With a unanimous vote this week, the Dunwoody City Council approved $150,000 in CARES Act funding for the city’s new Al Fresco Matching Grant Program, which provides grants to local businesses that want to begin or expand outdoor operations, according to a press release.
Restaurants and other businesses can use the grants to help with the costs of space heaters, tents, exterior lighting or other needs to prepare for winter and address customer demand for outdoor services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This focuses on helping employers keep people employed and their doors open,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch during Monday night’s meeting. Dunwoody City Councilman Joe Seconder added, “This is just awesome and could be a differentiator by creating an environment where everywhere you go for dinner in Dunwoody, you’ll have a nice, warm place to sit outside.”
This is Dunwoody’s second CARES Act funding program. In October, the Vulnerable Population Program provided $400,000 in grants to eight local not-for-profit organizations serving people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The application for the Al Fresco Matching Grant is available online. The funding match is 50 percent, and the maximum amount of reimbursement per business is $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by the Dunwoody Economic Development Department.
“This program leverages the work we’ve already done to support outdoor operations with the Painted Picnic Table Project,” said Dunwoody Economic Development Director Michael Starling. “The grants allow us to go a step further by matching investment by restaurants and other businesses.”
Information: dunwoodyga.gov
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