To further empower local economies and undersupported entrepreneurs in the culinary industry, DoorDash Canada unveiled its long-term partnership with leading Canadian organization Black Opportunity Fund to provide $800,000 in #BlackFoodEnergy grants to Black-owned and led restaurants across the country by the end 2025.
Black entrepreneurs in Canada face daunting challenges and hardships while running their businesses, as illuminated in Statistics Canada’s “Black Business Owners in Canada Report.” Black male business owners earn $43,300 less annually compared to white male business owners, whereas Black women business owners earn $16,000 less annually compared to white female business owners, underscoring the dire need for access to funding. This imbalance is a core reason why DoorDash launched #BlackFoodEnergy in 2022, a platform dedicated to celebrating and amplifying Black restaurateurs on DoorDash.
“Investing in Black chefs and Black restaurateurs across Canada who contribute to the fabric of their neighbourhood can feed meaningful change with lasting impacts in all of our communities,” said Delly Dyer, Head of Consumer Brand Marketing at DoorDash Canada. "Our partners at Black Opportunity Fund understand the need for platforms like #BlackFoodEnergy and we're proud to collaborate with them to increase access to funding opportunities.”
Eligible entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the next round of #BlackFoodEnergy grants from now through Thursday, July 25, with additional information below:
Eligibility: Restaurants must meet select eligibility criteria, including but not limited to being a primarily Black-owned restaurant with less than three locations, employing less than 50 employees per location, demonstrating a detailed plan for how to utilize the grant, and showcasing how they support their local community. A DoorDash partnership is not considered or required for a successful application.
Grant Information: Grants will be $10,000 and can be utilized for a variety of business needs and innovations, as outlined and approved by Black Opportunity Fund.
Timeline: Applications will remain open for #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grants through Thursday, July 25 with grant recipients will be notified in September. Applications will reopen on a rolling basis for three more rounds of grants through December 2025.
To administer the #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grants, DoorDash Canada is partnering with Black Opportunity Fund – a Canadian community-led organization that aims to improve the quality of life in Black communities.
“By creating additional and non-traditional funding opportunities for Black entrepreneurs through programs like #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grants, we’re creating a more sustainable and viable economic community,” said Craig Wellington, CEO of Black Opportunity Fund. “Through our conversations over the years, we’ve found a partner in DoorDash Canada who shares a similar mission as us – to empower communities across the country by connecting them with meaningful opportunities.”
DoorDash has already provided over $150,000 to Black-owned and led restaurants in the past – including small businesses spanning from Nova Scotia to Manitoba to British Columbia, like Boukan in Ontario.
“Our restaurant is a gathering place for the community, where we bring delicious Haitian cuisine to the table to share in good company,” said Ricardo Province, Co-Owner of Boukan. “Receiving a #BlackFoodEnergy grant from DoorDash Canada enabled us to share our Haitian culture with even more people within our neighbourhood, while also growing our business.”
For more information about DoorDash Canada’s #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grant, please click here.
