COLORADO, USA — Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colo) announced that more grants have been awarded to help restaurants expand outdoor seating during the winter months.
Polis announced $1,023,988 were awarded to 260 restaurants in 30 counties, adding to $1,394,317 that was previously awarded to another 129 restaurants.
The grant funds can be used toward design, construction, applicable fees and supplies, including permit fees, tents and heaters.
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The grants are awarded in partnership with the Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA), the Colorado Restaurant Foundation (CRF), Xcel Energy and the Xcel Energy Foundation.
The CRF, a non-profit that functions as the CRA's philanthropic arm, is responsible for distributing the grants.
"Restaurants have been telling us for months that they need cash and capacity to survive the pandemic," said Sonia Riggs, president and CEO of CRA. "This program offered both: a way to expand seating during winter, and the means to pay for it. This is not a silver bullet. Restaurants still need significant support if they are to make it to the other side of this crisis, but it certainly helped some restaurants keep their doors open for a few more months, and that gets them closer to the finish line."
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