- July 14, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
The Small Business Administration has released a list of the more than 100,000 food and beverage businesses approved to receive grants through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the food industry stimulus program developed in part by Portland’s own Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
A part of the American Rescue Plan, the fund was supposed to prioritize businesses owned by veterans, women, and marginalized groups. However, white business owners began to file lawsuits, saying the policy was discriminatory against white men; some female business owners and restaurateurs of color reported that lenders were rescinding the previously approved grants related to the lawsuits. The SBA froze payments to 2,965 priority applicants, redistributing the funds to non-priority businesses.
Portland’s top 10 largest Restaurant Revitalization grants approved by the SBA reflect the confusion surrounding the intended prioritization of businesses owned by women and people of…
