SEED 2.0 Rental Assistance Grant Program Overview

The SEED Rental Assistance Grant Application closes at 11:59 pm PST on Thursday, March 30, 2023

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The SEED 2.0 Rental Assistance Grant Program utilizes $1 million in funding from the Cannabis Equity Grant for Local Jurisdictions (CEG) to provide financial assistance to verified Social Equity Individual Applicants as follows:

  • SEED 2.0 Rental Assistance Grant Program funds will be made available to verified Social Equity Individual Applicants and Licensees who: (1) are seeking Temporary Approval or a License for license type that is not retail commercial cannabis activity; (2) have passed the Pre-Application Review stage with a compliant proposed Business Premises; and (3) have executed lease and/or binding Letter of Intent for that proposed Business Premises. Applicants may apply to receive a financial grant of $10,000 to be disbursed as described below. 

USE OF FUNDS:  SEED Rental Assistance Grant funds may be used for the following purposes:

  • To pay rent or a security deposit pursuant to a fully executed commercial lease for the purposes of operating a licensed commercial cannabis business. 
  • To finance up to one month of back rent due on a fully executed commercial lease for the purposes of operating a licensed commercial cannabis business.
  • To secure a Binding Letter of Intent by paying the required security deposit for the purposes of operating a licensed commercial cannabis business.
  • To assist with build-out or construction costs for the purposes of renovating a location to operate a licensed commercial cannabis business, as long as estimates and/or unpaid invoices for each construction budget item are submitted with the grant application.

SEED 2.0 Rental Assistance Grant funds shall not be used for any of the following purposes:

  • Operating an unlicensed cannabis business;
  • Purchasing cannabis or cannabis related products;
  • Re-lending or investing;
  • Business expenses for a business that  does not require a license from the City of Los Angeles for commercial cannabis activity;     
  • Personal expenses or the acquisition of personal property, including rent on a personal residence, or the purchase of cars or homes, etc.; 
  • Payments or distributions from borrower to its principals, partners, members, investors or employees other than for ordinary compensation for services rendered; and
  • Refinancing existing debt.

SEED 2.0 EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:  In order to apply for a SEED Rental Assistance Grant, the verified SEIA will be required to take one Education Course, and complete its respective quiz.  Applicants can take courses through the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) Learning Management System (LMS) which can be found here.  Please sign in using the email that you used to register for your Accela account.  

In order to apply for a SEED 2.0 Rental Grant, applicants will be required to take the  Course – Commercial Leasing and Contract Negotiations Parts 1 & 2:

  • In this course, a subject matter expert will walk through a standardized commercial leasing agreement and will provide you with tips on negotiating with landlords. The quizzes must be completed.

SEED 2.0 RECEIPTS:  SEED 2.0 grant recipients will be required to upload receipts totalling how the grant funds were spent within sixty days after receipt of funds. Receipts can be uploaded using the Elevate Impact Expense App found at ElevateImpactFunds.com.