Hispanic-owned restaurants, starting today through Jan. 26, can submit an application for a COVID relief grant provided by the USHCC Education Fund and Grubhub.

The USHCC & Grubhub Restaurant Small Business Grant Program plans to distribute about 300 restaurant grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Businesses from both urban and rural areas across the country are eligible to apply.

Grants for COVID relief are provided by Grubhub's Donate the Change Program.

"Small businesses have faced a disproportionately difficult 18 months, and it's crucial that we support them to ensure they remain part of the fabric in our communities," said Kevin Kearns, senior vice president of restaurants at Grubhub.

Grubhub says in order for restaurants to qualify, they must be Latino-owned, have been operating for at least nine months before applying, have a verified employer identification number (EIN), and have 20 full-time employees or less.

Restaurant owners can find the grant program application here.

USHCC became a partner of Grubhub's Donate the Change Program during Hispanic Heritage Month in September 2021. The donations were distributed as grants and scholarships to Latinos who sought financial assistance.

Ramiro A. Cavazos, president and CEO of USHCC, said he sees the grant program helping to keep small local restaurants open longer.

"As our restaurant industries work to re-open their doors and look towards recovering, they'll need access to the resources and tools offered by the USHCC national network, now more than ever before," said Cavazos.

Restaurants in the U.S. have shown steady recovery coming into 2022, but Grubhub and USHCC agree that many are still fighting to avoid short or long term closures.

According to the National Restaurant Association, a study from Stanford University in 2020 found that “Hispanic-owned restaurants struggled to get economic relief from the government” during the pandemic.

The most affected by a lack of COVID relief was Latina businesses, which closed twice as often compared to one owned by a Latino.