Governor, Attorney General, and State Treasurer Seek Applicants for Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board

Governor Maura T. Healey, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg announce that they are seeking applicants to complete the remaining term of one of the joint appointees to the Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest and a short biography or resume by Monday, August 28, 2023.

The Equity Advisory Board consults with the Executive Office of Economic Development (“EOED”) as EOED administers the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund (the “Trust Fund”). A first of its kind, the Trust Fund was established to encourage the full participation in the state’s regulated marijuana industry of entrepreneurs from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement (“ADI Communities”). The Equity Advisory Board consults with EOED as it:

• Selects recipients, grant or loan values and conditions for such grants or loans, including when taking into consideration the racial, ethnic and gender demographics of the municipality in which the recipient businesses are located;

• Issues regulations governing the structure and administration of the Trust Fund; and

• Reports on the Trust Fund’s prior fiscal year expenditures.

The Equity Advisory Board consists of five (5) members, two (2) of whom are joint appointees appointed by a majority vote of the Governor, Treasurer, and Attorney General. The joint appointees must have experience in business development, preferably in the cannabis industry.

Equity Advisory Board members must be from, or have experience advocating for, ADI Communities. A current list of the ADI Communities as identified by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission are on the Commission’s website or at the link here: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Guidance-for-Identifying-Areas-of-Disproportionate-Impact.pdf.

Equity Advisory Board member terms are five (5) years. Appointees may be reappointed at the end of their term. Equity Advisory Board members will not receive a salary, stipend, or other compensation for their service, but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of their official duties.

If you are interested in being appointed to complete the remaining term of one of the joint appointees, please send a letter of interest and a short biography or resume by Monday, August 28, 2023 to the Human Resources Department of the Office of the State Treasurer by email at HR@tre.state.ma.us or by U.S. Mail to One Ashburton Place, 12th Floor, Boston, MA 02108. Applications sent by U.S. Mail must be postmarked no later than August 28, 2023.

Your letter of interest should include an explanation and/or identification of:

• The reason(s) you want to serve as a joint appointee to the Equity Advisory Board;

• Whether you are from or have experience advocating for ADI Communities and the name of the communities; and

• Whether you have prior/present involvement in the Massachusetts regulated marijuana industry and describe that involvement.

Your short biography or resume should include information about yourself that you would like the Governor, Attorney General, and Treasurer to know, including your experiences relating to the position.

Please note that you may be asked to confirm your work and other background experiences as part of the appointment process.

The Treasurer’s office will coordinate distribution of applicant submissions to the Governor’s and Attorney General’s offices.

Please note that your letter of interest and short biography or resume, and any other materials you submit may be subject to the state’s public records law.

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