Program Purpose
The Gray and Black Market Marijuana Enforcement Grant Program provides financial assistance grants to local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys through the local government for the investigation and prosecution costs associated with unlicensed marijuana cultivation or distribution operations.
By filling out the online portal application, Colorado County and Municipal applicants are opting into the grant program. Grant amounts will be determined using a formula based on the jurisdictions population.
The grant program has four (4) funding priorities:
- Rural areas
- Large scale operations
- Organized crime operations
- Operations that divert marijuana outside of Colorado
In accordance with Colorado Revised Statute 24-32-119, rural areas will receive priority funding. To achieve this, rural area population figures will be weighted heavier. Rural areas are defined in Colorado Revised Statute 24-32-119 as:
- A county with a population of less than 200,000 people, according to the most recently available population statistics of the United States Bureau of the Census; or
- A municipality with a population of less than 30,000 people according to the most recent statistics of the United States Bureau of the Census that is located 10 miles or more from a municipality with a population of more than 50,000 people.
DOLA will confirm applicants meet the “rural area” definition at the time of submittal.
Total Funding Available
$900,000 – Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Application Timeline
- October 23, 2023: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) disseminated and application posted on the DOLA Grants Portal.
- November 30, 2023: Application closes at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
- Funds awarded in this grant cycle will expire June 30, 2006.
Online Application Process
The grant application process is available electronically. All applications must be submitted using the online grants portal to be considered for an award. Please allow yourself plenty of time to become familiar with the system. Local governments will need to create an account, log into the system, and complete each section of the application for electronic submittal. You will be able to save and close a partially completed page of your online application and return to complete it at a later time.
Important Details
- In order to receive a grant, local governments must apply annually. Those that do apply must agree to:
- Provide the name and title (honorific) of your current chief elected official: (e.g. mayor, council president, or a county commissioner chair) the Honorific field must be filled in. Any other title must be cleared with the Program Manager, Ella Bowman before the application is submitted. If any of the field(s) are left blank or have incorrect information the application will be suspended and returned so that necessary corrections can be made, and resubmitted.
- Spend funds on statutory priorities,
- Cooperate with district attorneys to cover prosecution expenses as defined in statute, and
- Report quarterly/annually on how funds were spent and the effectiveness of the program.
- This is a financial assistance grant for investigation costs and/or prosecution expenses of unlicensed marijuana cultivation or distribution operations. Examples of eligible expenses include:
- Personnel/overtime
- Contractual services
- Equipment and supplies
- Travel
- Pre-trial incarceration expenses
- Medical expenses related to injury or exposure during a marijuana investigation
- Purchase of information (informants) or evidence (contraband)
- For the full text of the statute see Colorado Revised Statute 24-32-119.
Application Overview
- Applicant/Contact Information
- Local Government name (All applicants must be county or municipal local governments)
- Principal Representative is the Chief Elected Official (e.g. Mayor, County Commissioner Chair)
- Responsible Administrator is the designated contact person/responsible administrator for the application
- Honorific/Title
- Applicant Affirmations
- Board Approval/Tabor
- Official board action: Every application must provide the date the city/town/county board, council or trustees authorized the submittal of the grant application.
- TABOR: The funds for the Gray & Black Market Enforcement Grant program are state funds and may be subject to TABOR. Local jurisdictions are responsible for their own TABOR compliance. Please consult with your legal counsel regarding TABOR limits for the local government applicant(s) before submitting an application.
Program Contact
Ella Bowman
Grant Program Manager
(303) 864-7896
ella.bowman@state.co.us