Grant & Loan Opportunities
Below please find information on current grant and loan opportunities for cannabis equity applicants.
Equity Grant & Loan Programs
Grant Program
The City of Oakland's Special Activity Permits Division is now processing grants for cannabis equity applicants in house. Below please find a list of current and upcoming grants opportunities for equity applicants:
Current:
Go Biz #6 Grants
We held a kick-off for Go Biz #6 on Monday, March 2nd. If you were unable to attend, here's the video of the meeting.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation(PDF, 384KB) that was shared as well.
In the Spring of 2025, the City of Oakland (City) received its sixth grant from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz) to support cannabis equity businesses with start-up and ongoing costs in a total amount of ($2,074,369.75). The Go-Biz #6 grant period ends October 31, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
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A valid annual State Cannabis License.
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A valid Annual, Conditional Operating or Non-Operating Permit with the City of Oakland.
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A valid City of Oakland Business Tax Certificate.
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If you are a loan recipient, loan payments must be current.
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If a prior loan balance has been converted to a grant, the balance amount will be leveraged against any grant award.
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All receipts aligned with the approved budget for prior grants must have been submitted. *Please note this does not apply to grantees of the recent Rental Assistance Grants.
Application Process
The City will disburse Go-Biz #6 funding on a “first come first served basis” until all Go-Biz #6 funding has been disbursed. To receive a Go-Biz #6 grant, equity applicants must submit a complete application along with required documents utilizing the form below. City staff will then review the application for completeness. City staff will then notify the grant applicant that their application is either is complete or incomplete.
To ensure that all applicants receive their funding as quickly and reliably as possible, we will be disbursing grants in two (2) installments:
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First Installment: Disbursed upon initial approval.
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Second Installment: To receive your remaining funds, you must submit receipts that align with your approved budget from the first installment.
Required Documents
Allowable Uses:
Local & State Application Licensing and Regulatory Fees (including taxes)
Regulatory Compliance (Insurance, Security Measures, Accountant, Consultant, Banking charges)
Testing of Cannabis (Testing, Website, Packaging)
Capital Improvements (Building Improvements)
Training & Retention of qualified and diverse workforce
If you find that you need something that is not covered by this list, please contact us via email at cannabisapp@oaklandca.gov with the expense your business needs, and we will check with the State for approval.
Apply for a Go Biz #6 grant now!
Equity Grant & Loan Programs
Loan Program
The City is currently not processing any new loan applications due to lack of funding. The Special Activity Permits Division will examine whether enough loan repayments have been made to support the issuance of new loans.
In December 2023 the City Council adopted Resolution No. 90014 C.M.S. to allow equity applicants who had received a loan from the City of Oakland with the option of converting their loan balance into a grants, with the converted amount counting against an equity applicant's future grant eligibility.
During the May 7, 2024 equity stakeholders meeting, the Office of Knox and Ross and Oaksterdam University discussed the pros and cons of converting a loan to a grant, particularly around tax liability and how/when to convert a loan into a grant to minimize tax liability. If you were unable to attend, access the meeting here. Passcode: N+ti6XBS
Our office will then review your request and prepare a loan balance sheet to share with you for your review before moving forward with converting the loan to a grant. If you have any questions regarding the loan to grant conversion process, feel free to email cannabisapp@oaklandca.gov.