KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV/AP) — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids announced Friday that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund granted more than $46 million in pandemic relief aid to 165 small businesses in Kansas City.
The Biden administration launched the program in January to give a lifeline to restaurants across the country that were forced by the government to either shut down or limit their operations. The fund provided a total of $28.6 billion in aid to more than 100,000 US restaurants, according to the US Small Business Administration.
Davids is one of 181 US House members who support of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act, a measure introduced in June that would allocate an additional $60 billion to the depleted program, helping hundreds more businesses and workers in the Kansas Third District stay afloat.
The grants can be used for everything from payroll and benefits to food, utilities, and rent. However, just a few weeks after opening, applications to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund reached $75 billion in requested grants, far exceeding available funds.
“I’m glad to announce that these restaurants and bars in our community have received flexible funding from the American Rescue Plan to keep their doors open and staff on payroll,” said Davids. “Small businesses are the heart of our community, and after more than a year of challenges, they continue to need our support. I signed on to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act to ensure no small business owner is left behind in our recovery.”