The Minnesota Department Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) are now seeking public input on the development of four new state programs for the legal cannabis industry: CanGrow, CanNavigate, CanStartup and CanTrain.   

When the Legislature legalized cannabis in 2023, lawmakers recognized the significant, positive economic impact this new industry could have on Minnesota. Lawmakers created four programs to help entrepreneurs enter the sector and launch businesses, and to train a workforce that is ready for jobs in cannabis:

CanGrow: A $2 million program to provide technical assistance and financing for farmers to enter Minnesota’s legal cannabis industry.

CanNavigate: A $2 million program to expand technical assistance for businesses in the legal cannabis industry.

CanStartup: A $6 million fund to help finance licensed cannabis microbusinesses.

CanTrain: A $4 million workforce development program aimed at preparing workers for jobs in the legal cannabis industry.

These four new programs were created to support a social equity-focused cannabis industry that supports small, independent businesses in Minnesota. DEED and OCM want to center community expertise in the design of these programs so they will meet the state's needs. To accomplish this, DEED and OCM have launched a Request for Information (RFI) to invite input from the community.

This RFI is for Minnesotans who are interested in using the programs when they launch. Among others, that includes:

• Entrepreneurs interested in starting a legal cannabis business;
• Nonprofit lenders that would like to lend to licensed cannabis businesses;
• Experts in cannabis policy and industry; and
• Those who would like to pursue jobs and careers in the cannabis sector.

The RFI will be open until June 14, 2024, at which point DEED and OCM will produce a public report on aggregate data and findings. Staff will use this report to create CanGrow, CanNavigate, CanStartup and CanTrain programs that will best serve Minnesota.

You can find more information on the RFI, and provide feedback, here. For questions, contact cannabis.deed@state.mn.us.