Community Impact Plan (CIP): Adult-Use Renewal

What This Covers

• What a Community Impact Plan is
• What must be included in a CIP
• What counts as community impact
• What does not count
• Required partners, budget, and timeline
• Evaluation and reporting requirements
• When this comes up
• What happens if you ignore this

What You Must Submit

Your Community Impact Plan must include all of the following:

• The community need or problem you are addressing
• The population and geography you intend to serve
• The activities you will carry out
• Any community partners involved
• A timeline covering the full renewal period
• A budget for the renewal period
• An evaluation plan with measurable outcomes

What Counts as Community Impact

Community impact means measurable benefit to people or communities disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition.

Activities must primarily benefit people outside your business.

Examples of acceptable community impact activities include:

• Donations to or partnerships with nonprofit organizations
• Educational programs or workshops
• Workforce development or job readiness support
• Reentry support for justice-involved individuals
• Youth, housing, or food access initiatives
• Community improvement or public benefit projects

What Does Not Count

Activities that primarily benefit your business do not count as community impact.

This includes:

• Marketing or promotional events
• Discounts, giveaways, or sales promotions
• Influencer or brand partnerships
• Vendor relationships that support business operations
• Customer appreciation events
• Any activity where your business receives the primary benefit

Research and Partnerships

Your CIP must reflect research or local knowledge used to identify community needs.

You are encouraged to partner with community-based organizations, including:

• Nonprofits and mutual aid groups
• Workforce and reentry programs
• Educational institutions
• Local associations or municipalities
• MWBE or community service providers

You may collaborate with other licensees, but each licensee must submit its own CIP with its renewal.

Goals and Planned Activities

Each activity in your CIP should be clearly defined.

For each activity, include:

• Who benefits
• Where the activity occurs
• What need is addressed
• What you will do
• How often it will occur
• Who is delivering the activity
• What proof you will keep

OCM evaluates clarity and measurability, not size or scale.

Timeline and Budget

Your CIP must include a timeline and budget covering the full renewal period.

There is no required minimum spend.

Your budget may include:

• Cash contributions
• Program expenses
• Materials and supplies
• Transportation or space costs
• In-kind services, including staff time

Budgets must reflect what you realistically plan to deliver.

Evaluation and Metrics

Your CIP must include both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.

Examples include:

• Number of participants served
• Funds donated or hours delivered
• Attendance records
• Surveys, interviews, or written feedback

You should plan to retain documentation showing what occurred and what impact was achieved.

When This Comes Up

• When preparing your adult-use renewal application
• During renewal review by OCM
• When planning community programming or partnerships
• During future renewals when prior CIP execution is reviewed

What Happens If You Ignore This

If your CIP is incomplete, vague, or primarily self-benefiting, OCM may require revisions during renewal review.

Failure to execute or document your CIP can create renewal risk in future cycles.

Related OCM Pages

• Social and Economic Equity (SEE)
• Recordkeeping & Retention Rules
• Equity and Reporting

Source Material

• OCM Adult-Use Renewal Community Impact Plan Guidance