DoorDash commits a further $1 million to the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund
$10,000 grants available to help restaurants recover from floods, fires and hurricanes
Since 2021, DoorDash has invested over $3 million in the Fund
Local restaurants can apply from June 17, 2024 until May 30, 2025
Today we’re excited to announce the launch of the 2024-25 Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund, together with our partners, Hello Alice, and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). The Fund will provide an additional $1,000,000 in relief grants to eligible local restaurants impacted by disasters. The grants, each $10,000, can help cover essential operation expenses such as rent, repairs for damages, mortgage payments, payroll, and other critical bills. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through May 2025.
As part of our commitment to empowering local communities, DoorDash created the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund to help restaurants rebuild in the aftermath of natural disasters. Since 2021, the Fund has provided more than $1.8 million in relief grants to more than 180 local restaurants across the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Close to half of applicants from last year’s Fund said they had to close for over a month due to the disaster, with weather-related flooding being the most common disaster type. Supplies and materials were the top expense for merchants, followed by food and beverage inventory, and then rent payments. 96% of surveyed grant recipients say they found the grant substantially helpful in maintaining operations after the disaster and 61% said their revenue was at the same or above pre-disaster levels three months after receiving the grant.
“When a crisis disrupts business, access to funding can make all the difference. That’s why we’ve kept this program going for three years,” said Sueli Shaw, Head of Social Impact at DoorDash. “If local restaurants are able to recover from disasters, communities as a whole recover stronger, too.”
To apply for the 2024/25 Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund, restaurants must have been impacted by an eligible state or federally-declared natural disaster, have between one and three brick and mortar locations, have fewer than 50 employees per location, have been open for at least six months, and have revenues of USD $3 million or less per location in the past 12 months, and be located in the United States, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Australia or Canada. Applications must be submitted within 12 months of the disaster declaration.
To learn more and apply, visit the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund.
