RESOURCES / VERMONT CANNABIS INDUSTRY EMERGENCY FUND
Vermont Cannabis Industry Emergency Fund
The Vermont Cannabis Industry Emergency Fund is a permanent relief fund for Vermont-licensed cannabis farms and businesses impacted by natural and unnatural disasters.
The VGA Vermont Cannabis Industry Emergency Fund (VCIEF) is a collective action initiative for the industry, by the industry. The program functions as an unpaid grant to support Vermont-licensed cannabis farms and businesses of every type who have been adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters, such as:
Extreme weather
Flooding
Fire
Barn or greenhouse collapse
Grant & Application Details
The VCIEF is available to assist Vermont-licensed cannabis farms and businesses of every type in financial need after being adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters. Licensees may request up to $8,000 in grants that do not need to be repaid.
The grant application window does not close, applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed by a Grant Committee with members from VGA staff, VGA Board of Directors, and the industry. Applicants may submit multiple applications within a calendar year.
Please note the following guidelines for the fund:
The fund is available to Vermont-licensed cannabis farms and businesses of every type.
The fund may be used to help replace infrastructure (for example greenhouse, lab, barn, fencing), seed, feed, livestock, equipment and other losses caused by a disaster.
The fund may be used to help pay outstanding bills and immediate needs (loan and mortgage repayments, etc).
The fund is not an alternative to insurance and does not cover losses that are covered by a successful insurance claim or losses covered by other sources.
The fund may not be used to cover projected income from crops or products lost from a disaster.
Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible. Once a complete application is received, the applicant should receive notification of the Grant Committee’s decision within 30 days.
Apply now
Contact the Grant Administrator via email to get started.
Contribute to the Fund
Cannabis licensees are not eligible for federal emergency relief dollars, and the ongoing extreme weather events, as the result of human-caused climate change, affect farms and businesses up and down the supply chain. Contribute to the VCIEF to help provide emergency relief to an industry not privileged to federal relief, any amount will help.
Mail Your Contribution
If you prefer to contribute with a paper check or money order, please make the note out to Vermont Cannabis Industry Emergency Fund and dispatch to:
Vermont Growers Association
PO Box 5324
Burlington, VT 05401
On September 20, 2023, we publicly launched the Vermont Cannabis Industry Emergency Fund which included a press release with statements from several industry leaders and early supporters of the new fund.
More Industry Resources
If you are impacted by the July 2023 storms or ongoing extreme weather events, we have compiled resources for licensed cannabis farms and businesses impacted, and those wanting to help.