North Shore Restaurants Can Now Apply For Long-Awaited Relief

SALEM, MA — Restaurants, bars, food trucks and other hospitality industries that closed or suffered a negative financial impact during the 14 months of the coronavirus health crisis can apply to recoup some or all of those losses starting Monday.

Applications for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, as part of the America Rescue Act, were set to be accepted as of noon on Monday through the Small Business Administration. The funds are available to any eligible establishment until all of the $28.6 billion in direct relief funds have been exhausted.

Owners and proprietors must first register for an account here. A sample application, updated program guide and eligibility chart are also available.

Restauranters can apply for up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Unlike previous programs, these funds can be used for almost any purpose and are accessible through March 11, 2023.

"Restaurants are the heart of our towns and communities," U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) said in a statement to Patch. "Throughout the pandemic, restaurant owners have done their best to stay afloat and innovate so that they could hold on to their hardworking teams.

"They've been hit hard and relief has taken too long."

Patch would like to tell the stories of restaurant, bar and entertainment venue owners about their experiences applying for this and other related relief programs, including those who are expanding hours or reopening as state business restrictions are scheduled to ease in the coming weeks and months.

Email Scott Souza at scott.souza@patch.com and let us know whether or not these funds are a welcome relief, come too little too late, or simply share your story about how you persevered through the coronavirus pandemic as a small business owner on the North Shore.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)