The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce opened applications today (Wednesday, Jan. 25) for the NGLCC Community Impact Grant Program, a program designed to support LGBTQ-owned restaurants and bars through $1.5 million in grant money. The program is funded by a grant from the Grubhub Community Fund, and grants to businesses grants are expected to range from $10,000 to $25,000.
The North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce has once again been chosen to participate.
The funds can be used for things like updating security and security protocols, updating or purchasing new equipment, community involvement, marketing and PR services, updating digital/e-commerce presence, purchasing product, staff training programs, employee pay and/or staff incentivized wages, COVID-19 recovery, and maintenance/updating of current infrastructure, according to a press release announcing the program.
NGLCC Co-Founder and President Justin Nelson said, “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 and establishments across America who kept our communities and first responders fed throughout the pandemic and have been so active in the recovery.
“We’re proud to again partner with Grubhub, with the support from the Grubhub Community Fund, in offering grants to support businesses throughout the nation this round with an even wider scope of opportunities for grant utilization to help them succeed, Nelson added.
Dave Tovar, Grubhub’s senior vice president of communications and government relations, applauded NGLCC as having been “an incredible partner to Grubhub,” adding that renewing a program that has already supported so many LGBTQ-owned businesses around the country was “a no-brainer.”
“We’ve heard so many stories of how independent restaurants have used these grants to do amazing things for their business and in their communities,” Tovar continued. “I’m excited to see what new and exciting things come out of the next group of grant recipients.”
Board Chair Rachel Wolf said the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce is “honored once again to be chosen to participate in this important opportunity for our community, noting that restaurants in North Texas received a total of $40,000 in grants from the program.
Noting that the application period for this region opens on Feb. 15, Wolf added, “With enough applications, we hope to double last year’s grant dollars.”
NGLCC has once again set a goal of allocating 30 percent of the funds to businesses owned by people of color and transgender and gender expansive (TGX) individuals. Between now and March, NGLCC will roll the grant program out regionally, with applications for East Coast establishments open Jan. 24-Feb. 14, and, as Wolf said, applications for the Central U.S. region opening Feb. 15. Applications for the West Coast open in March 2023.
Restaurants wishing to learn more about applying for grants should visit nglcc.org/ghgrant.
The NGLCC’s network of more than 50 affiliate chambers across the country — including the North Texas LGBT Chamber — will again help amplify the grant opportunity to support local restaurants. And those local chambers will again benefit from this initiative’s Affiliate Chamber Fund. In addition to supporting local efforts to share the grant opportunity, this fund has and will continue to enable any establishment that receives a grant that is not currently a member of an NGLCC local affiliate chamber to have one year of membership paid.
For more information on the Community Impact Grant Program regarding restaurant eligibility requirements, timelines, how to apply, and more, please visit www.nglcc.org/ghgrant.
— Tammye Nash
