Frequently Asked Questions- Social Equity

Social Equity Program Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 10/03/2025

1. How do I become a Social Equity Applicant?

Individuals and entities seeking to become Social Equity Applicants must submit a Social Equity Applicant Status Certification application. This application will be made via a digital portal developed that will be made available on the Commission’s Social Equity Resource page.

Broadly, interested individuals must demonstrate they have been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws by meeting one of five criteria established in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act. Details of the criteria can be found in the Commission’s regulations and in the presentation, linked here, prepared by Commission staff .

2. One qualification criterion involves demonstrating significant past experience in or business practices that promote “economic empowerment” in a Disproportionately Impacted Area.  What does economic empowerment mean?

"Economic empowerment" is defined as the process through which individuals gain increased ability to participate fully in economic activities and make decisions that affect their financial well-being by being provided access to financial education, employment opportunities, financial services, and other resources that support economic wellbeing and professional success. This may be satisfied through demonstrating volunteer work or paid employment in the above types of direct services. 

For more information about the types of qualifying experience, please find a presentation providing an overview of this and other criteria linked here.

3. One qualification criterion involves have been arrested for, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for an eligible offense under the Rhode Island Cannabis Act (“RICA”). What are the eligible offenses?

The list below provides the eligible offenses along with the corresponding operative Rhode Island statute.

• Less Than One Ounce (1 oz.) § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(ii)
• More Than Two Ounces (2 oz.) of Concentrate § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iii)
• More Than Ten Ounces (10 oz.) Exclusive of Live Plants § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iii)
• More Than One Ounce (1 oz.) but Less Than Two Ounces (2 oz.) - Person 21+ years old - 1st or 2nd+ Offense Within 18 Months § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(iv)
• Two Ounces (2 oz.) or Less - Person between Seventeen (17) and Twenty (20) years old - 1st or 2nd+ Offense Within 18 Months § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(v)

For more information about this and other criteria please see the presentation linked here.

4. One qualification criterion involves receiving income in a Disproportionately Impacted Area (“DIA”). Does that mean I have to live and work there, or just work in that DIA?

To qualify under this criterion, applicants must demonstrate that either their primary place of business is in a DIA (if they spend a majority of their time working at a single site), or that their work is primarily performed at various locations within a DIA (if they travel to different sites for work).  An applicant does not have to live in the DIA to qualify under this criterion.

5. How many Social Equity Applicant Status Certification applications can I submit??

Only one Social Equity Applicant Status Certification application can be submitted for each applicant (whether an individual or entity) during the submission period. Individuals may not be an interest holder in more than one applicant for certification. Applicants may apply for certification under multiple criteria in the same application.

6. How many Social Equity Retail License applications can I submit?

Each applicant (whether an individual or an entity) may only submit one Social Equity Retail License Application in each of the six zones established by the Rhode Island Cannabis Act.

7. How long is the provisional license period for a Social Equity Retail Licensee?

Provisional Social Equity Retail Licensees have twelve (12) months from being selected to meet the prerequisites for license issuance and then six (6) months from when the license is issued to begin retail operations.

8. If I live in a Disproportionately Impacted Area (“DIA”), and I receive a Social Equity Retail License, does my cannabis retail establishment need to be located in that same disproportionately impacted area?

No. Proving you live or have lived in a DIA only matters for purposes of qualifying as a Social Equity Applicant as described in response to Question 1.  Applicants may choose where to locate their proposed business irrespective of their residency.

9. If I apply for and am selected for multiple retail license types (General; Social Equity; and Workers’ Cooperative), can I hold multiple licenses as long as they are not the same type?

No. If you apply and are selected for more than one retail license, whether in different zones or different license types, you must choose only one retail license.

For example, if you are selected for a Social Equity Retail License in Zone 1 and a Workers’ Cooperative Retail License in Zone 2. You may only accept one license and must forfeit the other.

10. If I am certified as a Social Equity Applicant, am I only allowed to apply for Social Equity Retail License?

No. Social Equity Applicants may apply for any available license type (General, Social Equity, or Workers’ Cooperative). However, Social Equity Applicant Status is a prerequisite to apply for a Social Equity Retail License. Additionally, current licensees may apply for Social Equity Applicant Status Certification if they want to apply for fee waivers or to receive grant funding from the Social Equity Assistance Fund.

11. Can adult use cannabis retailers cultivate cannabis under their retail license?

No. Cultivation may only be done by licensed cultivators or vertically integrated compassion center licensees.

Interest holders in an adult use cannabis retailer may also hold an interest in a licensed cultivator or vertically integrated compassion center provided they are not a “controlling person” in more than one license.

12. When will a Social Equity Applicant receive funding from the Social Equity Assistance Fund (“SEAF”)?

Only certified Social Equity Applicants who either hold a license or have been selected for licensure are eligible to receive grants from the Social Equity Assistance Fund.  Grant funding opportunities will be announced at a future time.

13. Can intent to hire ten (10) named employees suffice to satisfy the requirements of Criterion 3?

No. For Criterion 3, at the time of application, the 10 minimum employees must meet the definition of “full-time employee,” as provided in the CCC regulations. A “full-time employee” means an individual employee for whom a W-2 is issued by the applicant, and who is a wage earning employee for a time period of at least thirty-five (35) hours per week for at least six (6) full months. 560-RICR-10-10-1.2(A)(10).

14. Will there be another Social Equity Applicant Status Certification ("SEASC") application window?

At this time, there is no scheduled date for another Social Equity Applicant Status Certification application window. The Commission will provide public notice if a future window is announced.

15. For residence in a Disproportionately Impacted Area ("DIA"), would an address close to a DIA count?

No, designated DIAs cannot be changed.

16. How will retail licenses be allocated, and will Social Equity Applicants receive any preferences or protections?

The Social Equity Retail License application selection process is outlined in 560-RICR-10-10-1.5. Prospective Social Equity Applicants can apply for Social Equity Applicant Status Certification at no cost (see 560-RICR-10-10-1.5(E)). Approved Social Equity Applicants can apply for one of the six Social Equity Retail licenses at no cost. Social Equity Retail License fees will follow the graduated fee structure below:

• Year 1: $0 license fee
• Year 2: $7,500 license fee
• Year 3: $15,000 license fee
• Year 4: $22,500 license fee
• Year 5 and all subsequent: $30,000 license fee

In addition, Approved Social Equity applicants will be able to apply for resources from the Social Equity Assistance Program and Fund at a later date.

17. If an individual was arrested but not charged, does that count to qualify under Criterion 2 or 3? If so, what would need to be submitted for proof?

Yes. The individual would need to submit an arrest report, which can be obtained either online or in person at the law enforcement agency that made the arrest.

18. What occurs if no Social Equity Retail License is awarded in a zone?

If there is no qualified Social Equity Applicant, the Commission, in its discretion, may open up a new application window. 560-RICR-10-10-1.4(H)(6).

19. Are applicants for Social Equity Applicant Status Certification ("SEASC") required to provide plans for operations?

No. Operational requirements are required at the time of a licensure application.

20. Are applicants for Social Equity Applicant Status Certification ("SEASC") required to be current on taxes?

Tax information is not collected during SEASC.

21. For Criterion 5, what if I earned income outside of Rhode Island that may meet the criteria for a Disproportionately Impacted Area ("DIA")?

An applicant can have earned income in a DIA that is located outside of Rhode Island; however, it will be the applicant's responsibility to provide evidence that the location where income was earned meets the criteria of a DIA in Rhode Island.

22. I’m having trouble filling out my SEASC application. Who should I contact?

If you need assistance with the SEASC application at any point during the process, please contact Creative Services, Inc., our certification vendor, by email at rhodeisland@creativeservices.com, or by phone at (800) 227-0002.

23. Do I have to apply under all five SEASC criteria? If I apply under more than one criterion, will it provide me any advantage?

Applicants are encouraged to apply for all criteria they think they may qualify for. Qualifying for more than one criterion will not give applicants any advantage or priority in license selection.

24. Do I have to reside in Rhode Island at the time of submitting a SEASC application?

No.

25. Under Criterion 1, is residency in Rhode Island a requirement? 

No, the requirement is that the individual resided in a disproportionately impacted area for at least 5 of the last 10 years. That area does not have to be located in Rhode Island. Applicants who believe they qualify under this Criterion may be required to submit additional information that demonstrates how the address meets the Commission’s criteria for DIAs depending on the review process conducted by CSI and the Commission.

26. Under Criterion 2 or 3, would a conviction from any state qualify?

Yes, provided that the conviction is equivalent to the operative Rhode Island statutes listed in the answer to Question 3.

27. Can you please list which family members are included as part of an "impacted family" when looking at family members of a person who was arrested for a cannabis offense?

Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.11-3(34), “member of an impacted family” is defined as an individual who has a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent, or was a dependent of an individual who, prior to May 25, 2022, was arrested for, charged with, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for any offense that is eligible for expungement under the Cannabis Act.

28. Are eligible offenses for Criteria 2 and 3 limited to possession only, without any additional charges?

Relevant criminal offenses under Criteria 2 or 3 are limited to eligible offenses under the Cannabis Act. These are nonviolent cannabis possession offenses, specifically those described in Questions 3 and 26.

Please note that that the certification process will not consider whether an additional charge on a person’s record is disqualifying in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.11-12.1, only whether that person can be certified as a Social Equity Applicant under the criteria. Applicants should consult with an attorney to determine whether any other charges, beyond those listed in R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28-4.01(c)(2)(ii)-(v), may be disqualifying at the license application stage.

29. In a Workers' Cooperative, do the individuals who qualify as Social Equity Applicants need to have a financial interest that is directly proportionate to their ownership interest? 

Yes. Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.11 and the Regulations, if applying for Social Equity Applicant Status Certification, at least 51% of the entity must be owned and controlled by individuals who qualify as Social Equity Applicants under the same criterion.

Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.11-3(35), “ownership and control” is defined as ownership of at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the cannabis establishment, and control over the management and day-to-day operations of the cannabis establishment, and an interest in the capital, assets, and profits and losses of the cannabis establishment proportionate to percentage of ownership. By statute, ownership and control are tied together and cannot be considered separately.

For example, in a Workers’ Cooperative with 10 members, if 6 individuals collectively make up the 51% ownership and control of the Workers’ Cooperative by qualifying individuals, all 6 must qualify under the same Social Equity Applicant Status Certification criterion and must have a financial interest proportionate to their ownership interest for the Workers’ Cooperative to be qualified for Social Equity Applicant Status.

30. I would like to change my interest holders after SEASC qualification. Is this permitted?

Approved Social Equity Applicants who seek to change interest holders, while maintaining the 51% ownership by Social Equity Applicants, may apply at a date to be announced and in a manner prescribed by the Commission. Any changes will require approval by the Cannabis Office and/or Commission.

31. Can I still submit a SEASC application if I missed the September 29th deadline?

At this time, the SEASC application window has closed, and no new applications can be submitted. There is currently no scheduled date for a future SEASC application window. If another application period is announced, the Commission will issue a public notice with details and instructions.