Cannabis wants to support non-profits – but not everyone wants help

Donations. Pledge drives. Giving Tuesday.  Non-profits have always been willing to try new things in attempts to increase their donations, engage more supporters, and often tout the great need for funding in order to move their mission forward.

Today’s abilities to support a cause have morphed into other arenas and found ways to offer consumers the ability to donate to a cause by purchasing “special” items with the understanding that a percentage of proceeds will go to a cause.  The Susan G. Komen foundation (right wrong or indifferently perceived as a well-run organization) could be considered a trailblazer in creating partnerships with companies to seize this opportunity.  In our marketplace we have the ability to purchase household goods – pink KitchenAid mixers, pink cookware, and other products colored pink, with the promise that a portion of proceeds from those goods will be given to the organization to further their mission.

Some cannabis brands have followed suit with this model and we see more of them cropping up every day.  More on that shortly – but if you wonder what drivers exist for brands to take this route, look no further than plain old “pot” stigma.  Cannabis is still somewhat controversial, even in states where it is both medical and recreationally legal.  While some states have come a long way in ensuring that they highlight social responsibility and give back to their communities, it’s unfortunate that in reality, some organizations simply refuse to accept goodwill OR donations from those affiliated with the cannabis industry.

Consider the lesson that Organa Brands learned the hard way.  When they approached a mix of charitable organizations about making sizable donations, the message was that they would only accept funds if donated anonymously.  Some of the charities that turned down Organa included Wounded Warriors, American Cancer Society, Children’s Hospital Foundation.  Don’t misunderstand – Organa is NOT a small mom-and-pop shop.  They boast some of the most recognizable brands in the cannabis industry and donations would be significant in terms of dollars.  Those causes who DIDN’T turn down the help?  Denver Rescue Mission was not only happy to take donations in dollars, but also welcomed the Organa group’s donation of man-hours to help in actual boots on the ground, in-person help.

Organa was also welcomed with open arms by Grow for Vets.  Grow For Vets is an organization that helps a veteran get medical marijuana for free. Martin noted that veterans get opioids for free through their medical benefits to treat pain and PTSD, but while these prescription drugs were free the cost was high in the terms of overdoses and suicides.

This conundrum puzzles a portion of the general public, but more so the cannabis companies who want to support causes and communities and simply feels like they’re being told they’re offering dirty money – which begs the question – do people REALLY believe that not furthering a cause because of where assistance comes from is worth the refusal to take the help?   If you saw our feature on the cannabis industry’s response to COVID-19, you’ll see that depending on the cause, sometimes it’s simply a matter of execution without asking for permission – if you missed the piece – you can read it HERE.  (and no, it’s not my way to shamelessly self promote content!)

Organizations themselves are seeing opportunities to help with “funneling” donations from cannabis.

    

Responsible Jane is Weed for Good’s East Coast cousin. They’re here to ameliorate the silly problem that is the fact most non-profits won’t even accept donations from someone in the cannabis industry.

As a non-profit, Responsible Jane helps facilitate this process by finding deserving organizations to give your money to. These can include anything from local community organizations to larger medical research programs and beyond. They even go so far as to offer community grants up to $5,000 and could probably (wink) use some support.

An organization called “Cannabis Doing Good” formed in response to this issue and attempts to bridge the gap between causes and cannabis supporters.  While this group is devoted to helping with educating the public about all of the great things that cannabis companies are willing to provide, they also help broker relationships between non-profits and willing philanthropic cannabis brands and companies.

Other cannabis brands have opted to go in a different direction – and not only are they open about the causes they support, but they become a part of the brands’ identities and are great for brand reputation and can help raise brand awareness exponentially.  While this is great news for the causes they support, it also plays a huge factor in helping consumers make purchasing decisions that have a dedicated commitment to causes they would like to support.  According to research studies from Clutch and other firms, the following data has been published:

• Three-fourths of people (75%) are likely to start shopping at a company that supports an issue they agree with.
• Fewer people (44%) say price is among the most important attributes of a company compared to environmentally-friendly business practices (71%), social responsibility (68%), and giving back to the local community (68%).
• The coveted millennial audience has shown that it not only seeks out companies that focus on giving back but it is also loyal to brands that prioritize profit-with-purpose.

Cannabis brands that support causes are numerous, but here were some of the most prevalent we found in our research.

• Bloom Farms is as well known for their weed as they are for their philanthropy work. For each Bloom Farms product purchased, they donate a healthy meal to someone in need. Since 2015, Bloom Farms has donated over 1 million meals to food-insecure individuals.
• Weed for Good is a non-profit that provides free medical cannabis and education to low-income patients suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses. The medicine they provide to patients is funded in part by consumer purchases, but also by a variety of marijuana-centric brands like Eaze, Dosist, Meadow, and Kiva.
• CannaCraft, best known as the makers of Care By Design, AbsoluteXtracts, and Satori Chocolates, donated $150,000 of CannaCraft products to patients affected by the Northern and Southern California fires. CannaCraft partnered with 99 High Tide Collective in Malibu and the 530 Collective, Synergy Collective, Mount Shasta Patient Collective, and a Therapeutic Alternative Collective in the Shasta and Sacramento areas to distribute free medicine to patients impacted by the fires. The company also supports the Cannabis Voter Project and the Last Prisoner Project.
• Dogwalkers is committed to helping animals in need so that each and everyone can find a loving home, like their mascot and inspirational brand ambassador, Bailey. DW partners with four animal rescue organizations in states where Dogwalkers are sold: Foundation for TJO Animals (MA), TAPS No-Kill Shelter (IL), the Nevada SPCA (NV), and PetConnect Rescue (MD).
• Sunday Scaries produces CBD Gummies called Unicorn Jerky created to honor Julia, co-founder Mike Sill’s sister who passed away from suicide in 2011. Sunday Scaries donates $1 from every purchase to The Trevor Project, which raises awareness for suicide prevention in the LGBTQ community.
• Curaleaf  offers Veterans Cannabis Project branded pre-rolls sold in packs of 5 , of which $1 will be donated to the Veterans Cannabis Project for every box sold. Curaleaf encourages dispensaries selling their products to provide a significant discount for disabled veterans and welcomes other brands to join in their efforts with their own branded lines.
• Heavy Grass of southern California utilizes advanced indoor growing techniques to yield some of the finest flower on the coast. They donate a portion of proceeds to charities like the T.J. Martell Foundation, MusiCares, and Music Saves Lives with the hopes of giving back to the arts community.

The list of these types of initiatives could easily go on for several pages, and there’s no shortage of cannabis industry darlings of giving back.  Ideally, to think of a time where everyone who has a cause would be receptive to help – whether in the form of donations or time – seems less utopian and more common sense.  As the Missouri Medical Marijuana program continues to make strides to go live, we anticipate that we’ll see new ideas and ways for our own brands and operators to seek creative and impactful ways to help their communities.