$1.5 Million in New Grants Will Support LGBTQ+-Owned and Allied Restaurants

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March 1, 2023 | For Immediate Release

$1.5 Million in New Grants Will Support LGBTQ+-Owned and Allied Restaurants

The Long Beach LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce & National LGBT Chamber of Commerce Team Up with Grubhub For Another Year of Grants to Aid in Growth and Development

Washington, DC -- America’s LGBTQ+-owned restaurants and bars serving food will once again find a vital lifeline this year stemming from the ongoing partnership formed by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBTQ+ community and certifying body for LGBTQ+-owned businesses nationwide, and Grubhub, a leading U.S. food-ordering and delivery marketplace.

On March 15, 2023, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce will open applications for the NGLCC Community Impact Grant Program for restaurant owners in the western United States, a program made possible by a grant from the Grubhub Community Fund. The grants are expected to range from $10,000 to $25,000 and funds can be used for things like updating security and security protocols, updating/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.

“We often say at NGLCC that if you can buy it, an LGBTQ+-owned business can supply it,” said NGLCC Co-Founder & President Justin Nelson. “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.”

“NGLCC has been an incredible partner to Grubhub, and it was a no-brainer to renew this program which has supported so many LGBTQ+-owned businesses across the country,” said Dave Tovar, Grubhub’s senior vice president of Communications and Government Relations. “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, and I’m excited to see what new and exciting things come out of the next group of grant recipients.”

“It is no secret that restaurants are among the most vulnerable businesses in our communities, not only in the aftermath of the pandemic, but in today’s current economic climate,” said Ellie Dote, president of the Long Beach LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce. “Inflation and labor shortages post-pandemic continue to burden restaurant owners, and higher costs have seen a decrease in revenue in this industry. With the increased stigma that LGBTQ+ people face in today’s political climate, helping support this segment of our community not only supports the economic prosperity of our neighborhoods as a whole, but is an opportunity to prove not with our words but with our actions the positive impact that LGBTQ+ people have in our cities, country, and the world.”

Once again, under the innovative grant program, the NGLCC has set a goal to allocate 30 percent of the funds to businesses owned by people of color and transgender and gender expansive (TGX) individuals. Between now and March 2023, NGLCC will roll the grant program out regionally, with applications for East Coast establishments launching on January 24, 2023 through February 14, 2023. Applications for the Central US will open in February 2023, and those for the West Coast will roll out in March 2023. Restaurants wishing to learn more about applying for grants should visit nglcc.org/ghgrant.

The NGLCC’s network of more than fifty Affiliate Chambers across America will once again help amplify this grant opportunity to support local restaurants. 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.

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About NGLCC

The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) suppliers.

www.nglcc.org @nglcc

About Grubhub

Grubhub is part of Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY), a leading global online food delivery marketplace. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features more than 365,000 restaurant partners in over 4,000 U.S. cities.

About LBGLCC

The Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s Mission and Vision is to have a positive impact on the LGBT business and professional community and its allies. Our mission is to increase our visibility as a powerful economic force within our LGBT community and the Greater Long Beach Area.The Chamber was founded as the Long Beach Community Business Network in 1992 by a group of gay and lesbian business owners to serve as a networking and support organization for gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses within the greater Long Beach area. Since then we have grown to include gender expansive businesses from surrounding areas as well. In partnership with other gay and lesbian nonprofit organizations in Long Beach, LBGLCC contributes to the energy and quality of life within the city and surrounding communities.

www.lbglcc.org @lbglcc