Restaurants, hospitality businesses, can tap into billions in federal grants

by

Desare Frazier

• Published on April 28, 2021 • Comments

Friends toasting favorite bartender at Fondren Public, restaurant and bar, Jackson, March 2020
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

Millions in federal relief funds are available to help Mississippi restaurants and other hospitality businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic. It’s money that doesn’t have to be paid back.

LISTEN HERE

The $29 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund is part of the American Rescue Plan. Mississippi restaurants, caterers and bakeries are some of the businesses that can apply for grants due to financial hardships related to the coronavirus pandemic. Pat Fontaine is with the state’s hospitality and restaurant association. He says the money is needed to help keep businesses afloat.

“Of course we say decreased sales. Then the expenses to operate during those time periods was much greater. You had to essentially reset your dining area. You had costs for personal protective equipment,” said Fontaine.

Fontaine says some businesses have closed but says Mississippians haven’t seen the final impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry yet. The grants can be used for expenses such as payroll, mortgages, utilities and supplies. The Small Business Administration is operating the program. Janita Stewart is with the Mississippi office.

“This is a grant program so this is not a loan, where people have to pay the loan back. It’s actually a grant program and as long as the recipient utilizes the funds for the purposes it intended they won’t have to pay the funds back,” said Stewart.

Business owners can register online at the Small Business Administration website starting Friday. Applications are available online beginning Monday.