The Chaffee County Marijuana Excise Tax Advisory Board has announced its 2021 Grant Cycle. This year the tax distribution is estimated to be approximately $150,000.
A Chaffee County Commissioner-appointed a seven-member Marijuana Excise Tax Advisory Board (METAB) guides the excise tax-funded grant program, which began in 2016. This Board is now releasing its fourth-year community grant application and invites eligible organizations and agencies to apply.
Pure Greens completely climate-controlled cultivation operation in Smeltertown. Photo by Jan Wondra.
In November 2016, Chaffee County voters approved a Marijuana Excise Tax proposed by the County Commissioners. The excise tax is levied on the first sale or transfer of unprocessed retail (recreational) marijuana from retail cultivation facilities in Chaffee County. Collected taxes are to be used to support eligible local programs and initiatives through an annual grant-making process.
Grants awarded for 2021 will be for at least $1,000 and will not exceed $25,000 per successful application.
Eligible organizations include programs under the supervision of Chaffee County Human Services or Public Health. A clarification of this primary focus was a discussion topic in last week’s Chaffee Board of County Commissioners meeting, where they reiterated to the Chffee Dept. of Human Services Director Dave Henson, that reading the METAB mission should be part of grant review meetings
This non-profit focus includes organizations serving the youth of Chaffee County. Other non-profit organizations providing services in one or more of the following areas are eligible: human services (including youth services); public health (including mental health); workforce and family housing; and government agencies for the regulation of marijuana and other drugs and enforcement of related laws.
This year applications will be available through the Chaffee County online grants portal. the grant application process has a couple of steps. To register an organization in the portal and access the applications go to https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=ccgrants. The portal will be open for applicants to begin registration and access the mandatory pre-application today, August 17, 2020.
The mandatory pre-application is due by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 18.
METAB will notify qualified applicants with an invitation to proceed with the full application on a rolling basis as pre-applications are submitted. The full grant application submission deadline is a11:59 p.m. on October 16, 2020. METAB will make funding recommendations to the County Commissioners in December 2020.
Chaffee Commissioners will then review and approve the distribution of the 2020 marijuana excise tax funds and awards will be announced.
An optional, open meeting to allow potential applicants to ask questions about the grant program or application process will be held on Thursday, August 27th at 3:00 p.m. This meeting will be held via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting – https://zoom.us/j/98328448224, Meeting ID: 983 2844 8224. Or, join by phone: (253) 215-8782 or (346) 248-7799.
Contact METAB administrator, Ben Doon, at metabgrants@gmail.com with any questions.
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