New York State opened the second round of cannabis funding through its Community Reinvestment Program, expanding efforts to direct cannabis tax revenue into neighborhoods most impacted by decades of drug enforcement policies.
The initiative, led by the Cannabis Advisory Board and the Office of Cannabis Management, will make at least $5 million available to community-based organizations statewide, with total funding potentially reaching $15 million pending final approval of the Fiscal Year 2026–2027 budget. The new round builds on an initial $5 million awarded during the program’s first phase.
What’s New in Round Two:
To strengthen equity, accessibility, and community impact, OCM has updated the Request for Applications with several enhancements:
- Communities Disproportionally Affected (CDA) Priority Service Area Map — A new data-driven tool to better align proposals with CDA’s by past cannabis prohibition.
- Two Tier Applicant Structure — Funding is now split into two tiers to ensure smaller and mid-sized organizations have a meaningful opportunity to secure grants:
Tier 1: Small to medium-sized organizations
Tier 2: Larger organizations
- Revamped and Streamlined Application — Simplified questions and clearer guidance to reduce administrative burden while maintaining evaluative rigor.
“Community reinvestment is not symbolic, it is structural,” said John Kagia, acting executive director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. “This next round of funding builds on the meaningful impact we began in October 2025, strengthening our connection to communities that have too often been left behind. By expanding access and clarifying expectations, we are empowering organizations to turn vision into measurable results.”
For full details, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and the updated RFA, visit the OCM Community Reinvestment Program webpage. For ongoing updates, sign up for the OCM newsletter at bit.ly/ocmnewsletter.
