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Maryland Creates Cannabis Loan Fund for Minority, Women Businesses.

5/20/2026

Summary

Maryland Launches Cannabis Fund

The Maryland Department of Commerce created the Cannabis Business Assistance Loan/Grant Fund to finance small, minority- and women-owned cannabis businesses.
The fund also grants money to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and to incubators training cannabis entrepreneurs.
The Maryland Cannabis Authority can demand full repayment if a recipient misuses funds after a random audit.
The Authority may request spending data, subpoena vendor records, and share applicant information with Commerce for oversight.

Summary

Maryland Releases Grants

Grants are released in four tranches, with amounts matched to the Adequate Capital Requirement (ACR) that varies by license type.
Each tranche requires proof of payment and documentation confirming milestone achievement.
Applicants must meet the ACR milestone at the six-month mark of a conditional license and submit a supplemental application.
The portal opened on June 3, 2025, urging registration before requesting Tranche #1 and requiring the MCA-assigned lottery number and complete documents.

History

Historical Context

Massachusetts voters approved recreational cannabis in 2016, and in 2018 the state created the Cannabis Control Commission with a mandate to ensure participation by communities harmed by prohibition. After legal sales began that year, the state’s equity focus set a precedent that other states, such as Maryland, which legalized recreational use in 2022, have looked to.

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Maryland Launches Cannabis Fund

The Maryland Department of Commerce created the Cannabis Business Assistance Loan/Grant Fund to finance small, minority- and women-owned cannabis businesses.
The fund also grants money to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and to incubators training cannabis entrepreneurs.
The Maryland Cannabis Authority can demand full repayment if a recipient misuses funds after a random audit.
The Authority may request spending data, subpoena vendor records, and share applicant information with Commerce for oversight.

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