Community & Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Sofia Navarro
City Administrator Interim Director,
Department of Economic
and Workforce
Development
SUBJECT: Annual Governor’s Office of Business
and Economic Development Grant for
Cannabis Equity Program
DATE: February 26, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt The Following Pieces Of Legislation:
1. A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To:
(1) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) In State of California, Governor’s Office Of Business And Economic Development (GO-BIZ) Equity Act Grant Funds; And
(2) Expend And Administer The Go-Biz Grant By:
(A) Providing Grants For Business Start -Up And Ongoing Costs In An Amount Not To Exceed Two -Hundred And Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) Per Grant For Cannabis Equity Applicants And Licensees, To Be Determined And Without Return To Council ; And (B) Covering Sta ffing And Other Administrative Costs For The City’s Cannabis Equity Program.
And
2. A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 89681 C.M.S., Which Among Other Things Authorized An Increase In Funding For The Professional Services Agreement With 4Front Partners To Administer Cannabis Equity Grant And Loan Programs By Seventy -Eight Thousand Nine Hundred And Seventy -Nine Dollars And Seventy-Five Cents ($78,979.75), By:
(1) Further Increasing The Funding Amount Of The Three -Year Professional Services Agreement With Front Partners To Administer Cannabis Equity Grant And Loan Programs, By Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($45,000), For A Total Contract Amount Not To Exceed Six Hundred And Ninety -Three Thousand Nine Hundred And Thirty -Six Dollars And Eleven Cents ($693,936.11); And
(2) Waiving The Request For Proposals/Qualifications Process For The Proposed Funding Increase Of The Agreement With 4Front Partners
Jestin Johnson (Mar 14, 2024 22:39 PDT)
Mar 14, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 2
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council established the nation’s first Cannabis Equity Program (Equity Program) in the spring of 2017 following a race and equity analysis that identified strategies to promote equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry to address the disproportionate impacts of the war on drugs in marginalized communities of color. This City of Oakland (City) action led to the creation of California’s Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions administered by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz) that has made funding available on an annual basis for local jurisdictions with cannabis equity programs. In February of this year Go-Biz awarded the City $3,000,000, the maximum amount per local jurisdiction this funding cycle, to support the City’s Equity Program over the next year.
This funding offers an opportunity to continue building upon the foundation the City has established for its Equity Program. Specifically, Go-Biz funds will provide equity applicants with capital via grants to support their businesses’ start-up and ongoing costs as well as a portion of the costs of administering the Equity Program.
In addition to accepting and appropriating the latest Go-Biz grant, staff recommends re- allocating unspent administrative funds from the prior Go-Biz grant to increase the contract with 4Front Partners (4Front) by $45,000. This re-structuring will provide 4Front with the necessary funding to finish distributing grants and loans to equity applicants funded from the prior Go-Biz grant and ensure a smooth transition of information as staff prepares to internally administer the next round of grants to equity applicants.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Federal Cannabis Policy
Cannabis remains a Schedule One controlled substance under federal law, however, since the 2013 Department of Justice “Cole Memorandum”1 and the 2015 Fahr-Rohrbacher federal budget amendment,2 state compliant medical cannabis facilities have generally been shielded from federal prosecution. The Trump Administration threatened to interrupt this status quo by rescinding the Cole Memorandum. Nonetheless, Congress has consistently extended the Fahr- Rohrbacher amendment and the federal government has not prioritized cannabis prosecutions.
Additionally, in October 2022 President Biden directed the Secretary of Health and Human services and the Attorney General to initiate the process to review how cannabis is scheduled under federal law.
1 The Cole Memorandum can be found here:
https://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resources/3052013829132756857467.pdf 2 The Fahr-Rohrbacher amendment states: “None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of… California…to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 3
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
California Statewide Cannabis Regulation
Although medical cannabis has been legal in California longer than anywhere in the country, until the passage of the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) in 2015, California’s system of medical cannabis was one of the least structured regulatory frameworks in the United States. MCRSA created a comprehensive regulatory framework for the cultivation, production, transportation and sale of medical cannabis in California, all overseen by a new state bureau. In November 2016, the people of California enacted the Adult-Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) or Proposition 64, which among other actions, established a licensing and taxation scheme for the non-medical adult-use of cannabis in California. Then in June 2017, the state legislature consolidated the MCRSA and AUMA into the Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA). State agencies have been implementing MAUCRSA ever since, including through the issuance of multiple sets of regulations governing cannabis operations.
Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory History
The City has been a leader in regulating cannabis. In 2004, following the federal closure of the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Club, the City’s initial medical cannabis provider under Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) 8.46, the City enacted OMC 5.80, which established the nation’s first permitting process for medical cannabis dispensaries. In 2011 the City expanded the number of available dispensary permits from four to eight and attempted to establish a permitting process for the cultivation of medical cannabis under OMC 5.81, however, threats of federal intervention and the lack of comprehensive state law prevented implementation of OMC 5.81.
Oakland Examines Equity Within Cannabis Industry
In anticipation of state legalization of the cannabis industry’s supply chain and the adult use of cannabis, in 2015 and 2016, the City began exploring approaches to legalizing the cannabis industry within Oakland. Discussions at the City Council centered around one question: Who benefits from cannabis legalization?
This inquiry led the City Council in the fall of 2016 to adopt the goal of promoting equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry to address the disproportionate impacts of the war on drugs in marginalized communities of color and to direct the City Administration to conduct a race and equity analysis of proposed medical cannabis regulations.
In March 2017, staff returned with a race and equity analysis3 that identified barriers to achieving a more equitable cannabis industry and strategies to remove those barriers. For example, the analysis found disparities within the cannabis industry in access to capital and real estate as well as disparities in operators’ familiarity with the “red tape” involved in governmental processes and operating a compliant cannabis business. In response, the analysis recommended the creation of several measures to prioritize lower-income Oakland residents
3 https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Equity-Analysis-and-Proposed-Medical-Cannabis- Amendments.pdf
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 4
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
that either had a cannabis conviction arising out of Oakland or had lived in areas of Oakland that experienced disproportionately higher levels of cannabis enforcement.4 Strategies identified to prioritize equity applicants included:
• Free industry-specific and business ownership technical assistance; • A no-interest revolving loan program funded by new cannabis tax revenue; • A phased permitting process whereby the City Administrator must issue half of all permits under OMC 5.80 and 5.81 to equity applicants during the initial phase; • An incubator program that prioritizes general applicants who provide three years of free space and security to equity applicants; and
• Application and permit fee exemptions for equity applicants.
In the Spring of 2017, the City Council passed a legislative package (Ordinance No. 13424 C.M.S. and Resolution No. 86633 C.M.S.) enacting these recommendations and the City Administrator’s Office began accepting applications for non-dispensary permits in May of 2017.
Growth of a Larger Movement and State Grant Awards for Equity Program
Oakland’s pioneering race and equity analysis of the cannabis industry and creation of an Equity Program inspired jurisdictions across the country to pursue and support similar programs. Then starting in 2019 the State of California has set aside annual grant funding to support local jurisdictions’ cannabis equity programs. Table 1 outlines the amount of funding the City has received from the State of California, Oakland’s ranking among local jurisdictions each year, and the total amount of funding set aside by the State of California that year.
Table 1: Oakland’s Receipt of Local Equity Grant Funding State Funding
Agency
Fiscal Year
(FY)
Amount of
Funding
Received
Oakland's
Ranking
Among Local
Jurisdictions
Total Amount
of Funding
Available
Statewide
BCC5 FY 2019-2020 $1,657,201.65 2nd $10 million
Go-Biz FY 2019-2020 $6,576,705.76 1st $30 million
Go-Biz FY 2020-2021 $2,434,712.51 1st $15 million
Go-Biz FY 2021-2022 $5,435,140.82 2nd $35 million
Go-Biz FY 2022-2023 $1,996,487.50 1st $15 million
Go-Biz FY 2023-2024 $3,000,000 Tied-1st $15 million
4 OMC 5.80.010 and OMC 5.81.020 define an “Equity Applicant” as “an Applicant whose ownership/owner: 1. Is an Oakland resident; and 2. In the last year, had an annual income at or less than 80 percent of Oakland Average Medium Income (AMI) adjusted for household size; and 3. Either (i) has lived in any combination of Oakland police beats 2X, 2Y, 6X, 7X, 19X, 21X, 21Y, 23X, 26Y, 27X, 27Y, 29X, 30X, 30Y, 31Y, 32X, 33X, 34X, 5X, 8X, and 35X for at least ten of the last twen ty years or (ii) was arrested after November 5, 1996 and convicted of a cannabis crime committed in Oakland, California.” 5 Initially the Bureau of Cannabis Control, the predecessor to the Department of Cannabis Control, dispersed Local Equity Grant funding.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 5
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Approval of the requested action advances the Citywide priority of housing, economic, and cultural security by promoting business ownership opportunities for historically marginalized entrepreneurs.
Challenges Facing Equity Applicants
As noted in prior reports, the Equity Program does not exist in a vacuum. Equity applicants face many of the same challenges that confront entrepreneurs seeking to establish any business, such as securing sufficient capital, bringing a facility into compliance with building and fire codes, legal issues, scaling a business, as well as securing sales. Further, equity applicants encounter many of the same challenges that cannabis businesses face operating in the infancy of cannabis legalization, such as market uncertainty, regulatory compliance, inadequate access to banking, and security concerns. While the challenges faced by equity applicants may not be unique, these challenges likely have a disproportionate impact on equity applicants due to a web of past and present policies and actions of institutions that have resulted in disparities in business ownership and access to venture capital. For an overview of current challenges facing equity applicants, please see Attachment A, 2024 Cannabis Equity Program Survey.
Strategies for Utilizing Go-Biz Funds
The Go-Biz grant offers an opportunity to address the number one challenge confronting equity applicants, access to capital. Table 2 offers a summary of the proposed uses of Go-Biz funds and the level of funding proposed for each use.
Table 2: Proposed Use of Go-Biz 5 Grant Funds
Proposed Use
Amount of
Funds
A. Grants to Operators for Start-Up and Ongoing Costs $2,851,952.50 B. Half of a Program Analyst III $148,047.50
TOTAL $3,000,000
A. Grants to Operators to Assist with Start-Up and Ongoing Costs
Staff recommends that the City commit over $2.8 million to grants to operators for start-up and ongoing costs. Grants to equity operators provide access to capital, the fundamental barrier confronting equity applicants as they seek to gain entry and successfully operate in the state’s regulated cannabis marketplace. In a recent survey (see Attachment A), equity applicants identified lack of capital as the principal barrier to establishing a compliant cannabis business.
Grants address this barrier and provide operators with flexibility to cover the variety of expenses they encounter initiating and growing their business, from completing construction, to purchasing insurance, to covering state licensing fees. Notably, over seventy-five percent of recently surveyed equity businesses stated that the funding they received from the City allowed them to stay in business and another fifteen percent stated that this funding allowed their businesses to grow. In short, the capital support provided from Go-Biz is critical to equity businesses’ survival and growth.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 6
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
Staff also recommends distributing just grants and not loans this cycle as it streamlines the program and simplifies the administrative resources needed to distribute Go-Biz funds.
Similarly, consistent with prior grant cycles, staff recommends the City Council authorize the disbursement of grants to equity applicants that meet the grant program criteria rather than having to return to City Council for approval of each individual grant, which would prove extremely cumbersome for staff and equity applicants alike.
B. Administration of Equity Program
Go-Biz funds also offer an opportunity to cover a portion of staff costs administering the various components of the Equity Program plus the costs of a consultant administering the grant programs for equity applicants. Specifically, staff recommends directing Go-Biz funds towards half of the cost of a Program Analyst III who will be responsible for administering the grant program, tracking use of Go-Biz funds, and compiling quarterly and annual reports to Go-Biz.
Increased Funding for 4Front to Finish Disbursing Go-Biz 4 Funds
In addition to accepting the Go-Biz 5 grant, staff recommends repurposing the unspent administrative costs from the Go-Biz 4 grant towards 4Front Partners (4Front), the City’s existing consultant, to finish administering Go-Biz 4 funded grants and loans for equity operators. The City no longer needs the full amount of funds budgeted for City staff under the Go-Biz 4 grant due to a staff vacancy. At the same time, 4Front, a small local business that the City selected following a competitive Request for Proposals process in 2022, needs additional funding to finish disbursing grants and loans to equity applicants. Additionally, as the Citytransitions from a consultant administering cannabis equity loan and grant programs to processing grants and loans in house, this funding will allow for a smooth transition of information from 4Front to City staff. Accordingly, staff recommends repurposing $45,000 from City staff costs towards 4Front as outlined in Table 3 below.
Table 3: Original and Proposed Use of Go-Biz 4 Grant Funds Proposed Use
Original Use of
Funds
Proposed New
Use of Funds
A. Grants/Loans to Operators for Start-Up and
Ongoing Costs $1,796,838.75 $1,796,838.75
B. Half of a City Administrator Analyst $120,669.00 $75,669.00 C. Consultant Administering of Grant/Loan Programs $78,979.75 $123,979.75 TOTAL $1,996,487.50 $1,996,487.50
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff recommends the acceptance and appropriation of the Go-Biz grant of $3,000,000 to continue the City’s support of cannabis equity operators. The purpose and requirements of the Go-Biz grant require that almost all of the funding be distributed externally. Accordingly, only $148,047.50 of the Go-Biz grant will go towards City expenses, and the Program Analyst position has always been funded via grants, so none of the Go-Biz grant will replace existing Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 7
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
City costs or funding of the Equity Program. The Go-Biz grant funds will be deposited in the State of California Grant Fund (2159), Cannabis Organization (85621), Miscellaneous State Grant Revenue Account (46229), in Go Biz 5 Project (TBD).
Likewise, the adjustments to Go-Biz 4 Grant have no fiscal impact on the City as they do not alter the overall grant amount and the proposed increase in funding for a consultant administering loan and grant programs will utilize unspent City funds that are available due to a staff vacancy.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Staff’s recommendations are based on survey responses of equity applicants and years of interactions with equity businesses. Additionally, staff presented its recommendations on how to utilize the Go Biz funds at the March 2024 Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) and the March equity stakeholder meeting.
COORDINATION
The Special Activity Permits Division in the Economic and Workforce Development Department consulted with the Budget Bureau and the Office of the City Attorney in preparation of this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Establishing a pathway to equitable cannabis industry growth will generate economic opportunities for Oakland residents.
Environmental: Encouraging local employment and business ownership can reduce commutes and related greenhouse gas emissions.
Race and Equity: Promoting equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry can decrease disparities in life outcomes for marginalized communities of color and address disproportionate impacts of the war on drugs in those communities.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt The Following Pieces Of Legislation:
1. A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To:
(1) Apply For, Accept, And Appropriate Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) In State of California, Governor’s Office Of Business And Economic Development (GO -BIZ) Equity Act Grant Funds; And
(2) Expend And Administer The Go-Biz Grant By:
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Go-Biz Grant for Cannabis Equity Program
Date: February 26, 2024 Page 8
Community Economic Development Committee
March 26, 2024
(A) Providing Grants For Business Start -Up And Ongoing Costs In An Amount Not To Exceed Two-Hundred And Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) Per Grant For Cannabis Equity Applicants And Licensees, To Be Determined And Without Return To Council ; And (B) Covering Staffing And Other Administrative Costs For The City’s Cannabis Equity Program.
And
2. A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 89681 C.M.S., Which Among Other Things Authorized An Increase In Funding For The Professional Services Agreement With 4Front Partners To Administer Cannabis Equity Grant And Loan Programs By Seventy -Eight Thousand Nine Hundred And Seventy-Nine Dollars And Seventy-Five Cents ($78,979.75), By:
(1) Further Increasing The Funding Amount Of The Three-Year Professional Services Agreement With Front Partners To Administer Cannabis Equity Grant And Loan Programs, By Forty -Five Thousand Dollars ($45,000), For A Total Contract Amount Not To Exceed Six H undred And Ninety-Three Thousand Nine Hundred And Thirty -Six Dollars And Eleven Cents ($693,936.11); And
(2) Waiving The Request For Proposals/Qualifications Process For The Proposed Funding Increase Of The Agreement With 4Front Partners
For questions regarding this report, please contact Greg Minor, Deputy Director, Economic and Workforce Development Department, at (510) 238-6370.
Respectfully submitted,
SOFIA NAVARRO
Interim Director, Economic and Workforce
Development Department
Prepared by:
GREG MINOR
Deputy Director, Economic and Workforce
Development Department
Attachments (1):
Attachment A: 2024 Cannabis Equity Program Survey
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 1/9 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
1. Are you currently operating?
2. How long have you been operating?
3. Please select the top reason why you are not operating. If you select "Other," please explain.
4. How many individuals do you currently employ? For this question, an employee is someone who works at least 35 hours a week.
52 Responses
85:10
Average time to complete
Active
Status
Yes 41
No 11
0-6 months 3
7-12 months 4
1-2 years 6
More than 2 years 28
Incubation period ended and co… 0
Build-out was too expensive. 1
It took too long to generate rev… 1
Burglaries 2
Negative incubation experience. 0
Other 7
None. I run my business by mys… 30
1-2 4
3-5 5
6-10 0
More than 10 2
$WWDFKPHQW$
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 2/9
5.Have you added or reduced staff in the last 12 months?
6.What barriers are you encountering as you establish a compliant cannabis business (please select all thatapply)? If you select "Other," please explain.
7.Which of the following City departments/outside agencies have been a barrier as you establish yourbusiness? Please select all that apply.
8.Has your business or staff experienced any burglaries or robberies? Added staff. 5
Reduced staff. 15
Staffing level has stayed the sa… 21
None 2
Finding a location7
Slow buildout 12
Obtaining insurance7
Hiring and training staff5
State licensing compliance10
Legal disputes 3
Tax problems 10
Lack of capital 34
Other 10
Special Activity Permits Division8
Bureau of Planning14
Bureau of Building15
Fire Prevention Bureau13
Oakland Police Department5
Alameda County Environmental …3
EBMUD 4
PG&E 2
None of these agencies have be…30
Yes 34
No 18
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 3/9
9.How much have burglaries/robberies cost your business financially?
10.After the burglary/robbery, did your business do any of the following? Please select all that apply andplease describe if you select "other."
11.After the burglary/robbery, did your business file an insurance claim, and if so, did your business receive apayout from your insurance company?
12.Can you please explain why you did not file an insurance claim? 17Responses Latest Responses
13.Please rate your business' future outlook.
Less than $10,00014
$10,001-$25,000 4
$25,001-$50,000 5
$50,001-$75,000 4
$75,001-$100,0002
$100,001-$200,0004
More than $200,0001
File a police report26
Apply for the City of Oakland's … 9
Other 6
No, our business did not file an …17
Yes, our business filed a claim a… 0
Yes, our business filed a claim a… 1
Our business filed a claim but re…12
Very promising 6
Promising 16
Neutral 17
Negative 8
Very Negative 5
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 4/9
14.Now that the City Council has approved equity applicants transferring their permits to general applicants,do you plan on selling your business and transferring your permit(s) to another business?
15.Have you received a grant or loan from the City of Oakland?
16.What impact did receiving funding from the City have on your business?
17.Have you received a loan from the City of Oakland?
18.Now that the City Council has authorized equity applicants converting unpaid loans into grants, do youplan on converting any of your outstanding loan balance into a grant? Please note any loan amount thatis converted to a grant will reduce your future grant eligibility by that amount.
Yes 3
I have not decided14
I am considering the option13
No 20
Other 2
Yes 45
No 7
The funding allowed our busine…7
The funding allowed our busine…32
The funding had no noticeable i…1
Other 5
Yes 30
No 15
Yes 21
No 9
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 5/9
19.How do you recommend that the City provide capital to operators: grants, interest-free revolving loans, orboth? Please note that while loans must be repaid, loans are not taxable and loan repayments providefuture funds for equity applicants. On the other hand, grants need not be repaid, but they are taxable andprovide no future funds to equity applicants.
20.The City is looking for strategies to streamline grant/loan processing going forward and ensure funds areused most effectively. By clicking on the up or down arrows, please prioritize the below options forfunding (1=top priority for funding; 6=lowest priority).
21.What strategies do you recommend for streamlining loan/grant funding going forward? 52Responses
Latest Responses
"Less processes "
"Keep using the online system for us to use to submit applications and track … "Have monthly mandatory accountability meetings, making sure that everyt…
22.Have you utilized Knox and Ross, the City's legal assistance provider for equity applicants?
23.How would you rank Knox and Ross' services?
Grants only 20
Interest-free revolving loans only1
Both grants and interest-free re…31
1 Equity applicants who can demo…
2 Equity applicants who already h…
3 Equity manufacturers in shared-…
4 Equity-owned brick and mortar …
5 Equity cultivators, since operatin…
6 Equity applicants who do not ha…
Yes 29
No 23
Very helpful 18
Somewhat helpful5
Neither helpful nor unhelpful2
Somewhat unhelpful1
Very unhelpful 3
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 6/9
24.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Knox and Ross? 18Responses
Latest Responses
"I am currently working with Knox and Ross to recover payments from the b… "Record more content "
25.Have you utilized Oaksterdam University, the City's free technical assistance provider for equityapplicants?
26.How would you rank Oaksterdam University's services?
27.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Oaksterdam University? 35Responses
Latest Responses
"This is a great partnership!"
"not sure exactly how they can help me or who is working with that team to …
28.Have you utilized Elevate Impact, the administrator of the City's loan and grant programs for equityapplicants?
29.How would you rank Elevate Impact's services?
Yes 35
No 17
Very helpful 16
Somewhat helpful8
Neither helpful nor unhelpful3
Somewhat unhelpful6
Very unhelpful 2
Yes 44
No 8
Very helpful 16
Somewhat helpful11
Neither helpful nor unhelpful3
Somewhat unhelpful5
Very unhelpful 9
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 7/9
30.Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Elevate Impact? 31Responses
Latest Responses
"To be more responsive."
"They were helpful, entire team was reachable and always willing to help! " "Great Program "
31.How can the City of Oakland better support your business? 41Responses
Latest Responses
"Assist EA’s with connecting with reputable business partners." "keep up the good work! I appreciate you Oakland "
"Marketing opportunities "
32.What else would you like to say about operating a cannabis business in Oakland? 41Responses
Latest Responses
"I think it’s a great program, I just need to get more looped in." "It's easy to navigate thanks to the support that we have from the City of Oa… "It’s been long and hard but I love my business."
33.Please select your age or the average age of your business' partners/owners/board members.
34.Please select your age or the average age of your business' partners/owners/board members. 21-30 3
31-40 19
41-50 16
51-60 6
Over 60 6
Decline to state 2
21-30 3
31-40 19
41-50 13
51-60 7
Over 60 5
Decline to state 4
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gCGamLxv8UeAMhqe6WnFjdODJ… 8/9
35.Please select all gender options below that represent your business' owners/partners/board members.
36.Please select all sexual orientation options below that represent your business' owners/partners/boardmembers.
37.Please select all race and ethnicity options below that represent all of your business'owners/partners/board members.
38.Please select the level(s) of education that represent(s) all of your business' owners/partners/boardmembers.
Male 28
Female 31
Non-binary 2
Transgender 0
Not listed 0
Decline to state 6
Heterosexual/straight35
Homosexual/gay 7
Bisexual 5
Not listed 1
Decline to state 14
American Indian/Native American3
Asian 8
Black/African-American38
Hispanic/Latino 9
Native Hawaiian 1
White 9
Not listed 1
Decline to state 6
No high school diploma0
High school diploma8
Some college, no degree19
Bachelor's degree26
Graduate or professional degree8
Decline to state 5
2/29/24, 5:36 PM 2024 Oakland Equity Applicant Survey
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39.Does one or more of your business' owners/partners/board members have a disability?
40.Please select the annual personal income level(s) that represent(s) all of your business'owners/partners/board members.
41.Has any owner/partner/board member of your business or any immediate family members (parent,sibling, spouse, child) been convicted of or incarcerated for any cannabis related charges?
42.Has any of your business owners/partners/board members served or are currently active in the military? Yes 11
No 34
Decline to state 7
Less than $20,00010
$20,000-$39,999 11
$40,000-$59,999 10
$60,000-$79,999 11
$80,000-$100,0001
More than $100,0001
Decline to state 8
Yes 25
No 19
Decline to state 8
Yes 3
No 42
Decline to state 7