan repayments or debt service, regulatory fees, professional service payments or other expenses that support stabilizing the business.
To be eligible for a grant from this program an applicant must be a duly organized Massachusetts business entity with a provisional or final licensed issued by the Cannabis Control Commission (Commission) that qualifies as an Economic Empowerment Priority Applicant or Social Equity Business.
For more information, please review the FY24 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
Allowable Use of Funds
Applicants may request funds to support imminent or outstanding expenses essential to the operation of the business, including but not limited to:
- Personnel costs: Business payroll expenses.
- Rent, lease, utilities, or other facility expenses
- Regulatory Fees: Application, permitting, licensing and other regulatory fees needed to maintain licensure;
- Professional Services: Outstanding bills for critical services, such as legal, accounting, etc.
- Debt service: Loans repayments or business debt service, both principal and interest, to help bring loans current (not for any prepayment of principal or interest); or
- Other expenses that support stabilizing the business.
How to Apply
To apply for financial assistance through the CSE Trust Fund, applicants must complete and submit a Full Application through the online grant application portal (Submittable). Once your organization is registered in the Submittable system, you may begin work on any available opportunities for the current round. Any designated user may access, edit, and/or save an application(s) on behalf of their organization.
CSETF Online Application Walkthrough
Additional Information
Informational Webinar
An informational webinar was held on January 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM via Zoom. A recording of the webinar is available here.
Key Dates
Application Opens January 23, 2024, at 9:00 AM.
CSE Trust Fund Immediate Needs Grant Program Webinar January 30, 2024, at 12 PM.
Application submissions will be accepted through February 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions may be submitted via email to CannabisEquityFund@mass.gov. Similar questions will be aggregated, and responses will be posted here and/or in a Frequently Asked Questions document.