Black Opportunity Fund and DoorDash Canada have announced a new partnership to provide $800,000 in #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grants to support Black-owned and -led restaurants.

“By creating additional and non-traditional funding opportunities for Black entrepreneurs through programs like #BlackFoodEnergy Restaurant Grants, we’re creating a more sustainable and viable economic community. Through our conversations over the years, we’ve found a partner in DoorDash Canada who shares a similar mission as us – to empower communities across the country by connecting them with meaningful opportunities,” says Craig Wellington, CEO of Black Opportunity Fund.

The partnership will provide $10,000 in grants to Black-owned restaurants with fewer than three locations and fewer than 50 employees per location. Applications are open until July 25; winners will be notified in September.

Three more rounds of grants will occur through to December 2025, a statement reads.

A partnership with DoorDash is not required for consideration; however, restaurateurs must meet select eligibility criteria, including being primarily Black-owned and having a community focus.

Black entrepreneurs in Canada face daunting challenges and hardships while running their businesses, as illuminated in Statistics Canada’s “Black Business Owners in Canada Report.” According to a statement, Black male business owners earn $43,300 less annually than white male business owners, whereas Black women business owners earn $16,000 less annually than white female business owners.

To close the gap, DoorDash says it has already provided over $150,000 to Black-owned and led restaurants in the past, including small businesses from Nova Scotia, Manitoba, B.C. and Ontario.

“Our restaurant is a gathering place for the community, where we bring delicious Haitian cuisine to the table to share in good company,” says Ricardo Province, co-owner of Boukan. “Receiving a #BlackFoodEnergy grant from DoorDash Canada enabled us to share our Haitian culture with even more people within our neighbourhood, while also growing our business.”