Outdoor cannabis cultivators in California can now apply for up to $2,500,000 to fund in-field studies.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is accepting grant applications through Dec. 30 for the Sustainable California Grown Cannabis (SCGC) pilot study, according to a recent CDFA announcement.

The grants will fund projects throughout the state to help determine best management practices for outdoor cannabis cultivation in a pilot program authorized by Senate Bill 170, which appropriates $9 million to the CDFA to create the program.

Eligible applicants—including non-profits, Resource Conservation Districts, federal and California-recognized Native American Indian Tribes, and public and private academic institutions—may request up to $2,500,000 to fund in-field studies that investigate and analyze best management practices for sustainable outdoor cannabis cultivation.

The funds awarded through the competitive grant process will ultimately support in-field studies on practices that reduce the environmental impact of outdoor cannabis cultivation.

More information about the SCGC pilot study can be found here.

The CDFA will host an online, webinar-based workshop from 10 to 11:30 a.m. PT on Nov. 18 to provide additional information about the requirements and the application process. The registration page for the webinar can be found here.