Backing International Small Restaurants Grant Program 2026

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.

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

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.