CAURD Scoring Criteria

To date, we have covered the CAURD license and we have discussed the specifics of eligibility and application. Now, we will cover the scoring criterion, which the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will use to score applicants after they satisfy the minimum eligibility requirements as a business criteria applicant or as a nonprofit criteria applicant.

An applicant must meet the minimum requirements. Only those applications that are complete and verified will be eligible to be scored and selected for a provisional CAURD license.

Within each region of New York State, applicants will be ranked as described below. The top-scoring applicants who rank a region as their first preference will be selected for a provisional license in that region.

The Scoring Criteria

Applicants will be scored based on whether they fill business criteria or nonprofit criteria. The OCM has yet to assign number metrics to each of the below factors; however, it has noted that the following factors will be weighted more heavily in the application scoring process.

For qualifying business applicants, the factors for scoring include whether at least thirty percent (30%) of the applicant is owned by one individual who meets the following criteria.

  1. Justice-involved: Conviction of a marijuana-related offense in New York before March 31, 2021, on either themselves or a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent;
  2. Qualifying business experience: At least ten percent (10%) ownership, for at least two years, in a business that had positive net profits during the individual’s ownership;
  3. Sole control over the applicant: Having the power to order or direct the operation, policies, management, and managers of the business; and
  4. If a Justice Involved individual did not control a qualifying business: The applicant must be fifty-one percent (51%) owned by such individuals combined.

For nonprofit criteria applicants, the most heavily weighted factors for scoring include the nonprofit having:

  1. A demonstrated history of working with justice-involved individuals;
  2. A history of intentionally serving justice-involved individuals;
  3. At least one justice-involved board member, officer, governing committee member, or advising committee member;
  4. At least five full-time employees; and
  5. History of operating a social enterprise that had net assets or profit for at least two years. In this context, a social enterprise is defined as a business that serves customers—operated by a nonprofit or fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit— and which generates revenue while fulfilling the mission of the parent organization.
We will provide an update if we get more information regarding the scoring criteria OCM will use that goes beyond the above, including any specific metrics. While we cannot speculate what an applicant’s score may be, if you are unsure if your business meets any of these requirements, please contact Hamilton Clarke, LLP and one of our cannabis attorneys will be happy to speak with you.
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