City of South Bend Restaurant Innovation Grants; Chamber to Administer
The City of South Bend has opened applications for a new grant program designed to reimburse local restaurants for operational changes they’ve made to do business amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our restaurants have been hit hard by the pandemic and have been forced to make additional investments to make dining safer even while they’ve seen a decrease in business,” said Mayor James Mueller. “We’re all looking forward to the day when restaurants get back to pre-pandemic traffic, but in the meantime the City is working to help them weather this storm.”
The City has partnered with the South Bend Regional Chamber to administer the Restaurant Innovation Grant program. Locally owned restaurants located within South Bend will be eligible for $2,000 grants to reimburse expenses they’ve incurred to install plexiglass, pivot to take-out service, or purchase equipment to improve the outdoor dining experience during the winter months.
To qualify for grant support, businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Restaurants or bars must be independently owned and/or headquartered and located within the City of South Bend.
- Must be registered as a business with the City of South Bend.
- Must currently be open to the general public.
- Must be able to submit up to a 250-word description of the investments or innovations made toward increasing the public’s safety and their employees, along with proof in the form of receipts or other evidence of your innovations.