To help restaurants affected by the COVID-19 restrictions, Los Angeles County will launch the Keep L.A. County Dining Grant Program today, Dec. 3.

The Keep L.A. County Dining Grant will provide $30,000 for restaurant owners to use for employee payroll expenses, operations, payment of outstanding business expenses and adaptive business practices needed to remain open. Preference will be given to restaurants that provided outdoor dining prior to Nov. 24. The application period will run through Sunday, Dec. 6, at 11:59 p.m., or until 2,500 applications are received.

The program, approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 24, is overseen by the Los Angeles County Development Authority. Grants will be available to small businesses located in Los Angeles County – not including the city of Los Angeles, which has its own assistance programs – that can demonstrate their business was impacted by COVID-19 due to closure and a reduction in revenue. Businesses that have already received assistance from other Los Angeles County Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act programs are not eligible.

“Earlier this year, restaurants made incredible sacrifices to align with public safety protocols in order to open for in person dining and help pay their bills,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, 5th District, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “These restaurants, the vast majority of which employ fewer than 25 people, truly represent the small business community that drives the county’s economic engine. The recent health officer orders to close in person dining was a devastating blow and as a result, the board identified the need to immediately deploy grant funding to support these impacted small businesses.”

“This pandemic and the recent closure of outdoor dining has been devastating to our restaurants and restaurant workers,” added Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, 4th District. “These grants are meant to help as many restaurants as possible make ends meet and make it through this crisis. We know it won’t be enough. We need another federal stimulus package to get a lifeline to all of our businesses and workers that are struggling.”

For information, call (626)943-3833, email keeplacountydining@lacda.org, or visit keeplacountydining.lacda.org.