SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Salt Lake City Department of Economic Development launched a grant program that will reimburse outdoor dining project costs for restaurants and bars that were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Outdoor Dining Grant Program is providing up to $5,000 to Salt Lake City businesses to either fund or reimburse costs related to setting up an outdoor dining experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there will be up to $10,000 available to businesses that are planning to execute dining projects related to Open Streets, an event where restaurants and bars will extend their services to the sidewalks of a closed street.
“Outdoor dining was a huge success — not only did it help our downtown bounce back faster than any other urban center in the country, it was also a great test case for what the future of dining and nightlife in Salt Lake City can look like,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
Here are the criteria businesses have to follow to be eligible applicants:
- Are physically located within Salt Lake City limits
- Have a current Salt Lake City Business License
- Operate out of a fixed business location
- Are defined as an in-person retail, restaurant, or bar
Representatives from the Department of Economic Development say reimbursement costs should be dated before April 2, 2021, and the grant funding will only cover:
- Outdoor dining retail furniture, fixtures and equipment (tables, chairs, barrier/patio building materials)
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- City fees related to outdoor dining
- Open Streets event costs
“Our hope is that this grant program will help cover costs for businesses who expanded their outdoor dining during the pandemic and encourage those businesses now interested in outdoor dining to participate,” said Roberta Reichgelt, Director of Business Development and Senior Advisor of Economic Development.
The outdoor dining guide for Salt Lake City businesses, which includes permit policies, can be found here.
The Department will accept applications from March 6 to May 30. For more information, reach out to The Department of Economic Development at ed@slcgov.com.
