The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $3.6 million in funding to help businesses enter the state’s new adult-use cannabis market and train workers for cannabis-related jobs.
Three DEED programs—CanNavigate, CanStartup, and CanTrain—will provide Minnesotans seeking to enter the legal cannabis sector with a combination of technical support, access to capital, and workforce training.
CanNavigate and CanStartup focus on assisting business owners with starting or expanding cannabis operations, while CanTrain funds workforce training organizations to prepare individuals for careers in the industry. The initiatives are designed to ensure Minnesotans can enter the cannabis market in a safe, legal, and structured way.
“These programs provide an accessible pathway into Minnesota’s emerging cannabis industry,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “We are committed to supporting social equity, maintaining market integrity, and partnering with community-focused lenders and workforce development organizations statewide.”
The programs stem from legislation passed in 2023 that legalized adult-use cannabis in Minnesota. DEED is collaborating with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and other state agencies to assist business owners seeking licenses and to contribute to the growth of the state’s cannabis sector.
Program details and grantees
- CanNavigate – Grants are awarded to community-based entrepreneurial support organizations and groups with cannabis regulatory expertise to help individuals navigate the legal cannabis business framework. The program emphasizes serving verified social equity applicants and people facing employment barriers. Grantees include:
- Minnesota Association of Black Cannabis Professionals and Communities United Through Justice and Inclusion – $400,000
- Minnesota Cannabis Institute – $234,601
- Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers – $308,935
- CanStartup – Grants support nonprofit lenders providing loans to new cannabis microbusinesses, prioritizing social equity applicants and communities where long-term residents qualify for social equity status. Grantees include:
- Propagate Community Development Corporation – $500,000
- Seward Redesign, Inc. – $100,000
- WomenVenture – $500,000
- CanTrain – Grants fund workforce development programs offering training, career support, and navigation services to prepare individuals for jobs in the cannabis industry. Grantees include:
- Minneapolis Community and Technical College – $403,530
- Minnesota Training Partnerships – $126,116
- Minnesota Cannabis College – $250,000
- Urban League Twin Cities – $320,000
- White Earth Tribal and Community College – $500,000
In addition to DEED’s programs, the OCM runs complementary grant initiatives, including CanRenew, which funds projects related to economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth programs, and civil legal aid, and CanGrow, which supports farmers navigating regulatory requirements and expanding their operations. OCM announced CanRenew grants on August 21.
