New York State has officially awarded the first round of funding through its $5 million CAURD Grant Program, providing financial support to 52 licensed cannabis dispensary owners in cities and towns across the state.
The announcement marks a significant milestone in the state’s push for an equitable and inclusive cannabis industry.
The Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) Grant Program is designed to help justice-involved entrepreneurs cover startup costs, including rent, renovations, security, and retail tech. Each recipient may receive up to $30,000 in reimbursements, helping them offset out-of-pocket expenses already incurred or cover new operational investments.
“These grants are about more than dollars and cents—they’re about investing in the people and communities who are helping to build New York’s cannabis market the right way,” said Felicia A.B. Reid, acting executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). “This program proves that equity can be a foundation, not just a promise.”
Awardees from the first round of grants represent a wide geographic reach, including dispensaries in Buffalo, Plattsburgh, Oneonta, New Paltz, Brooklyn, and Riverhead. The funding, administered by third-party provider FORWARD and managed in partnership with Empire State Development (ESD), was awarded on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes praised the effort: “This funding gives people entering the cannabis industry a bit of a leg up as they navigate a new and evolving marketplace. It’s also about social equity and reinvesting in communities—especially those like mine in Buffalo.”
State Senator Jeremy Cooney, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Cannabis, added, “The CAURD Grant Program puts real money into the hands of entrepreneurs, helping them grow sustainable businesses and realize the promise of cannabis equity.”
Grant recipients like Planet Nugg in Farmingdale and Purple Owl Dispensary in White Plains expressed gratitude, noting the support would help them build community-focused businesses and create local jobs.
From technical assistance to education and enforcement, the OCM continues its mission to build a just and inclusive cannabis industry in New York. CAURD licensees were among the first to open retail dispensaries in the state, placing equity-minded businesses at the center of the industry’s foundation.