TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — Grand Traverse County is set to distribute $500,000 in grants to nonprofits, religious organizations, schools, and other entities from the sales of recreational marijuana, according to Grand Traverse County.
The funds, derived from taxes and fees collected from the sale of recreational marijuana, are part of a local grant initiative established by the county board.
Lindsey Webber of Lighthouse Cannabis Dispensary expressed enthusiasm about the initiative. “Having the opportunity to still give back to the community in that way is huge for us,” she said.
Webber, who began her career in the medical marijuana industry, emphasized the importance of community support. “The ones that know and that are knowledgeable on the subject, definitely appreciate that, a lot of that money goes back,” she said.
The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act allows local governments to allocate revenue from marijuana taxes and fees as they see fit.
“It feels great, yes. I mean, it’s obviously something that I think a lot of people don’t understand when they come and shop with us. Why are taxes so high? So getting something like this out there and allowing people to realize it, it really is going back to the community is huge, ” Webber said.
Grand Traverse County Administrator Nate Alger explained the board’s decision to create a grant initiative. “Our board decided that we want to have some type of a local grant initiative with the marijuana funds,” Alger said. “The ad hoc committee met and decided that it would be roughly a 50/50 split. So, if we get a million dollars a year, we’ll have about $500,000 dollars a year to grant to various people who are interested in receiving those funds.”
The application process for these grants is now open and will run until October 1.
“Unlike opioid funds, which have specific usage restrictions, marijuana funds come with no such limitations. We can use these funds for whatever we would like to use them for,” said Alger.
Grants will range from $25,000 to $100,000, with a scoring matrix in place to evaluate applicants based on community needs, sustainable growth, and alignment with the county’s strategic goals.
Webber highlighted the importance of transparency in the process. “I think the transparency is the biggest thing, especially for people applying. We know that all of the money that we are paying outright is gonna go back into the community and that makes a huge difference when we’re talking about any of this kind of stuff. Especially with the amount of money involved,” she said.
For more information on the application process and criteria, visit HERE.
