Entrepreneur Resources

Social Equity Plans

All cannabis establishments seeking to apply for a final license must submit a social equity plan to Council for review and approval. In accordance with section 21a-420d(h)(5), the Council has developed specific criteria for an acceptable social equity plan. The resources below are made available to help cannabis establishments by providing clear metrics and scoring criteria, and providing applicants with templates for various parts of the social equity plan. All cannabis establishments must adhere to the criteria in the creation and implementation of their social equity plans. Social Equity Plans must be submitted to the Department of Consumer Protection through the e-License Platform.

The criteria will become effective on Tuesday, July 28, 2025.

Any questions regarding social equity plans can be directed to SEC.Plans@ct.gov.

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Social Equity Plan Criteria

Most current Social Equity Plan Criteria, including all of the updated plan requirements.

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SEP Interview Form Template

The interview form is the portion of the Social Equity Plan where applicants share information on the Community Stakeholders interviewed, Community Stakeholders concerns and desires relating to Social Determinants of Health informed Social Equity Themes, and the takeaways and conclusions from the interview.

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Contribution Tracking Chart

The Tracking Chart is for the Cannabis Establishment to track the impact of their Social Equity Goals, including the contribution type, organization name, acknowledgement of receipt, and other relevant pieces of information.

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Social Equity Plan Rubric

Rubric used by the Social Equity Council to score Social Equity Plans. The rubric includes point categories for the applicants and each of the evaluation categories.

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SEP Social Equity Programs Template

This is the portion of the Social Equity Plan that includes the contact information of the person responsible for the plan and shares information on the Plan’s Social Equity Goals, including metrics and the timeline.

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6-Month Progress Report

Template for Cannabis Establishments to submit the required 6-month report on the impact of its Social Equity Plans. The 6-month progress report includes successes, challenges along the way, and other relevant information.

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SEP Cover Page

This document holds space to include the establishment name, credential number, and other identifying information. It also includes a table of contents for the Social Equity Plan.

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MBE Commitment Form

Use this form as part of the Social Equity Plan to document the Minority Business Enterprises the Cannabis Establishment is currently in contract with or will be contracting with, including the certification, renewal of contracts, and a commitment to working with Minority Business Enterprises.

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Annual Progress Report

Template for Cannabis Establishments to submit an annual report on the impact of its Social Equity Plans. The annual progress report will include successes, challenges along the way, and other relevant information continuing from the 6-month report.

SOCIAL EQUITY COUNCIL USEFUL LINKS

2023 DIA Map

The Social Equity Council voted on August 1, 2023 to recertify the DIA Map by approving the 2023 recommended disproportionately impacted areas. The 2023 approved tracts have been published on the Connecticut Open Data Portal.

Meet the Coalition Partners

Minority Cannabis Business Association

Founded in 2015, the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) is the largest national trade association dedicated to minority cannabis businesses and their communities.
  • Reset 
    reSET is driven by the conviction that every business can consciously improve society.
  • Arcview 
    Group has over a decade of experience assisting thousands of cannabis operators.
  • Incba 
    Founded to serve the local, state, national, and international practice of cannabis law across the globe.

Erase Your Criminal History and Get a Fresh Start for Justice

It’s time to wipe the slate clean. Social justice, equity, and a fair shot at building a future matter in Connecticut. That’s why we’ve passed the Clean Slate bill for old and low-level criminal convictions. We also passed the Cannabis erasure laws to help wipe away criminal histories now that adult-use Cannabis is legal.

Your future doesn’t have to be limited because of mistakes made years or even decades ago.

MBE Vendor and Contractor List

Name Title Organization Phone Email Website
Anne Marie Knight Executive Director Black Business Alliance annemarie@bbusinessalliance.org bbusinessalliance.org
Jennifer Little-Greer Executive Director Minority Construction Council (MCC) jlittle-greer@mccforct.org mccforct.org
Kim Hawkins President/CEO Hartford Economic Development Corporation (HEDCO) kimh@hedcoinc.com hedcoinc.com
Meg Yetishefsky Program Manager Supplier Diversity Program (Set Aside Program) Meg.Yetishefsky@ct.gov Supplier Diversity (ct.gov)
Tom McMillian Director The Minority Business Association and Center for Joint Ventures 203-395-0771 Tommfxa@sbcglobal.net Facebook Page
Debra Goss Director CT Department of Transportation (CTDOT) – Office of Equity Debra.Goss@ct.gov Company Search (ct.gov)
Julio Mendoza Executive Director Spanish American Merchants Association (SAMA) julio_mendoza@samact.org samact.org
Adam Wood President Connecticut Cannabis Chamber of Commerce adam@ctcannabischamber.org ctcannabischamber.org
Fran Pastore Chief Executive Officer Woman’s Business Development Council fpastore@ctwbdc.org ctwbdc.org
Kenyétta Banks Program Manager Woman’s Business Development Council kbanks@ctwbdc.org ctwbdc.org