Grand Rapids Reporter

The Grand Rapids City Commission has approved the creation of a nonprofit organization to help communities that were most affected by over-enforcement of cannabis laws before the substance was legalized, it said in a press release.

"Forming this nonprofit will help us achieve our goals in the areas in which the city does not have direct regulatory control," Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said. "It gives us flexibility in the execution and advancement of certain types of initiatives related to advancing equity in the cannabis industry and assisting members of our community that currently do not have access to enter this emerging field."

The independent body will help advance social equity city-wide by supporting efforts such as economic incentives, business incubation, entrepreneur training, job and wealth creation strategies, and expungement assistance, in order to increase opportunities for traditionally under-resourced communities, the city said.

This interdepartmental effort included city representatives from the executive office, planning department, Department of Law, and Office of Equity and Engagement, according to the release. The proposed nonprofit organization first appeared as part of the city’s Cannabis Social Equity Policy, which was adopted in July 2020 by the city commission.

The city reported that "formation of the nonprofit was a key part of the policy recommendation supporting the improvement of social equity outcomes in the city as a whole and within Grand Rapids' new cannabis industry."