Festival Activation Fund
We are helping DoorDash partners share their love for food at festivals this summer.
15 Made by Women, #BlackFoodEnergy and/or Kitchens Without Borders DoorDash partners will receive funding to help them cover the cost of their food vendor entry fee at food festivals, as part of our commitment to help level the playing field for entrepreneurs and increase opportunities for businesses owned by women, immigrants, and people of colour.
What's Included
Funding
DoorDash will cover 50% of the sponsor vendor fee for 15 merchants, up to $3,000 each.
Promotional kit
Selected partners will receive a promotional kit for one of DoorDash’s programs (Made by Women, #BlackFoodEnergy, or Kitchens Without Borders) to use at the festival.
How it works
Application Deadline
Fill out the Festival Activation Fund application by May 16, 2025.
Review Period
Selected applicants will be notified by May 30, 2025.
Grants Distributed
Grant recipients will receive the funds 2-3 weeks after they have been notified.
Who can apply
To be eligible, restaurants must:
Be a DoorDash partner in good standing, active on the DoorDash marketplace app
Be majority women, black, refugee or immigrant-owned restaurant
Have no more than 3 physical locations, and be open for at least 6 months continuously
Have 20 or fewer employees per location
Have an Instagram account dedicated to your restaurant
Commit to publishing 1 post on your social media channels to promote the food festival that includes Made by Women, #BlackFoodEnergy or Kitchens Without Borders programs
Commit to using the promotional kit provided by DoorDash at the food festival
Have a valid CRA business number
Be incorporated and in good standing under a relevant federal or provincial corporate statute
Have a dedicated business account
Be a confirmed food vendor at an eligible food festival taking place in a Canadian city between June 1 and September 30, 2025
Meet food vendor eligibility requirements to participate as a food vendor at the festival
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
Empowering more women-owned restaurants
Made by Women celebrates the heart and soul of women in the restaurant industry. DoorDash is committed to creating more access to opportunities that support women chefs and women-owned restaurants who partner with DoorDash. By signing up, women-owned restaurant will have access to more visibility and resources to grow their business, including:
Marketing and visibility opportunities to help you reach more customers
Funding and grant opportunities for women-owned businesses
Partner opportunities committed to empowering more women-owned entrepreneurs build successful businesses
Celebrating Immigrant and Refugee-Owned Restaurants
Kitchens Without Borders is a celebration of the diverse cultures and foods that immigrant and refugee-owned restaurateurs share with their communities. The program provides unique opportunities to help support the restaurateurs with growth of their business, including:
Marketing and visibility opportunities to help you reach more customers
Funding and grant opportunities for immigrant and refugee-owned businesses
Unique partner opportunities for immigrant and refugee-owned entrepreneurs
