Cannabis Tax Revenue Funds $554K In Grants For Community Projects, Groups

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Harford County Department of Housing and Community Services has announced the first round of grant awards totaling $554,825 under the county’s share of Maryland’s Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund.

CRRF funding to local jurisdictions must be used for community-based initiatives intended to benefit low-income areas determined to have been historically disadvantaged, city officials explained. The Harford County awards represent a "strategic reinvestment of local cannabis tax revenue into community-driven projects aimed at mentoring, advancing community cohesion, growth and development," the county stated.

Grant recipients are as follows:

• $40,000 to The HOPE Center of Maryland, Inc. for feeding the community

• $69,718 to Linking All So Others Succeed for Cultivate project

• $23,800 to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority for Project Z-HOPE

• $12,458 Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) for Old Post Road Elementary School student enrichment fund

• $80,000 to HCPS for Joppatowne High School & Magnolia Middle School boys boys2MEN mentoring program for students in grades 6-12.

• $25,960 to HCPS for Edgewood Middle School Striving for Greatness project

• $80,000 to Chosen Community Development Corporation for Chosen to RISE: Next Gen Entrepreneur Academy

• $24,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Harford & Cecil Counties for Up Next Work Based Learning program

• $65,455 to N-STEP: New Service Training Employment Program, Inc. for N-STEP & Hosanna School Museum: Innovating History to Inspire Harford Youth program

•$78,600 to Discovery Center at Water's Edge for afterschool STEM enrichment program

• $20,000 to the Char Hope Foundation, Inc. for Rooting for Recovery's Job Training and Workforce Development Program

• $11,600 to LIVEFORTHOMAS Foundation, Inc. for suicide awareness and prevention

• $23,234 to Felicia Hopkins/Youth Enrichment Society for Exploring the Great Outdoors of Harford County: Disconnect and Reconnect with Nature program

“Harford’s share of cannabis tax revenue is being directed to restorative community development with a special focus on programs and mentoring for youth,” Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “By reinvesting in neighborhoods, we’re taking steps toward building stronger, safer and productive communities.”