SAN ANTONIO (April 30, 2021) - The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC) hosted a virtual webinar in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to discuss the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF).

Dr. Sandi Wolff of SAHCC and David Elizondo, the Deputy District Director for SBA San Antonio discussed with some of our members the eligibility criteria for RRF applicants and the eligible uses of the RRF funds.

“We are committed to making sure that our businesses have this information.. We have a unique demographic because 90% of our membership is small businesses and it is the foundation that San Antonio is built on.”

Dr. Sandi Wolff, SAHCC

RRF was established as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) which was signed into law on March 11, 2021. SBA will award up to $5 million per restaurant entity, “not to exceed $10 million total for the applicant and any affiliated businesses” and the minimum award will be $1,000.

Uses for these funds include business expenses, construction expenses to provide outdoor seating, and certain business debts.

Eligible entities must not be permanently closed and include “businesses where the public or patrons assemble for the primary purpose of being served food or drink.” Franchises and businesses that have filed bankruptcy can be eligible under certain conditions. To view these conditions, please see the powerpoint available.

It’s important to note that any funds received previously through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will be deducted from the final funding amount and applicants will be verified using the EIN, ITIN, or SSN associated with their PPP loans.

Applicants must not have a pending application for or have received a Shuttered Venue Operator grant from SBA if applying for RRF.

Qualified entities can access the application at restaurants.sba.gov. In order to apply for this grant you must have an application on file (SBA Form 3172), Tax Verification (IRS Form 4506-T), 3 months of bank statements, Gross Receipts for 2020 & 2021, and Eligible Expense Documentation. See the additional requirements specific to your business here.

Registration for the SBA application portal will begin on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 9 am ET. Applications will open on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Funds must be spent on eligible expenses that were/are incurred between February 15, 2020 and March 11, 2023 and any funds that go unused must be returned to the SBA. .

For assistance filling out your RRF application, call the SBA hotline at 844-279-8898 or find your local SBA District Office here. Help is available in multiple languages.