Maryland Cannabis Business Assistance Fund: Portal and Registration Opening Today with Application to Follow

By Meg Nash

Jun 3, 2025

The Maryland Department of Commerce CBAF will open its registration portal on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The current funding opportunity allows eligible applicants to “apply for grant disbursements in four (4) tranches with a maximum amount for each license type.” The Department of Commerce’s website includes additional information on this opportunity, which is also summarized here to provide applicants with a concise overview of the process.

Permitted Use of Funds, Proof of Payment, and Total Funding Available

As outlined in statute and by the Department of Commerce, CBAF funding is only permitted to be used for a limited amount of purposes, such as: rent, utilities, fees associated with project management for constriction, or professional services, such as legal fees, accounting fees or costs related to security equipment and installation. A comprehensive summary is included here, which also highlights ineligible expenses (i.e., tax payments, licensing fees, or any expenses related to litigation).

It is important to note that the Conditional Licensee must provide invoices, receipts, and supporting documentation submitted for review, which must be in the name of the business entity for expenses incurred between the award of the conditional license and the conversion to a standard license. In addition, proof of payment must accompany the eligible verification. In other words, the Conditional Licensee must have already PAID for eligible expenses in order to receive reimbursement for expenses—the funds will not cover prospective future expenses.

Eligible applicants may apply for grant disbursements in four (4) tranches with a maximum amount for each license type. Total funding per license, inclusive of all four tranches, is determined by license type as shown in the following chart.

Maximum Eligible Grant Amounts	Dispensary	Processor	Grower/Cultivator
Standard	Up to $131,250	Up to $183,750	Up to $525,000
Micro	Up to $43,750	Up to $61,250	Up to $175,000

Each disbursement tranche requires the applicant to provide specific documentation, verifying that established milestones were achieved as described in this guidance. If an applicant meets some but not all of a tranche’s milestone requirements, partial disbursements may be considered at the discretion of Commerce.

Overview of Application Process and Eligibility

1. Review Eligibility Criteria

Prior to moving through the steps outlined below, all social equity conditional licensees should conduct an internal eligibility review to determine whether they satisfy the following requirements for Standard and Micro Licensees:

Meet or exceed the minimum Adequate Capital Requirement determined by the MCA.
Be an existing business in Good Standing with the State of Maryland.
Small Business Qualification - Applicant must be a small business, defined as an entity with 0-50 employees per license.
The entity holds a Maryland Social Equity Cannabis Business Conditional License, and the conditional licensee meets all licensing requirements codified in Title 36 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article and COMAR 14.17.
Personal Net Worth Qualification - The business must be at least 51% owned by individuals whose personal net worth does not exceed $1.7 million.
- For the purposes of this program, net worth is defined as: the value of assets of an individual remaining after total liabilities are deducted, including the individual's assets held jointly or as community property with the individual's spouse. Net worth does not include: the individual's ownership interest in the applicant; the individual's equity in the individual's primary place of residence; or the cash value of any qualified retirement savings plans or individual retirement accounts.

While some of the eligibility criteria are straightforward, others can require a more nuanced review to ensure that all requirements are satisfied. Vicente LLP is happy to assist as needed.

2. Gather Required Information

To streamline the portal registration and application process, the Department of Commerce recommends ensuring that the following information is readily available:

The MCA assigns the lottery number. This information is likely contained in an email from MCA between December and March 2024. Official lottery drawing results are also available on MCA’s website for the March and June 2024 lottery drawings.
Copy of the Maryland Social Equity Cannabis Business Conditional License Letter issued by MCA with the date of issuance clearly noted.
A list of owners meeting the personal net worth qualification and the percentage of ownership for each of those qualifying individuals. Each of those individuals is required to submit a Schedule of Personal Net Worth with this application. Tips on how to complete the Personal Net Worth Template can be found here.
Completed W9.
Evidence of Good Standing with the State - Good Standing can be determined on the Maryland Business Express website. A screenshot of the results will suffice; a formal certificate of good standing is not required.
Copies of invoices detailing services rendered and proof of payment for eligible expenses (more on this below).

3. Portal Registration

After confirming eligibility and gathering all required information, applicants need to register for access to the Department of Commerce portal. The Department has confirmed that the registration will open on June 3, 2025, although as of posting, the link is not yet live.

Next Steps

All prospective applicants are encouraged to review the resources available through the Department of Commerce website and related guidance documents linked throughout this document. Vicente LLP attorneys have assisted multiple applicants in securing funding through prior CBAF funding opportunities and are happy to assist Conditional Licensees in navigating this exciting opportunity efficiently to access direct capital assistance and launch operations.

Questions? Vicente LLP Can Help

From entity formation and ownership structuring to application evaluation and documentation strategy, Vicente’s cannabis legal team can help you compete at the top of your industry. We’ve been on the frontier of cannabis policy development and operationalization across the nation, and our record speaks for itself. Our attorneys are tracking the rollout of Maryland’s fledgling industry diligently, and we are here to help cannabis operators lay the groundwork for long-term success.

If you need help putting together your application package for the Cannabis Business Assistance Fund or understanding if you’re eligible, Vicente LLP can help. Contact our Maryland cannabis team at maryland@vicentellp.com or 301-679-6606 to schedule a consultation.

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