The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) relief program application portal will be tested in a week-long trial ahead of the application launch.
Following the pilot, the application portal will be opened to the public. However, the official launch date won’t be announced until a later date by the Small Business Association (SBA). All eligible applicants will be able to submit applications as soon as the program opens, but for the first 21 days, the SBA will prioritize reviewing applications from small businesses owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
The $28.6 billion program was established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which became law in March. The RRF awards grants of up to $5 million per physical location and limited to $10 million total per entity and its affiliates.
Eligible entities that have experienced pandemic-related revenue loss include:
- Restaurants;
- Food stands, food trucks, and food carts;
- Caterers;
- Bars, saloons, lounges, and taverns;
- Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars;
- 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;
- Inns at which on-site sales of food and beverages to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts; and
- Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products.
A sample application form is available for download for businesses that would like to prepare their applications. The form will be completed online, but the SBA requests that businesses not submit forms at this time.
