Grants Offered To Chicago Bars And Restaurants During Pandemic
CHICAGO — The City of Chicago has launched a hospitality grant program that will provide emergency grants of $10,000 to Chicago bars and restaurants that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis and Illinois’s mitigation measures. Grants will be distributed via lottery to recipients throughout the city.
To be eligible, bars and restaurants must be located in Chicago, have no more than $3 million in annual revenue and experienced at least a 25-percent revenue loss since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Chicago Hospitality Grant Program application period opened on Nov. 10 and will close at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 23. Funds will be reallocated from CARES Act funding to supplement state and federal relief programs with grants of $10,000 to independent bars and restaurants throughout Chicago. The fund is intended to lessen the pain for the city’s hospitality industry while making sure thousands of hospitality workers receive the support they need.
"As we navigate the second surge of COVID-19, I am committed to using every available resource to its maximum potential to protect our residents and support our businesses,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a news release. “Our hospitality industry is at a crossroads, and we each have a role to play in helping our bars and restaurants survive. This city relief package will help, but we still need all residents to wear a mask, social distance, avoid gathering in large groups and wash their hands. When we all do our part to bring cases down, we not only save lives but also ensure that our businesses can reopen quickly and safely.”
The Chicago Hospitality Grant Program has compiled a list of FAQs regarding eligibility requirements and needed documentation for Chicago bars and restaurants interested in applying for the grants. The application is available online.
The city will also be hosting a series of webinars over the next few weeks, which can be accessed here. Businesses are also encouraged to apply for Business Interruption Grants (BIG) through the Illinois Department Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
This article originally appeared on the Chicago Patch
