Senator Hickenlooper and Small Business Administration announce $309 million COVID-19 relief package

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Hickenlooper and Guzman visit El Pueblito Mexican Restaurant in Greeley.(Photo: Office of Senator John Hickenlooper)

By Steven Bonifazi

(DENVER, Colo.) Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and head of the Small Business Administration Isabella Guzman stopped by three small businesses along the Colorado Front Range Wednesday to announce that 1,587 state restaurants, bars, breweries and food trucks have received over $309 million in new federal relief.

“The restaurants and bars we visited today are small businesses that give life to their communities,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “They needed a lifeline to stay open after this past year and that’s exactly what these grants will give them.”

Independent businesses like @Coffee_ThePoint in Denver are part of the fabric of their communities and create jobs. Through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and other relief programs, @SBAGov is helping small businesses access capital, stay open, and keep workers employed. pic.twitter.com/TJkdsAsWTd
— Isabel Guzman (@SBAIsabel) June 2, 2021

The new funding comes as an attempt to aid 1,587 state businesses as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are part of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), which came as part of President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan and is administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Hickenlooper worked to help secure the RRF as part of the American Rescue Plan.

Hickenlooper and Guzman visited El Pueblito Mexican Restaurant located in Greeley as well as Scrumpy's Hard Cider Bar and Pub in Fort Collins and Coffee at the Point in Denver, where they announced the awards and discuss issues regarding bringing back pre-COVID employees and relief for Black-owned businesses.

Yesterday @SBAIsabel and I met up with Ryan who owns @Coffee_ThePoint in Denver to chat about relief for Black-owned businesses hit hard by the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/N6hmwaT8ds
— Senator John Hickenlooper (@SenatorHick) June 3, 2021

Restaurants in Colorado can utilize the grants for a multitude of expenses ranging from payroll and rent to construction, utilities, maintenance and much more. Additionally, RRF grants are more flexible than Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and are not required to be repaid.

“Today, we witnessed the creativity and ingenuity that so many small businesses across America have used to pivot and adapt during this pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of small business advocates such as Senator Hickenlooper, we have been able to deliver relief swiftly and efficiently to help these businesses recover and rebuild,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “We will continue to work together to help small businesses in Colorado and across the nation build back better.”