California Restaurant Foundation’s Resilience Fund Returns With Larger Grants and Expanded Priorities
SoCalGas, SDG&E and PG&E Combined to Donate $2.1 Million
Sacramento, CA (RestaurantNews.com) The California Restaurant Foundation (CRF), a nonprofit focused on investing in and empowering California restaurants and their workforce, has proudly partnered with the state’s energy companies to bring back the third consecutive Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund. This year’s fund totals $2.1 million, making it the largest Resilience Fund program to date, allowing CRF to increase grants to $5,000.
Due to the generosity of SoCalGas, the PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), CRF expects to help more than 360 independent restaurant owners across California build more resilient businesses for the long-term.
Resilience Fund applications will be open from April 15, 2023 to May 7, 2023 and can be found at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience. Grants will be available to all California-based restaurant owners located in the utility companies’ service areas that have less than five units and less than $3 million in revenue. Priority will be given to restaurants who have yet to receive a grant; however, previous recipients are encouraged to re-apply.
While last year’s Resilience Fund grants could be used on retention bonuses and equipment upgrades, this year’s $5,000 grants can be applied to technology adoption, equipment upgrades, employee onboarding and retention, or unforeseen hardships. The expanded priorities reflect the Resilience Fund’s commitment to providing California’s vibrant restaurant community with the financial support needed to build stronger, more resilient businesses that will continue to feed and contribute to their local communities for many years to come. Since the fund’s inception, 788 grants have been awarded to independent restaurants across California – 68.5 percent of which were women-owned and 83 percent are owned by people of color.
“We were overwhelmed by the generosity of SoCalGas, PG&E Foundation and SDG&E, who have continued to show up year after year to underwrite the Resilience Fund and support California’s independent restaurants owners and their staff,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. “As it’s been our ongoing goal to invest in strengthening California’s small businesses, we are thrilled to expand the resources and grant focuses this year. We are looking forward to reaching new restaurants and extending our support to deserving families and restaurant owners across our beautiful and diverse Golden State.”
Founded in 2021 in response to the hardships restaurant owners faced as they battled COVID-19 and its fallout, the Resilience Fund has increased in funding and reach thanks to SoCalGas, PG&E Foundation, and SDG&E’s ongoing commitment and support. Each company generously increased its contribution for 2023, with SoCalGas contributing $1,000,000, the PG&E Foundation giving $900,000 and SDG&E pushing the fund over the $2 million threshold with its $200,000 donation.
The Resilience Fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations, and individuals who want to invest in California’s 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.
Media Contact:
Kelly Itatani
Powerhouse+Co.
kelly@powerhouseandco.com
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