These Seattle Restaurants Scored Restaurant Revitalization Money

SEATTLE — Hundreds of Seattle restaurants were among the more than 3,200 in Washington that received money from the Small Business Administration's Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was passed by Congress last year as part of a sweeping coronavirus relief package.

A total of $921,268,588 in funding was given to Washington restaurants. But the 3,237 businesses that received funding under the program were less than half of the 7,236 that applied to the program, which SBA is shutting down Wednesday. Seattle restaurants accounted for about 28 percent of those approved across the state.

Here is a searchable list showing where 910 grants went in Seattle:

But restaurants across the country are facing an uncertain future after the U.S. Small Business Administration said last month it was shutting down the Restaurant Revitalization Fund passed by Congress as part of the coronavirus relief package.

"If we want to sustain a thriving, diverse restaurant industry, Congress must fix this by adding more funding to the program," said Steve Hooper, president of Seattle Restaurant Alliance and at Ethan Stowell Restaurant Group. "So many operators I know are deep in debt through no fault of their own. Some were thankfully able to secure funding, others were approved but didn’t receive it, and many were never able to apply at all."

In an email to applicants last month, the SBA said the program will be "disabled" July 14. At that time, it will stop accepting applications. Nationally, the program has handed out grants to 105,000 restaurants, but another 265,000 applicants are still waiting. A bill to replenish the fund has been introduced in Congress, but it has not moved forward.

"We are calling on Congress to backfill program funding so that these small businesses get the help they need,” said Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association. "Six members of Washington’s Congressional delegation have already signed on in support of additional funding. We’re grateful for their support, and call on the rest of our delegation for their support."

Despite the restaurant industry lobbying for Congress to replenish the fund, lawmakers have been more focused on reaching a compromise on the Biden administration's infrastructure improvement bill.

A petition asking Congress to backfill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund can be found online.