Re-FRESH Program
The Revitalization of Food Restaurants and Establishments to Stabilize Holistically (Re-FRESH) Program supports brick and mortar businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goal of the Re-FRESH Program is to create stability amongst small food businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, taverns, and bars. Participating business owners create a plan to reactivate their business, setting goals to recover from pandemic setbacks.
The Office of Small Business office provides wrap-around support services to Re-FRESH Program participants through technical assistance partners, such as:
- working one-on-one with a business coach
- offering support and resources
- creating comprehensive marketing plans, and
- much more.
The Re-FRESH Program Application closed on September 20, 2024. If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Office of Small Business at smallbiz@boston.gov or 617-635-0355.
RE-FRESH PROGRAM INFORMATION
Program Information- @UNION
- A&L Bakery
- Ajeen
- All Spice Restaurant
- Angel Meat Market
- Anna's Cafe Serenade Chocolatiers Outlet
- APM Coffee
- Bab Al-Yemen Restaurant
- Bean & Leaf Cafe
- Bees and Thank You
- Bella's Market
- Billy's Texas BBQ
- Bitez
- Black Seed Halal Grill
- Blue Hill Halal Market
- Bootleg Special
- Boston News Cafe
- Cafe Gigu
- Cafe Juice Up, LLC
- Chacarero
- Christo's Pizzeria
- College Pizza
- Democracy Brewing
- Dirty Water Dough Co.
- Distraction Brewing Company
- Dudley Cafe
- El Punto Restaurant Lounge & Hall
- Energize
- Fasika Cafe
- Five Horses Tavern
- Fresh Food Generation
- Futago Udon Restaurant
- Hidden Kitchen
- Hong Kong Eatery
- Inbound Pizza & Restaurant
- International Halal Market
- Irie Jamaican Style Restaurant
- Irish Village
- Island Style Restaurant
- Jibei Chuan
- JJ Foley's Cafe
- KrayPlates
- Laughing Monk Cafe
- Ledeta Gebeya
- Lord Dawgz
- Lotus Test Kitchen
- Lower Mills Tavern
- Mela Restaurant
- Merengue Restaurant
- Mi Finca Mexican Food and Pizzeria
- Midnight Morning
- Mig's Dogs LLC
- Mini Donut Diva
- Mo’Rockin Fusion
- Montien Thai Restaurant
- Monumental Market
- Naughty Waffle
- On The Edge Nutrition
- One Family Diner
- Pastoral
- Penguin Pizza
- Pimental Market
- Pizza Stop
- Purple Cactus
- Recreo Coffee
- Revelry Food Truck
- Rhythm 'N Wraps
- Rock City Pizza
- Ruggles Pizza and Cafe
- Savin Bar and Kitchen
- Soul on Shawmut
- Stokes BBQ Truck
- Suya Joint
- Sweet Life Bakery and Cafe
- Tandoor and Curry on Wheels
- Tarboosh Mediterranean Grill
- Ten Tables
- The Puddingstone Tavern
- Theo's Cozy Corner
- Ula Cafe
- Umami Tsunami Taqueria
- Upham's House of Pizza
- Via Cannuccia
- Victoria's Diner
- Vivi Bubble Tea Brighton
- Waku Waku
- WOW TIKKA
- 2TWENTY2
- ADK Sandwich Shop
- Ariana Restaurant
- Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant
- Bonne Chance Cafe
- Bono Restaurant and Catering
- Brasil Brazil
- BRED
- Butterfly Falafel
- Cafe Iterum
- Cape Verde Taste
- Caramelo Bakery & Cafe
- Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
- Chill on Park
- Coco Leaf
- Comfort Kitchen
- Corner Cafe Bakery
- Crispy Dough Pizzeria
- D'Guru
- dbar
- Don Tequeno y Dona Arepa
- Dora Taqueria
- Drydock Cafe
- Holly Crab
- Huong Que Vietnamese Restaurant
- Koy
- L’Osteria
- La Terraza
- Las Delicias Colombianas 2
- Las Palmas Restaurant
- Love Art Sushi
- Madhouse Cafe
- Maxine's on Saint James
- Melodias
- Mexicali Sushi Bar
- Mi Pueblito Orient Heights
- Mi Pueblito Restaurant
- Mi Rancho
- Model Cafe
- Montecristo
- North Street Grille
- Oasis Restaurant
- Papi's Stuffed Sopapillas
- PeKa Restaurant
- Perros Paisas
- Pizzeria Rustico
- Restaurante Cesaria
- Rinconcito Salvadoreño
- Rootastes
- Roundhead Brewing Company
- Savvor Restaurant and Lounge
- Solid Ground Cafe
- spicy world
- Sweet Kingdom
- Tacos Calleteco
- Tasty Pot
- Tertulias Cafe
- The Jamaican Hummingbird Restaurant
- The Koji Club
- Top Mix Bar & Kitchen
- Tu Metapan Restaurant
- Vasquez Restaurant
- We Grow Microgreens
- Wen's Noodle
- Woodys Grill & Tap
- Zaz
Eligible businesses include food businesses, restaurants, bars, taverns, and juice shops. We prioritize businesses that are located in low-to-moderate-income communities.
Businesses must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- Must employ 30 or fewer individuals, including the business owner
- Must earn no more than $3 million in annual revenue
- Must have faced an economic hardship directly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. This could include, but is not limited to: declines in revenues or business closures due to the pandemic; greater difficulty accessing credit than prior to the pandemic; increased costs to starting the business due to the pandemic; lost expected startup capital due to the pandemic
- Must have a commercial or mobile space in the City of Boston (home-based businesses are not eligible). Search your address using this map to check your eligibility.
- If deemed necessary by the Small Business office, must complete the necessary Re-FRESH Program workshops/trainings
- Must be in Good Standing with the City of Boston, with no back taxes owed on property, personal property, or motor excise
Businesses can receive up to $15,000. Small Business may award full funding, partial funding, or no funding.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Businesses must submit a complete application by September 20, 2024.
Businesses should be prepared to provide the following documents:
- Valid certificate of occupancy (as appropriate)
- Valid business certificate from the City of Boston OR your 2023 or 2024 annual report for your Massachusetts state-registered corporation
- Budget template provided in application
- Letter of community support from a neighborhood or community group (OPTIONAL)
- Copy of 2023 IRS filing for business tax
- Valid Supplier ID
Please note: Funds cannot be used for owner's salary but can be used for employees' salaries.
GENERAL PROGRAM POLICIES
- Grant funds must be used only in association with business establishments located within the city of Boston
- Grant funds are awarded to a business, not to an individual
- Applicants should read the full terms and conditions of this grant
- Food businesses in Qualified Census Tracts will be prioritized, but all are welcome to apply
- Second round grant application launch: Monday, July 29, 2024
- Info Session #1: Monday, August 5, 2024, from 4 - 5 p.m.
- Info Session #2: Thursday, August 29, 2024, from 9 - 10 a.m.
- Spanish Language Session: Monday, August 19, 2024 from 10 - 11 a.m.
- Second round application deadline: Friday, September 20, 2024