West Cook News

Cook County Government announced the launch of the Cook County Cannabis Development Grant program, providing up to $3.6 million in grants to businesses with licenses awarded under the State of Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Social Equity Program.

“With the legalization of cannabis in Illinois in 2020, this new program will play a pivotal role in putting cannabis-based businesses on a pathway to success,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “I’m proud to say that not only are we keeping people who possess small amounts of it out of jail, and not only are we expunging the criminal records of those with cannabis-related convictions, but we are helping those same impacted communities that are now part of the legal cannabis industry."

The program offers grants to social-equity cannabis licensees to defray some costs associated with opening and operating a cannabis business in Illinois. The County will award grants based on license type: selected craft growers will receive $150,000; selected infusers will receive $100,000; selected dispensaries will receive $75,000; and selected transporters will receive $75,000.

To be eligible for this program, businesses must have a State of Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Social Equity license and commit to locating their cannabis-based business in Cook County.

The County anticipates that application volume will exceed available funding. Grant administrators will prioritize applications based on factors including date of license award (older license holders receiving priority), location in a Disproportionately Impacted Area (DIA) with commitment to continue operations there, and majority ownership residing in a DIA.

“The Cook County Cannabis Development Grant is a vehicle to support social equity applicants,” said Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry. “It’s a vehicle to support the disproportionately impacted communities of Cook County, and it’s a vehicle to support small business creation.”

The Cook County Equity Task Force recommended establishing a grant program for social equity cannabis license holders in 2022. The program acknowledges the record of incarceration and exclusion faced by communities of color due to the War on Drugs.

The Cook County Equity Fund has provided funds for this program. “There is a saying: Put your money where your mouth is. And that is what the Cook County Cannabis Commission did,” said Willie J.R. Fleming, an independent social-equity cannabis license holder who is part of the South and Westside Coalition for Commerce. “I’m grateful and excited as a social-equity license holder that our Cook County Government was innovative, inclusive and creative in helping remove some financial barriers we face in this industry. I hope this program serves as a model for other county governments locally and nationally.”

The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development has contracted the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) as grant administrator.

Informational webinars on the application process will be hosted by the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development (BED) on May 29 and June 7. Interested applicants can learn more about the program and ask questions.

For more information, visit the Cook County Cannabis Development Grant website.

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