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Restaurant Revitalization Fund & Related Relief Technical Assistance

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) is the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) latest COVID-19 relief program for one of the most affected sectors of the economy: food businesses.  The RRF will provide grants to independent restaurants, food trucks, catering business, and other food service businesses with fewer than 20 locations.

$5 billion of the $28.5 billion available through the new American Rescue Plan of 2021 is set aside for businesses with less than $500,000 in revenue for grants through the RRF. The Massachusetts Equitable PPP Access Initiative is helping restaurant owners of color and underserved businesses access and apply for RRF and other SBA relief programs.

UPDATE 5/19/2021: The last day to apply to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is Monday, May 24th at 8 PM.

If you need help applying and you belong to the exclusivity-period group, please sign up immediately here:http://bit.ly/equitablerestaurantgrantHome

We cannot guarantee funding at this point, however, you can still apply. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has received more than 303,000 applications requesting $69 billion in funds, while the total grant program is currently only funded at $26.6 billion. 

For more and to read the full press release from the SBA, read our latest announcement (English, en español)

Apply through the SBA

Businesses can now apply on the SBA's website here_or through the selected approved Point-of-Sale service providers which are Toast and Square.

Register & Apply
Aplique con el SBA.

Las empresas pueden presentar sus solicitudes ahora a través del sitio web de la SBA en español ubicado AQUÍ _o a través de los proveedores servicio autorizados Toast y Square.

Inscríbase y Solicitar

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Sign up for Help

Help is available in English, Español (Spanish), 中文 (Chinese), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), and other languages.

Sign Up | Regístrese

The SBA has published the Program Guide on April 20th. Some of the highlights include:

  • Food businesses that have at least 33% of their sales originated on-site and from the public, and have less than 20 locations, are generally eligible.
  • The maximum grant amount will generally be based on the difference in gross revenue between 2019 and 2020. Any federal relief funds, including PPP, will be deducted from the grant amount. Businesses fully or partially opened in 2019 or 2020 are eligible to apply but have different formulae for the grant amount.
  • Funding requests must be between $1000 and $5 million per location.
  • Eligible uses of funds are broad, including but not limited to payroll, rent and mortgage (principal and interest) and food and beverage costs.
  • Expenses incurred or paid between Feb 15, 2020 and March 11, 2023 can be paid using the grant funds.
  • Applications can be submitted using SBA’s portal or through the approved Point-of-Sale service providers which are toast and Square.
  • There will be a 21-day exclusivity period for veteran, women, and social-economically-disadvantaged owners to apply at the start of the program. Those outside of the priority groups may also apply but their application will not be reviewed until the exclusivity period is over.

What You Can Do Now

If you qualify for the RRF, you need to go to the SBA website and apply online, remembering that you will need documentation to substantiate your gross receipt claims (such as tax returns, bank statements, or POS reports). Additional documentation demonstrating that on-site sale meets the 33% threshold may be needed for bakeries, taprooms and similar businesses.

Videos

  • SBA RRF Grants Program Overview (5 mins.)
  • SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund: Learn How to Apply (includes a step-by-step guide through the application).
  • Cantonese Chinese
    Collaborators: LISC Boston (Local Initiatives Support Corporation); Boston Chinatown Main Streets; Chinese Progressive Association
  • English
    Collaborators: Massachusetts Restaurants Association; Massachusetts Restaurants United; Office of Senator Ed Markey
  • Korean - (Coming Soon)
    Collaborators: Boston OKTA Korean Business Association
  • Mandarin Chinese
    Collaborators: Quincy Asian Resources Inc.
  • Vietnamese
    Collaborators: Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts; Vietnamese American Business Association of Massachusetts; and NOVA Boston(Networking Organization for Vietnamese Americans)

Please sign up with us to receive assistance from MEPPPAI Business Advisors regarding your eligibility and application.

More SBA & COVID Relief

RRF Grants & PPP Info Sessions
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The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Forgivable Loans

Learn about the Paycheck Protection Program and get free help with the application.

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About the Massachusetts Equitable PPP Access Initiative

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The MEPPPAI which helps businesses and nonprofits access the PPP is helping restaurant owners of color and underserved businesses access and apply for Restaurant Relief Fund (RRF) grants and other SBA & pandemic relief programs.

Learn More