Woodridge serves up grants to village's restaurant community

The village of Woodridge is offering eligible Woodridge-based restaurants up to $7,500 in grant funding for operating expenses and a $15,000 maximum grant for capital expenses.

The program also includes an immediate rebate for on site liquor license fees to more than 20 restaurants. The grant information packet and application is available on the village of Woodridge website.

“The village board and I understand that Woodridge restaurants face many challenges through no fault of their own due to the pandemic,” said Mayor Gina Cunningham said in a statement. “Our goal with this relief grant program is to help ease the COVID-19 mitigation burden from Woodridge restaurants. We want all Woodridge businesses to feel supported during this challenging time.”

A portion of the program funding is from the village’s federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocation. The $7,500 operating expenses grant helps to finance payroll, rent and utility costs incurred. The $15,000 capital expenses grant will reimburse restaurants who purchased new assets, such as table and tent rentals for outdoor dining related to COVID-19 mitigation. The village allocated up to $350,000 to distribute back into the business community, based on eligible applications.

“Woodridge has a vibrant dining scene, and Woodridge restaurants continue to show resilience by adapting to COVID-19 conditions,” said Kim Porter, the village's director of community development. “The grant application will be straight- forward and aimed to get dollars quickly and equitably to qualifying restaurants.”

The village encourages Woodridge restaurants to visit the village website to learn more about the grant criteria and submit the application.