Illinois announces $31 million In marijuana revenue-funded grants to repair drug war’s harms

Regulators have identified economically distressed areas around the state where businesses and nonprofits are eligible for the funds
Marijuana Moment (US)
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

us illinois r3Illinois is putting its marijuana money where its mouth is, announcing that $31.5 million in restorative justice grants are now available thanks to tax revenue derived from legal cannabis sales. Under the legalization bill that Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed last year, a Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program was established. It provides grant opportunities for “communities impacted by economic disinvestment, violence and the severe and multilayered harm caused by the war on drugs.” There are five priorities of R3 that the funds are meant to address: civil legal aid, economic development, reentry from the criminal justice system, violence prevention and youth development.