Cannabis License Acquisition
Our collective background and experience uniquely qualify us to write, compile, and submit sophisticated cannabis business license applications. Over time jurisdictions have developed increasingly nuanced licensing processes and requirements that may involve complex ranking criteria for business license applicants. These evolving application requirements highlight the importance of working with experienced professionals on licensing applications. Whether it is a straightforward permitting process or a complex and competitive application, Green Consulting Partners has assisted clients in acquiring cannabis business licenses throughout the country.
Application Review & Oversight
In addition to business and operating plan reviews, Green Consulting Partners offers full application review and oversight services. Our experience has imparted two valuable insights: 1) no two jurisdictions’ licensing requirements are identical, and 2) applicants must tailor their application materials specific to the respective jurisdiction’s regulations and application guidelines. We have seen application guidelines that disqualify applicants for submitting superfluous information, reject submissions that are stapled, and other seemingly trivial instructions. It is hard to conceive, but an applicant that has secured a property, developed business and operating plans, and paid application fees can have their entire application rejected on account of a formatting or procedural error. Applications should be meticulously reviewed, and applicants are encouraged to hire a professional to review and oversee their application materials.
Business & Operating Plans
States and local jurisdictions may have differing categorizations for their requirements, but typically a combination of business plans, operating plans, labor relations plans, nuisance mitigation plans, operational plans, community involvement plans, safety plans, and neighborhood compatibility plans are required in the application submission for a cannabis business license. Green Consulting Partners handles every subcomponent of a cannabis business and operating plan, and we have successfully worked with clients to acquire over 100 licenses. Our emphasis is on accuracy, compliance, and realistic financial forecasts. Standard Operating Procedures should be developed in accordance with local and state regulations, business type, business site and scale of operations. In addition to covering the basics, there is often a delicate balancing act with respect to promising the moon and formally committing the business to practices and policies that benefit the community in which you intend to operate. Our firm’s services include working with clients to develop and draft comprehensive and reliable business plans. Within a market that continues to fluctuate, our plans integrate realistic projections to ensure and emphasize long-term sustainability.
Local & State Licensing
Green Consulting Partners’ foundational strength has been handling business license applications at both the state and local levels. The commercial cannabis industry is both nascent and heavily regulated, and business license applications must comply with state and local legislation. Since there is limited guidance in the budding cannabis industry, it is prudent to seek guidance from professionals with a documented and verifiable track record of license acquisition.
We offer complete license application services and our success rate speaks for itself. Our process begins by discussing a client’s goals within the industry. Once clients have chosen a target jurisdiction and business type, our work begins in earnest. Green Consulting Partners drafts and compiles the application materials to delicately synchronize the client’s vision with the licensing body’s expectations. This approach has allowed us to consistently secure cannabis business license approval for our clients. State and local licensing involve many moving pieces and the coordination of requirements from multiple regulatory bodies. Green Consulting Partners’ experience allows us to expertly navigate these processes and manage client projects to successfully obtain cannabis business licenses.
Competitive Licensing Strategy and Execution
Not every jurisdiction that institutes a cannabis business licensing program does so through a conventional application process. As the trend towards national decriminalization and legalization continues to gain momentum, and as more and more jurisdictions switch to permitting and regulating cannabis businesses, there is the natural consequence of increased interest – in our profession this means serious competition. If a desirable jurisdiction releases a licensing program and introduces a license cap, then there will undoubtedly be many more application submissions than available licenses. Jurisdictions use this leverage to introduce a vetting process through detailed application rubrics and ranking criteria. Under these circumstances applicants must submit an extremely accurate, customized, and detailed application that addresses every point allocation within the scoring rubric. Competitive licensing jurisdictions require extensive research, familiarity with local prerogatives, strategic anticipation, and strong narrative development; a unique company ethos and vision as well as a visually-intriguing presentation are also necessary factors in competitive licensing jurisdictions. Our firm competes with some of the biggest players in the cannabis industry with respect to competitive license acquisition.
The details are not the details, they make the design. – Charles Eames