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April 29, 2021

Food businesses urged to apply early for ‘generous’ new federal grant fund

Photo | CT MIrror Bob Cooke, partner and co-owner of the Max Restaurant Group, works on filling planters for the patio at Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford Center in 2020.
By Liese Klein

Owners of Connecticut restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and breweries need to get in line now for new Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants for help with pandemic losses, business advocates said Thursday.

A total of $28.6 billion is available to food-related businesses nationwide, with the registration portal at restaurants.sba.gov set to open on Friday and applications accepted starting at noon on Monday,  May 3.

“My message this morning is that time is of the essence,” Connecticut Restaurant Association Executive Director Scott Dolch told attendees at a Thursday webinar on the grants. “You need to start doing your due diligence to get your application ready.”

Almost every food business in the country is eligible for the grants and Connecticut businesses need to act fast to get the money, said Matthew Pugliese, associated director of the Small Business Development Center of Connecticut.

“We're trying to make sure every restaurant in Connecticut is aware of this program,” Pugliese said. “This is a very generous fund.”

Instead of working through a lender, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund offers grants directly from the Small Business Administration. A wide range of food- and drink-serving businesses are eligible, Dolch said.

“This is a first-come, first-served basis,” Dolch said. “My advice to everyone right now is to apply... [We are] excited to see more and more restaurants get the help they need on their path to recovery.”
 

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