California Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that the state has awarded $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to local governments for programs addressing the impacts of marijuana legalization.
The funding, administered through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), is intended to support public safety, illicit market enforcement, youth prevention and intervention, public health programs and efforts to address environmental damage tied to illegal marijuana operations.
With the latest round of awards, California has now directed more than $350 million through the Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program.
“The voters created a legal, regulated cannabis market, and we have a responsibility to make sure it works as intended,” Newsom said. “That means continuing to crack down on illegal cannabis operations that threaten public safety, exploit workers, damage the environment, and undercut legal businesses that follow the rules.”
Newsom said the funding will give local communities additional resources to strengthen enforcement, prevent youth access, improve public health outcomes and make neighborhoods safer.
The grant program was created under Proposition 64, the 2016 voter-approved initiative that legalized marijuana for adult use in California. The program provides funding to local governments working to address public health and safety issues connected to legalization.
According to the governor’s office, the latest awards were made across several size-based categories, with funded projects required to address at least one of four focus areas: public safety and enforcement, youth prevention and intervention, public health or environmental impacts.
“These grant awards reflect California’s continued commitment to supporting local communities as they address the impacts of cannabis legalization,” said BSCC Board Chair Linda Penner. “Communities are best positioned to identify and address the unique challenges they face, and this funding will help local governments advance strategies that protect residents, strengthen public health, and enhance public safety.”
The governor’s office pointed to several examples of how prior Proposition 64 grants have been used.
In Humboldt County, funding supported the expansion of the county’s Education, Analysis, and Enforcement Project, which included youth outreach, prevention education and enforcement partnerships with local agencies. The county’s Marijuana Enforcement Team removed more than 267,000 unpermitted marijuana plants, identified 188 environmental violations and seized illegal firearms.
San Francisco used grant funding to create new enforcement positions, train dedicated staff and develop a mobile data tracking system to improve reporting and performance monitoring. The funding also supported a youth-focused public education campaign displayed throughout the city’s public transportation network.
Santa Barbara County, a current grantee, is using the funding to hire and train detectives, purchase specialized equipment and expand data analysis capabilities. According to the governor’s office, the county has increased compliance inspections, reduced licensing backlogs, improved violation remediation rates and doubled illicit marijuana enforcement actions.
Collectively, prior Proposition 64 grant recipients have used the funding to eradicate nearly one million illegal marijuana plants, seize 295 illegal firearms and disrupt illicit operations that officials say threatened public safety and undercut the state’s regulated marijuana market.
The BSCC initially made $125 million available for this funding cycle, with priority given to applications focused on illicit marijuana enforcement under Senate Bill 141. However, the board used anticipated Fiscal Year 2026-27 funding and other available resources to fund all eligible applicants.
Under eligibility changes included in the 2025 Budget Act, local governments may qualify for funding if they allow retail marijuana storefronts or, for jurisdictions with populations of 10,000 or fewer, allow marijuana delivery serving both medical and adult-use consumers.
Newsom’s office said the funding is part of California’s broader effort to support a regulated marijuana market while cracking down on illegal operations that harm the environment, avoid regulatory oversight and compete with licensed businesses.
