National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Grubhub giving grants to LGBTQ+ restaurants impacted by COVID-19
NGLCC will allocate 30% of funds from the grant program to businesses owned by people of color and trans individuals.
The National LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and Grubhub, a leading online food-ordering and delivery company, are partnering to give out grants to LGBTQ-owned restaurants and bars that have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NGLCC and Grubhub are now accepting applications for its Community Impact Grant Program from LGBTQ-owned businesses in the service industry that have experienced a loss of jobs and income over the past few years due to the pandemic or pandemic-era restrictions.
The grants range from $5,000 to $100,000, with the amount based on individual need and circumstances. NGLCC and its partners will evaluate applications after the Oct. 12 closing date. Major grantees will be awarded onstage during the NGLCC Back to Business Summit, in Hollywood, Florida, from November 17-19.
As part of the grant program, the NGLCC has set a goal to allocate 30% of funds to businesses owned by people of color and transgender or gender-nonconforming individuals.
“We often say at NGLCC that ‘If you can buy it, an LGBTQ+-owned business can supply it.’ That is especially true of the LGBTQ+-owned restaurants across America who kept our communities and first responders fed throughout the pandemic,” NGLCC Co-Founder and President Justin Nelson said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with Grubhub in offering these grants to support these businesses throughout the nation.
“America’s 1.4 million LGBTQ+-owned business owners have shown incredible resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, in turn, we can help them recover stronger than ever,” Nelson added.
Throughout June, NGLCC was named the official partner of Grubhub’s Donate the Change program, which has raised tens of millions of dollars for organizations in need since its launch in 2018. Under the program, Grubhub and Seamless diners could opt-in, round up their order total to the nearest dollar, and donate the difference to benefit one of several organizations, with the company matching eligible donations from Grubhub+ members. The proceeds raised from that will now be made available through NGLCC to support the LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+-owned restaurants, according to a press release.
“As the world starts to return to a new normal, we know many businesses are rebuilding and reopening, especially LGBTQ+-owned restaurants that are often the pillars of their communities,” Kevin Kearns, the senior vice president of restaurants at Grubhub, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to partner with NGLCC and give back to the LGBTQ+ community — one that has shown incredible strength and support for those in need throughout the pandemic.”
The NGLCC’s network of Affiliate Chambers — of which there are now more than 50 across the country — will help amplify the grant program to support local restaurants in their areas. The affiliate chambers will also benefit from this initiative’s newly established “Affiliate Chamber Fund,” which will offer one year of paid membership to any establishment that receives a grant but is not currently a member of an NGLCC local affiliate chamber.
Restaurants and bars wishing to apply for grants through the Community Impact Grant Program must submit applications by Oct. 12, 2021. For more information on the Community Impact Grant Program, as well as eligibility requirements, visit www.nglcc.org/ghgrant.
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