Equity Applicant
To be eligible for the Equity Program, you must meet the requirements below and get verified as an Equity Applicant.
Get verifiedSteps to become an Equity Applicant
- Check to see if you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Get verified as an Equity Applicant.
- If we verify you as an Equity Applicant, we will send you your unique Equity Applicant ID number.
- Determine what ownership percentage and role you intend to hold. The Office of Cannabis will need to verify this submitted information as part of the application review process.
- Partner with an incubator business if you want, following the rules for incubation.
- Use the Cannabis Business Permit Application (part 1) Checklist to gather all the required documentation for your application.
- The Office of Cannabis will send you a link for part 1 of the permit application. You’ll need to use your unique Equity Applicant ID number to apply.
- Apply for a Cannabis Business Permit (part 1).
For more information on equity incubation, email officeofcannabis@sfgov.org
Equity Applicant requirements
To qualify as an Equity Applicant you must:
- apply as a person, not a company
- have net assets below established limits for each household. This means you will not qualify as an Equity Applicant if your 1 person household has net assets over $193,500. See Equity verification requirements for asset limits of larger households.
- be one of the following:
- the business owner
- own at least 40% of the business and be the CEO
- own at least 51% of the business
- a board member of a non-profit cannabis business where most of the board also qualify as Equity Applicants
- an individual with a membership interest in a cannabis business formed as a cooperative
Equity conditions
You must also meet at least 3 of the 6 equity conditions:
Have a household income below 80% of the average median income (AMI) in San Francisco for 2018. This amount is calculated based on how many people are in your household.
- 1 person household: $64,550 or less
- 2 person household: $73,800 or less
See Equity verification requirements for larger households’ AMI.
Have been arrested for or convicted of the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis (including as a juvenile) from 1971 to 2016
Have a parent, sibling or child who was arrested for or convicted of the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis (including as a juvenile) from 1971 to 2016
Lost housing in San Francisco after 1995 through eviction, foreclosure or subsidy cancellation
Attended school in the San Francisco Unified School District for a total of 5 years from 1971 to 2016
Have lived in San Francisco census tracts for a total of 5 years from 1971 to 2016 where at least 17% of the households had incomes at or below the federal poverty level
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