Grants Help Restaurants and Commercial Caterers in Our Cities Achieve Long-Term Success
Oakland, California — This year, a record number of restaurants and commercial caterers in Northern and Central California will receive grants from the California Restaurant Foundation (CRF) and the PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation). Grant money can be used for equipment upgrades, staff training, and more. The grants reflect the commitment to strengthening local restaurants so they can achieve long-term business success and continue to contribute to local economies and community development.
The PG&E Foundation’s $1.1 million charitable contribution this year will fund $5,000 grants for 188 local restaurants. Recipients are located in 29 counties across the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) service area. The contribution also provides operating support to CRF, which administers the grant program. Funding comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.
This increased number of grant recipients this year exceeds last year’s 154. This means that CRF’s Restaurants Care Resiliency Fund will assist more restaurants. Grant funds can help pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unexpected hardships, training, and employee retention bonuses. The goal is to help restaurant owners invest in their businesses and staff.
The grants were available to California-based restaurant owners with fewer than five locations and revenues under $3 million.
“This grant is a huge blessing. I opened my restaurant with no savings or formal training; I relied only on my passion for feeding people and a lot of support from my family. Today, we are a full-service restaurant with a loyal team and community. With rising costs, it’s harder than ever to invest in the equipment and upgrades we need to grow. This assistance will help us become more efficient and expand our menu with homemade desserts. That gives us the boost we need to stay strong and continue doing what we’re passionate about,” said Dawn Borst, owner of Bayside Café in Morro Bay.
Since 2021, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $4.3 million in funding to the CRF’s Restaurants Care Resiliency Fund, offering grants of $3,000 to $5,000. (Watch our “From Kitchen to Community” videos featuring previous grant recipients in the PG&E service area.)
With this year’s funding, PG&E has helped provide grants to a total of 863 restaurants and caterers in Northern and Central California.
“These restaurants, which are often family-run businesses, are the lifeblood of our communities. They are gathering places where friends and families gather to celebrate birthdays and graduations and create cherished memories. Partnering with the California Restaurant Foundation helps these restaurants thrive and strengthens our local economies and communities,” said Carla Peterman, executive vice president of Corporate Affairs for PG&E Corporation and chair of the PG&E Corporation Foundation board of directors.
CRF created the Resiliency Fund to support restaurants recovering from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused many restaurants to close their doors temporarily or permanently. PG&E and the PG&E Corporation Foundation have supported the program since its inception. The company has maintained its support as restaurants continue to weather economic fluctuations.
“We are incredibly grateful to PG&E for five years of unwavering support for the Resilience Fund,” said Alycia Harshfield, president of the California Restaurant Foundation. “This assistance is critical because when local restaurants thrive, so do the people and neighborhoods around them. Partnering with PG&E helps independent restaurant owners recover from hardships, strengthen their operations, and continue to create jobs and gathering spaces in the communities they serve.”
We Help Restaurants and Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
PG&E remains committed to offering its small and medium-sized business customers ways to save energy and money, especially during tough economic times. Here are some of the ways PG&E is helping its customers:
Bill Financing. PG&E offers 0% interest loans to replace old, worn-out equipment with more energy-efficient models. Watch this video to learn how energy savings are reinvested in your business to help improve your bottom line.
Foodservice Equipment Rebates. PG&E offers several rebate programs to help you save money and improve productivity when you upgrade your foodservice equipment.
Foodservice Technology Center. Access key training programs, design consultants, and test kitchen plans to improve your operations and energy efficiency.
Budget Billing. If you’re a small business owner, you can have a predictable bill each month by enrolling in the Budget Billing program. The program averages your monthly bill to determine your monthly payment, rather than having unpredictable summer bills.
Energy Efficiency Programs. PG&E hires third-party companies to provide a customized solution for different business sectors.
Find Your Best Rate Plan. Customers can use this online tool to perform a rate analysis to see if they are on the best rate plan for their operations. Last year, we were able to save customers $5.4 million.
Economic Development Rate. This offers eligible business customers the opportunity to reduce costs through one of three reduced electric rate options. PG&E developed this rate to help businesses grow or maintain jobs in California. The standard 12% rate is available throughout our service territory.
For more information about PG&E’s support for small and medium-sized business customers, visit pge.com/smbsupport.
