Cuyahoga County Launches Extension of Small Business Stabilization Fund to Support Restaurants Impacted by COVID-19

$1.2 Million Available in Grants for Restaurants 

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish announced today an extension of funding under the County’s Small Business Stabilization Fund created to support restaurants impacted by the pandemic. An additional $1.2 million has been identified and designated from the County’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Funding for grants of up to $10,000 each to restaurants in Cuyahoga County for unpaid rent, utilities, and COVID-19 safety-related costs incurred from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

“Our locally owned restaurants are a key part of our community and our culture. Many of them have experienced terrible losses or closed forever because of the virus,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. “Several restaurants that have applied for and received funding earlier on in the pandemic have exhausted their funding assistance. We are providing an additional $1.2 million in grant funding to help our restaurants catch up on unpaid rent and utilities and any COVID safety-related costs they’ve incurred.”

Grants will be administered by Destination Cleveland and distributed by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.

“Destination Cleveland is incredibly appreciative of Cuyahoga County’s continued efforts to help preserve the Cleveland experience for residents and visitors alike,” said David Gilbert, President and CEO of Destination Cleveland. “Our locally owned restaurants play such an important role in illustrating our ethnic diversity, history and creativity and help define what makes Cleveland a destination city. We are proud to partner with the County and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress to offer this much-needed relief to our restaurant community.”

Cleveland Neighborhood Progress congratulates the County’s efforts to support the restaurant community through this dedicated source of funding,” stated President and CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress Tania Menesse. “We are honored to partner with Destination Cleveland in support of the County’s Restaurant Stabilization Fund. Our restaurants are essential to the fabric of our neighborhoods and continue to face financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. Therefore, we remain as committed as ever to a quick and efficient distribution of this critical funding for restaurants during this challenging time.”

Cuyahoga County Restaurant Stabilization Fund grants will not be available for any costs already covered by any federal, state, or local grant or loan program.

Restaurants that have already applied for a grant through Round 3 of the County’s Small Business Stabilization Fund (for which applications just closed) may still apply for this restaurant extension. Businesses will only receive grants from one of the two programs.

The application for restaurant stabilization grants will be open Friday, December 4, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. and close Friday, December 11 at 5:00 p.m. Grants will be awarded and distributed shortly after. Restaurants can apply for a grant by completing the Restaurant Stabilization Fund Application at cuyahogacounty.us/restauranthelp. Questions about the grant program can be directed to 216-875-6685 or helpforbusiness@destinationcle.org.

Restaurants that are eligible for a grant will be contacted for further information and must submit the requested documentation within 48 hours of the supplemental information request.