What a Relief! Restaurant Revitalization Fund Opens May 3

Registration for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) is now open with the SBA

Restaurants and other food providers hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for direct aid to help them recover after more than a year of government-imposed closures and dramatic reductions in sales. The RRF will award restaurants with grants equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss, up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. If you received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, you may still be eligible to received a grant under the RRF program.

Awardees must use all Restaurant Revitalization funds by March 11, 2023 on eligible expenses incurred beginning on February 15, 2020 and ending on March 11, 2023. Because the program is a grant, the money does not need to be paid back unless the funds are unused or used for non-eligible expenses.

Eligible entities for the RRF include the following:

1. Restaurants;

2. Food stands, food trucks, and food carts;

3. Caterers;

4. Bars, saloons, lounges, and taverns;

5. Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars;

6. Bakeries, brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms, breweries, microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries at which on-site sales to the public comprise at least 33% of the gross receipts;

7. Inns at which on-site sales of food and beverages to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts; and

8. Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products.

Applications Open May 3 at Noon EST

The SBA will begin accepting applications via the application portal on Monday, May 3 at 12 p.m. EDT. The application portal will remain open to any eligible establishment until all funds are exhausted. 

In preparation, qualifying applicants should familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient application. In addition to registering at the portal, follow the steps below. If you are working with Square or Toast, you do not need to register.

1. Review the sample application, program guide and cross-program eligibility chart on SBA COVID-19 relief options. SBA also added screenshots of the application portal that are available here.

2. Applications must be submitted in English or Spanish. SBA has documents in additional languages to help you understand eligibility requirements, fill out applications, and answer frequently asked questions. See the additional languages and materials here.

3. If you were unable to attend one of the SBA webinars held earlier this week which covered program details and a demonstration of the application portal, you can watch the recording here.

For more information, visit sba.gov/restaurants. Complete RRF program guidelines can be found here.

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