Dear Social Equity Individual Applicant and Licensee: 

Designed as a financial support service to deposit rental assistance funds directly  into your account,  the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) encourages all verified Social Equity Individual Applicants (SEIA) and those with an active license application to apply now for the $5 million Social Equity Entrepreneur Development (SEED) 2022 Rental Assistance Grant Program.  Rental assistance support will continue to be awarded until the funds are exhausted. The application period runs through March 30,  2023 (11:59 PM PT).   

To apply online, register for an account at Elevate Impact LA

The next, easy-to-follow Lunch & Learn training webinar will walk verified SEIAs through the rental assistance grant application process, specifically the legal documents required to complete the grant application.
 

December 1,   12:00  PM - 1:00 PM

Verified Social Equity Individual Applicants (SEIAs) of Phase 3 Retail Round 1 and Verified Phase 3 Retail Round 2 and all other SEIAs  with an active application or license are encouraged to apply now to receive up to $50,000 or $10,000 for rental assistance. Those who apply must meet the following criteria:*

$50,000 Grant Eligibility - Verified Phase 3 Retail Round 1 and Verified Phase 3 Retail Round 2 SEIAs whose applications have been deemed eligible for further processing and who have an executed lease or a binding Letter of Intent.

$10,000 Grant Eligibility - Verified SEIAs who have executed leases in all other license types (excluding Phase 3 Retail Round 1). 

*Applicants who receive  funds under SEED 1.0 are not eligible for SEED 2.0. Applicants who receive funds under SEED 2.0 are not eligible for SEED 1.0.

How can I use the SEED 1.0 & 2.0 Rental Assistance Grant Funds?

• To pay rent on a fully executed commercial lease.

• To finance up to one month of back rent due on a fully executed commercial lease.

• To secure a binding Letter of Intent by paying the required security deposit.

• To assist with tenant build-out costs as long as estimates and/or unpaid invoices totaling the grant amount are submitted with the grant application.

If you have questions about the SEED Rental Assistance Grant Program or the Social Equity program, please send an email to DCR.SEP@lacity.org. 

The City of Los Angeles established the SEED Grant Program in April of 2021. The SEED Grant Program utilizes funding from the Cannabis Equity Grant for Local Jurisdictions (CEG Grant) to provide direct  financial assistance to verified Social Equity Individual Applicants and Licensees. To date, the City of Los Angeles has dedicated $11 million towards the SEED Grant Program with funds made available through the 2019,  2020 and 2022 CEG Grant awards.  The Rules and Regulations for the SEED Grant Program can be found on page 46 here.  The City of Los Angeles reserves the right to evaluate and revise the SEED Grant Program at any time in the future based on information gathered in its evaluation.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation is responsible for administering the commercial cannabis licensing and regulatory program established by the Los Angeles City Council. Specifically, DCR processes all applications for commercial cannabis licenses in the City of Los Angeles, makes licensing decisions or licensing recommendations to the Cannabis Regulation Commission, and regulates the operations of licensed commercial cannabis businesses in the City.