Grants Can Be Used for Equipment and Technology Upgrades, Unforeseen Hardships and Employee Bonuses and Training
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (June 7, 2023) – The California Restaurant Foundation (CRF), a nonprofit that invests in and empowers California restaurants and their workforce, has proudly rewarded 184 independent restaurants with $5,000 grants as part of its third consecutive Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund. The $2.1 million fund, supported by SoCalGas, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and sdg and e homepage sdg and e homepage San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), is the largest to date in terms of overall funding, individual grant sizes and grant utilization. Recipients can use the $5,000 assistance for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and employee training, all of which allow California’s independent restaurant owners to invest in the longevity of their business and employees.
Of the 184 restaurants awarded, 89 restaurants are in SoCalGas’ coverage area, 77 in PG&E’s and 18 in SDG&E’s. Seventy percent of this year’s grant winners identify as female and 78 percent identify as people of color. More than 80 percent plan to use the $5,000 grants to improve the business itself, such as technology and equipment upgrades or recovering from California’s harsh winter storms, while roughly 20 percent will invest the funds back into their people via retention bonuses and training. To qualify, the restaurants needed to have five units or less, and less than $3 million in revenue. To see the full list of grant recipients, please visit www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.
“We received a record-breaking number of applications this year – 25 percent more than last year – so it’s apparent that there’s an immense need to support independent and locally owned restaurants throughout the state,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. “It’s wonderful to receive support from SoCalGas, PG&E and SDG&E for the third year in a row, as the aid we can provide via the Resilience Fund is more impactful with their involvement. Let’s continue to support local restaurants who keep our diverse communities full of vibrant flavors and personalities!”
Impressively, the Resilience Fund has provided financial assistance to nearly 1,000 independent restaurants across California in three years. The Resilience Fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations and individuals who want to invest in California’s vibrant restaurant community. Donations of all sizes are accepted and celebrated at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.
For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation, Restaurants Care, or the Resilience Fund, please visit www.restaurantscare.org.
About the California Restaurant Foundation (CRF):
California is home to more than 90,000 eating and drinking places that ring up more than $72 billion in sales and employ more than 1.6 million workers, making restaurants an indisputable driving force in the state’s economy. The California Restaurant Foundation is a non-profit that empowers and invests in California's restaurant workforce. Founded in 1981, CRF supports the restaurant community through relief grants for restaurant workers facing a hardship, job and life skills training for 13,500 high school students each year, and scholarships. For more information visit www.calrestfoundation.org.