Deadline: November 16, 2026
Applications are open for the Backing International Small Restaurants Grant Program 2026. The International Downtown Association Foundation recognizes that small restaurants are vital to thriving communities.
The Backing International Small Restaurants grant program, supported by American Express, aims to help restaurants to grow, recover, and support their local communities. Funding can support a range of initiatives including enhancing digital capabilities, building or refreshing dining spaces and making improvements to kitchen operations.
Grant
Grants are available for the following funding amounts in the following cities:
- Auckland – 5 grants of NZD 25,000
- Barcelona – 10 grants of EUR 12,500
- London and Manchester – 20 grants of GBP 10,500
- Melbourne and Sydney – 15 grants of AUD 20,000
- Mexico City – 10 grants of MXN equivalent of USD $10,000
- Milan – 5 grants of EUR 12,500
- Montreal and Toronto – 20 grants of CAD $20,000
- Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Tokyo – 10 grants of JPY 2,300,000
- Paris – 10 grants of EUR 12,500
Eligibility
To be eligible, restaurants must be located in one of the 15 program cities above and:
- Be currently open for business, in operation prior to September 1, 2025, and have a brick-and-mortar location/storefront. (Online-only or app-based businesses are not eligible)
- Be a small/independently owned for-profit restaurant, café, bar or pub with food offering and not part of a franchise with more than 5 locations
- Have a 2025 annual revenue below market-specific thresholds.
IDA Foundation will evaluate applicants who meet all eligibility criteria based on the following priorities:
- Clear use of grant funds and its impact on the restaurant.
- Ability to deploy grant funds within a 5-month timeframe.
- Demonstration of historic, cultural, or community significance
- Investment in projects that help restaurants grow, recover, and support their local communities
Application
When you are ready to start your application, login or create an account to Submittable and use the country and language-specific links.
For more information, visit Backing International Small Restaurants Grant.
