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‘Smallest of the small’ encouraged to apply for COVID relief from federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund
SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Small Business Administration started taking applications Monday for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, $28.6 billion in federal money available to eateries affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Restaurants and places of business, they have really had a tough run in the pandemic,” said U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield.
Neal, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, cited the industry estimate that 100,000 restaurants across the county have closed during the pandemic and will not reopen. That’s one in six.
“We want to make sure that the hemorrhaging we have seen in that arena is not continued,” Neal said. “But what is important to remember here is that the government ordered them to close. Now government is stepping in to assist them in getting back on their feet.”
Neal hosted a news conference Monday with Robert H. Nelson, district director of the Small Business Administration’s Massachusetts office; Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber; and Chris Russell, executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District.
Restaurants are eligible for grants as small as $1,000 or as big as $5 million for a single location and $10 million for one operator with multiple locations.
The program is part of the $1.6 trillion American Rescue Plan. Information on applying is available at SBA.gov. The call center number is 844-279-8898. Spanish resources are also available.
Nelson said the focus is going to be on small business. Also, the Small Business Administration will only approve applications over the first 21 days from firms owned by women, veterans, those who meet certain income limits and owners who are Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-Pacific American or South Asian American.
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