#BlackFoodEnergy Grant
We've teamed up with Black Opportunity Fund to offer grants to Canadian Black-owned restaurants and virtual kitchens.
Eligible businesses are not required to be existing DoorDash partners in order to apply.
Grant applications for Round 2 will close on February 28, 2025.
Applications for Round 3 will open in Q4, 2025.
How it works
Review Period
Applicants will be notified 2-3 months after applications close.
Grants Distributed
Selected grant recipients will receive the funds 2-3 weeks after they have been notified.
Example grant project objectives may include:
Technology improvement
Upgrading restaurant interior or equipment
Market expansion & branding
Who can apply
Restaurants and virtual kitchens must:
Be majority Black-Owned
Have a valid CRA business number
Be incorporated and in good standing under a relevant federal or provincial corporate statute
Have no more than 3 physical locations, and be open for at least 6 months continuously
Have 50 or fewer employees per location
Have a web presence (i.e., website, social media, etc.)
Be able to demonstrate how they help to support their local neighbourhood/community
Articulate what #BlackFoodEnergy means to them
Articulate the restaurant or virtual kitchen innovation
Be able to provide a project budget for the initiative for which funding is being sought;
Have a dedicated business bank account
Eligible restaurateurs are not required to be existing DoorDash partners in order to apply.
Examples of restaurant/virtual kitchen innovation
Are you a Black-owned restaurant or virtual kitchen using innovative techniques to help grow your business? Innovation can mean:
Innovative cooking methods and recipes
Bringing traditional cultural dishes to new audiences
Using food as an educational tool to increase cultural awareness and understanding
Finding ways to bring healthier foods to underserved communities
Up-cycling or incorporating sustainability into your menu or production process
Using technology to reach new customers
Amplifying Black restaurateurs
#BlackFoodEnergy celebrates, amplifies, and supports Black chefs and Black-owned restaurants on the DoorDash platform. Through this program, DoorDash is continuing its commitment to help create more opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in the food industry. Program benefits include:
Additional marketing and amplification opportunities for black-owned businesses on and off the DoorDash platform
Access to funding opportunities to explore new growth streams
Access to custom-built programs, resources and initiatives from DoorDash partners focused on helping Black Canadian entrepreneurs
Leveling the playing field for restaurateurs
#BlackFoodEnergy is an extension of the DoorDash Entrepreneurship & Access Program, which offers additional support for restaurants on the DoorDash platform owned by women, immigrants, and people of colour.
The #BlackFoodEnergy Grant is funded by DoorDash in partnership with Black Opportunity Fund.