The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is accepting proposals for the Tobacco Grant Program to promote a healthier California by reducing illegal sales and marketing of cigarettes and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to minors.
Donor Name: Office of the Attorney General (OAG)
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/21/2023
Size of the Grant: $24.6 million
Grant Duration: 24 or 36 months
Details:
The Office of the Attorney General makes these annual funds available to local law enforcement agencies through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) Tobacco Grant Program.
Funding Details
The initiative allocates a portion of annual revenue to DOJ. For Fiscal Year 2023-2024 an estimated $24.6 million in grant funding is available statewide to support local enforcement efforts to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors.
- Selected public agencies will be funded for 24 or 36 months. Funding amounts will be evaluated based on the submitted grant proposal.
The Tobacco Grant Program is a reimbursement grant. DOJ will reimburse selected public agencies, in arrears, for approved expenditures upon receipt of invoices and quarterly progress reports.
- Selected public agencies will be required to submit a resolution from their governing body authorizing acceptance of the grant funding.
- Selected public agencies may not use awarded funds to supplant existing funds used for the same purpose.
A priority for this funding cycle is retail education and enforcement. Below are examples of local entities that are eligible to apply for funds as part of the Tobacco Grant Program in this cycle.
- Local law enforcement, including police departments, sheriffs’ departments, and school police departments that apply for funding to:
- enforce the statewide retail flavor ban and similar local retail flavor ordinances;
- conduct minor decoy and shoulder tap operations;
- provide education classes or diversion programs for tobacco retailers to help ensure that they understand and comply with state and local tobacco laws;
- Investigate online and delivery services.
- Note: Local law enforcement agencies that propose to develop partnerships with public school/college districts must include a letter of intent from the partnering public agency as part of the grant application. These applications must also explain how the proposed partnerships will focus on tobacco-related restorative or supportive practices rather than punitive consequences for tobacco violations. Funding for enforcement personnel on school campuses is not a priority in this funding cycle.
- City attorneys, county counsels or district attorneys who apply for funding to:
- decrease access to unlawful tobacco products, for instance, through prosecuting cases involving contraband or unstamped tobacco products;
- investigate and take enforcement action against non-compliant business establishments;
- develop multilingual media outreach campaigns;
- investigate and prosecute the unlawful sales and marketing of tobacco products to minors on the internet.
- Public school districts, public college districts, and law enforcement agencies under contract with school districts that apply for funding to:
- perform public education outreach;
- carry out enforcement operations and inspections at retail locations in the proximity of school zones;
- create media awareness campaigns that are designed and implemented by youth.
- Note: Public school districts and County Offices of Education that propose to develop partnerships with law enforcement agencies or hire full time law enforcement personnel must include a letter of intent from the partnering law enforcement agency as part of the grant application. These applications must also explain how the proposed partnerships will focus on tobacco-related restorative or supportive practices rather than punitive consequences for tobacco violations. Funding for enforcement personnel on school campuses is not a priority in this funding cycle.
Eligibility Criteria
Any local public agency within the State of California that has authority to enforce tobacco-related state laws or local ordinances is eligible to apply. This may include cities, counties, public school (including college) districts, law enforcement agencies, district and city attorneys and county counsels. Grantees may use grant funds to enforce a local ordinance or state law related to the illegal sale and marketing of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to minors and youth including, but not limited to:
- Enforcement of flavor ban laws/ordinances
- Retailer compliance and licensing checks
- Consumer protection enforcement
- Illegal online sales and marketing, including use of door-to-door delivery services
- Retailer training programs
- Public education outreach
For more information, visit Tobacco Grant Program.
