The Cannabis Business Office (CBO), housed in the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), announces an exciting partnership with Make Green Go! to implement a technical assistance program for new cannabis ventures.
Under the leadership of Governor Polis and state lawmakers, the Cannabis Business Office was established in July 2021 by the passage of SB21-111 to create equitable economic opportunities for diverse populations, produce more good paying jobs within the industry and further grow Colorado’s strong cannabis community. The office is focused on developing new programming to help entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate the cannabis industry with a priority for social equity licensees.
“As the first state where voters supported legalizing the recreational use of cannabis, Colorado is a leader on programs, research and education that continue to create jobs and opportunities in the cannabis industry,” said Governor Polis. “We are thrilled to announce this work to make Colorado even more of a national leader.”
The Cannabis Business Office’s mission aligns with that of Make Green Go!, a group that has provided business development services to social equity communities since 2010. Make Green Go! has extensive experience in content development, user-friendly platforms and a network of members and subject matter experts. Together, the CBO and Make Green Go! will develop, launch and deliver programming centered on foundational business development in the cannabis industry.
“Over the past 7 years [since Make Green Go! has been in the cannabis industry], not only have we crafted a robust platform, but we have honed in on creating a curriculum that is realistic, relevant and just as innovative as the industry itself,” said La Wanda Knox, Consultant at Make Green Go!. “This new partnership is designed to be accessible and offered on-demand to accommodate the various schedules of our participants.”
Cannabis Business Technical Assistance program participants will engage in 15 free, self-paced modules, including but not limited to scenario-based learning, videos, exercises and assignments. Modules will cover a variety of topics to help entrepreneurs develop business plans, discover market opportunities and strategies, understand financial elements, develop pitches and marketing materials, and more.
The program is scheduled to open February 2. This technical assistance program is a prerequisite to the Cannabis Business Pilot Grant, unless supplemented by a partnership technical assistance program.
To be notified when the technical assistance and grant become available, sign up for the Cannabis Business Office monthly newsletter.