ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, Illinois — Some area cities are eligible for a social equity grant funded by state taxes on recreational marijuana.
In Rock Island County, Rock Island, Moline and East Moline are included. Sterling, Illinois and Dixon, Illinois are also eligible for grant money.
On January 1, 2020, recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois. With the legalization, a program called “Restore, Reinvest, and Renew” (R3) was developed.
Eligible cities were selected based on community-level data, according to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. They looked at statistics on gun injury, child poverty, unemployment and state prison commitments and returns and combined that with areas that the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has deemed disproportionately impacted.
That money will fund community organizations that will help develop the economy, prevent violence, and give youth and civic legal aid.
