DoorDash offers $150,000 in COVID-19 relief grants for Anchorage restaurants

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The food delivery service DoorDash is making $150,000 in COVID-19 relief grants available to Anchorage restaurants. The initiative is a part of DoorDash’s program to provide $10 million in aid grants to specific cities in the United States and Canada.

Grant applications will be available until Feb. 17 on DoorDash partner website Hello Alice. To be eligible for funds, restaurants must have three or fewer stores, have made less than $3 million in 2019 and have no more than 50 employees per store.

Restaurants can apply for up to $5,000 and will be notified in March if they will receive the grant.

“Anchorage’s restaurant industry has been experiencing immense hardship throughout this pandemic resulting from three local shutdowns, tight restrictions, and the lack of tourism,” President and CEO of Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association Sarah Oates said in a prepared statement. “These relief funds will empower businesses by giving them resources to persevere through the rest of the public health crisis.”

In a release, President and CEO of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Bruce Bustamante said the grants will provide needed funding to restaurant owners to take safety precautions to increase public confidence.

“Together, we can generate momentum we need to help our members and the community regain economic recovery,” Bustamante said in the statement.

The grants are offered under DoorDash’s Main Street Strong Pledge, which plans to grant $200 million over a five-year period.

“DoorDash is committed to helping our restaurant partners through this difficult time and we’re proud to provide additional financial support through our Main Street Strong Pledge,” Laura Curtis with DoorDash said in a prepared statement. “These resources will allow restaurants to keep their doors open in Anchorage and support the local community.”

Grants are also being offered to restaurants in San Diego, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Sacramento and Toronto, among others. A full list of eligible cities is available here.