Restaurant owners can apply for COVID-19 federal relief funding

Rep. Pete Aguilar announced today that San Bernardino County restaurants are now able to apply for direct federal relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the $28.6 billion relief fund created by the passage of the American Rescue Plan. Eligible Inland Empire small businesses are encouraged to submit their applications through this link as soon as possible.

“Independent restaurants, breweries, wineries and other similar small businesses are essential to the fabric of the Inland Empire’s economy. These small businesses are job creators and hubs for our community, and we need to do all we can to support them. I was proud to help pass the American Rescue Plan and push for this funding, and I’m confident that with these resources our region’s small businesses can come out of this pandemic stronger than ever,” said Aguilar.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund will provide restaurants and other eligible businesses with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business. The relief does not have to be repaid, provided that the funds are put toward eligible uses by March 11, 2023. Visit SBA.gov/restaurants for more information.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund application portal can be accessed at https://restaurants.sba.gov/requests/borrower/login/. Participating POS providers include Square, Toast, Clover, NCR Corporation (Aloha). Entities that work with Square or Toast do not need to register beforehand on the portal.

Entities eligible to apply:

• Restaurants
• Food stands, food trucks, food carts
• Caterers
• Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns
• Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars
• Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products