SEED Program Application
Apply in 2 Steps: Register Online, Submit In Person
Step 1: Complete the Online Registration Form
Submit your registration form to enter the application system. No username or password is required.
Step 2: Attend Your In Person Appointment
Bring your required documents as hard copies. Your application is submitted during your appointment.
Appointments are available:
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
First Saturday of APRIL
First Saturday of MAY
First Saturday of JUNE
During SEED class sessions (you will be called out at your scheduled time)
Eligibility:
Applicants must meet requirements that involve income, and cannabis related arrests.
What Is This Program?
The Cannabis Equity Program provides support to people harmed by past cannabis-related law enforcement in San Diego County.
Eligible participants may receive:
Licensing support
Business development assistance
Legal help
Help covering certain cannabis-related fees
Before You Register
Have this ready:
Your full legal name and contact information
Residency information
Eligibility information
Basic details about your intended business activity
Step 1: Online Registration Form
The online registration form collects:
Full legal name
Contact information
Residency details
Eligibility indicators
Intended business activity
After you submit:
If eligible, you will be able to schedule an appointment
If you may not qualify, you will be notified
Step 2: In Person Appointment at San Diego City College
Arrive on time for your scheduled SEED class and wait until your appointment time.
What to bring (required)
Government issued ID
All required eligibility documents as physical hard copies
Your appointment confirmation
What happens during your appointment
We will review your documents for completeness
We will confirm required items are present
We will ask questions if anything needs clarification
We will accept your application if all required documents are provided
After Your Appointment
After your appointment, you will receive an email from Cannabis Education Project confirming your application status. This message will either confirm that all required documents were received and reviewed, or it will notify you that additional items are still needed and explain what to submit next. Be sure to check your email regularly and respond promptly to any requests so your application can continue moving forward.
Need Help?
If you have questions or need help finding documents, contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (619) 356‑0377
Follow these steps to get started:
1: Check your eligibility.
To be eligible, an equity applicant must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application and meet criteria for Tier A OR criteria for Tier B.
Tier A
Incarcerated for San Diego County arrest or conviction for any crime under the laws of the State of California or United States related to the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of Cannabis that occurred prior to November 8, 2016.
Tier B
Deported, Arrested, or Convicted: In San Diego County for any crime under the laws of the State of California or United States related to the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis that occurred prior to November 8, 2016, AND Low Income
– 80% or below of the Area Median Income (San Diego County) determined by US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
You should know...
The County of San Diego adopted a Social Equity Program (SEP) to promote equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry for individuals and communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization and the war on drugs.
Through the SEP, eligible applicants and businesses are authorized to participate in various licensing, technical assistance, and business development programs.
The SEP Applicant Eligibility Verification application documents will be used to determine eligibility for certain programs, such as property assistance and the Fee Deferral Program, which are components of the County's Social Equity Program.
2: Gather your documents.
Documents can be uploaded as part of your application. All documents should be clear and legible.
You'll need to provide two forms of ID and documentation proving your arrest, conviction, deportation, or incarceration for a cannabis related charge in San Diego County before November 8, 2016. At least one form ID should be a government issued photo ID.
If you weren't incarcerated but were deported, arrested, or convicted in San Diego County for a cannabis-related crime, you also need to show that you were low-income (earning 80% or less than the median income) for any year in the last ten.
Expired IDs will not be accepted.
Here’s a list of acceptable IDs:
Driver's License
State Identification Card
Passport
Social Security Card
Birth Certificate
Department of Corrections Identification Card
Release Documents
Military ID Card
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Tribal Identification Card
Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
Employment Authorization Card
Global Entry Card
Student ID Card
Medicare Card
Health Insurance Card
Public Benefits Card
Library Card
Credit and Debit Cards
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
Professional Licenses
Additionally the following documentation will qualify as ID:
Financial records reflecting lease or mortgage payments that are dated and contain an applicant's name and address.
Records reflecting government housing or other assistance that are dated and contain an applicant's name and address.
Utility bills, car registration, employment records, insurance documents or government issued documents that are dated and contain an applicant's name and address.
Certified education records from a school, including transcripts or enrollment documents, which might reflect an applicant's identification.
You should know...
For the purposes of the SEP, a California cannabis arrest or conviction is an arrest or conviction in San Diego County, California for any crime under the laws of the State of California or the United States relating to the sale, possession, use, manufacture, or cultivation of cannabis that occurred prior to November 8, 2016.
It includes arrests by federal authorities in San Diego County, California and convictions in federal court in San Diego County, California.
Qualified documentation for California cannabis arrest, conviction, or deportation:
Court records reflecting an Applicant's California cannabis arrest, conviction, or Deportation.
Government records reflecting an Applicant's California cannabis arrest, conviction, or Deportation.
If an applicant does not possess the approved documents listed here, he or she may submit other documents he or she believes satisfies one or more of the eligibility criteria.
The County will review such documents on a case-by-case basis and make a determination of whether or not they are sufficient. The department of Equity & Racial Justice will not accept declarations or affidavits as proof of an applicant's eligibility.
You should know...
To qualify as Low Income for the purposes of the SEP, an applicant's gross and total household income must fall within the specified income limits for the relevant fiscal year, as outlined in the chart linked here.
Household income is determined by the total income received before deductions for taxes and other items. If your filing status is "Married Filing Separately," you must also provide a copy of your spouse's Federal tax return or your spouse's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Verification of Non-filing.
Approved supporting documentation for income include the following:
Federal Tax Return: Provide a copy of your Federal tax return for the relevant fiscal year as referenced in the chart.
IRS Verification of Non-filing: If you did not file a return for the fiscal years listed in the chart, you must provide proof from the IRS using the IRS Verification of Non-filing. To obtain this verification, use IRS Form 4506-T to request a Verification of Non-filing transcript or Form 1040-series transcripts, available free of charge.
For more information, visit www.irs.gov/form4506t
Additionally the following documentation can be helpful in determining low income eligibility:
Two months of paystubs
General Assistance Programs
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/Previously Food Stamps
Unemployment Benefits Statement
Medi-Cal
CalWORKs/Previously Welfare
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Social Security Disability
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Housing Choice Voucher/Previously Section 8
Free School Lunch Program
We're here to help!
Call, email or use the webchat to reach us!
Phone: (619) 356-0377
Email: [email protected]
