California awards $52.4 million to reinvest in communities, increase economic opportunity across the state

Sacramento, CA – Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) awarded $52.4 million to 33 organizations through the California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) program, which serves communities disproportionately affected by past federal and state drug policies.

The funds come from the cannabis tax revenue generated by The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64, 2016) and aid qualified community-based organizations and local health departments in a range of activities, including:

• Job placement
• Mental health treatment
• Substance use disorder treatment
• System navigation services
• Legal services to address barriers to reentry
• Linkages to medical care

“The California Community Reinvestment Grants program continues to serve as a valuable resource for communities that have faced long-standing barriers to opportunity,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz. “This latest round of awards will support the economic health and well-being of neighborhoods across the state that need and deserve this critical level of reinvestment.”

Past federal and state drug policies led to 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 the use of public housing and other public assistance, and the separation of families. The CalCRG program aims to advance health, wellness and economic justice for these populations and communities. Learn more about the CalCRG program here.