Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP)

Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP) is sponsored by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) - Office of Cannabis Grants. The CRGP promotes ecosystem restoration and ecological health in California. Funding is available under three opportunities: Cleanup, Remediation, and Watershed Enhancement; Qualified Cultivator; and Research and Innovation.

Cannabis Restoration Grant Program EPIMS - Permitting Portal Cannabis Restoration Grant Program News Release: CDFW Cannabis Restoration Grant Program Funds Conservation Activities for Coho Salmon at Hatchery in Santa Cruz County Clean up, remediate, and restore habitats impacted by cannabis cultivation; Conduct research that benefits native species and promotes ecosystem resilience; Foster partnerships with tribes, non-profit organizations, and public agencies committed to protecting California’s natural resources.

If interested in grant funding, the first step is to contact CRGP staff at CannGrantProgram@wildlife. ca. gov .

Cannabis Restoration Grant Program Story Map Cleanup, Remediation and Watershed Enhancement (CRWE) CRWE funding facilitates environmental stewardship by supporting local partnerships and providing financial assistance for projects that support cleanup, remediation, and restoration of areas impacted by cultivation and related activities on public, private and tribal lands.

Cannabis Research and Innovation Funding Opportunity (RIFO) RIFO funding facilitates environmental sustainability of legal cannabis cultivation and addresses environmental impacts related to cannabis cultivation.

California's fish and wildlife are severely impacted by illicit cannabis cultivation practices, including unlawful water diversions, habitat destruction, poaching, and use of prohibited herbicides, rodenticides, and other environmental contaminants. Learn how cannabis cultivation can impact the environment .

In 2017, Assembly Bill 243 (Wood, Medical Marijuana) provided direction to CDFW to restore watersheds impacted by cannabis cultivation in key areas of coastal Northern California. CDFW awarded funds to four implementation projects, totaling approximately $1. 3 million, for refuse and infrastructure removal, and replanting efforts.

Beginning in 2017-2018, a portion of funds from the Environmental Restoration and Protection Account were set aside for CDFW for the cleanup, remediation, and restoration of environmental damage in watersheds affected by cannabis cultivation and related activities and to support local partnerships for this purpose. Frequently Asked Questions Who qualifies for CRGP funding?

The following entities are eligible to apply and receive CRGP funding: Public agencies within California (state agencies or departments, public universities and colleges, special districts, joint power authorities, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions of the state). Nonprofit Organizations qualified to do business in California, under Section 501(c), Title 26 of the United States Code.

To be considered an eligible nonprofit organization, an organization must have applied for tax-exempt status and received final approval from the IRS under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Entities still in the application phase will not be considered eligible applicants. California Native American Tribes as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21073.

What projects qualify for grant funding? The eligibility requirements are detailed in the PSNs. Proposals submitted under the Cleanup, Restoration, and Watershed Enhancement PSN or the Research and Innovation Grant PSN that directly benefit species listed as endangered or threatened per the California Endangered Species Act will receive higher scores.

Proposals should also provide co-benefits, which may include implementation of actions described in species recovery plans, California’s 30X30 conservation framework, the State Wildlife Action Plan, or similar plans, and/or promote a local equity program. All grants require a monitoring and reporting plan as well as a long-term management plan as deliverables, if not included at the time of the grant application.

Cleanup, Remediation, and Watershed Enhancement Funding Opportunity Priorities: Cleanup and remediation of waste, contaminants, and infrastructure associated with illicit cannabis cultivation on public, private or tribal land, reduction of sediment delivery from road crossings, increased water conservation, and/or enhancement of wildlife communities impacted by cannabis activities.

Research and Innovation Grant Funding Opportunity Priorities: Improve the collective understanding of how cannabis cultivation influences the environment; provide actionable solutions for cannabis cultivation impacts on the environment; address environmental factors to support sustainable cultivation; and/or contribute to the conservation of California’s fish, wildlife, and the habitats upon which they depend.

Who funds the Cannabis Restoration Grant Program and how much money is available? Is there a limit to how much a grant can cover? Currently, there is no minimum or maximum grant award amount.

All project costs must be consistent with the purposes of the grant program and explicitly outlined in the grant agreement and adhered to as defined. CannGrantProgram@wildlife. ca.

gov Refuse and irrigation piping removed and organized (left and top right) for helicopter removal from the Bull Creek Watershed (bottom right). Photos courtesy of the Watershed Restoration Grant Program and Eel River Watershed Improvement Group. P.

O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244 canngrantprogram@wildlife. ca.

gov