This is going to be another topic that will be heavily debated with Colorado citizens as so many restaurants have struggled through this pandemic. The Denver Post is reporting that The Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation along with Planterra Foods have announced a new grant program earlier this week. The program could give customers at Black-owned restaurants the possibility of a $25 gift card to entice them to come back and visit more Black-owned businesses.

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There are twenty Black-owned businesses that will soon be filling out the paperwork necessary to receive these grants that will offer customers $25 gift cards as an incentive to come back and do business with them again. This is a one-time grant and The Colorado Restaurant Association says they will be accepting applications through March 5th, if you want to apply click here.

Before you apply here are the stipulations:

  1. Must be an independent, Colorado restaurant or foodservice establishment that has a gift card program already in place.
  2. Must be a Black-owned business (no minimum percentage of ownership but at least one owner must qualify).
  3. The restaurant must agree to use the DOTHO funds to purchase gift cards in the value of $25 or more in the restaurant establishment.
  4. The restaurant must notify the CRF immediately after funds run out.
  5. The restaurant agrees to market the Angel Relief Fund DOTHO gift card program through its business marketing platforms (social media pages).
  6. Restaurants are required to provide sales receipts or sales reports for gift certificate sales to CRF at the end of the marketing promotion.

The Colorado Restaurant Foundation President Laura Shunk is calling this a "win-win". The restaurants selected will begin handing out these gift cards in March.

I'm a huge fan of supporting small businesses, but I have to be honest, I'm not certain which restaurants in our area are Black-owned and which ones aren't. When I visit a restaurant it's because I enjoy their food and good service. I've never picked my meal over the owner's race. I'm wishing nothing but the best for all businesses in Colorado.

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