Binghamton University SBDC helps bars, restaurants apply for federal pandemic-relief funding

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Binghamton University is available to assist small businesses throughout the region with the process of applying for funding through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

The Binghamton University SBDC is located at Koffman Southern Tier Incubator at 120 Hawley St. in Binghamton. It services a region that includes 12 counties: Broome, Cortland, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler, Yates, Allegany, and Tompkins counties.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is awarding funding through the restaurant-revitalization program to restaurants, bars, and other similar places of business that serve food or drink. The effort seeks to provide support to eligible businesses that suffered revenue losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These funds remain available “until expended” and the SBA will continue accepting applications “subject to the availability of funds,” per a Binghamton University news release.

Small-business advisors at the Binghamton SBDC have been trained to help guide eligible businesses who need help preparing their grant application.

The food and beverage industry has been “deeply affected” by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Binghamton SBDC offers no-cost, confidential advisement services for hundreds of small businesses eligible for this program in the 12-county region it serves. Advisors will work with restaurants, bars, and other similar food-and-beverage businesses to help them determine eligibility, understand the application process, and outline the documents required for the online application being launched by the SBA.

“As a former restaurant owner, I cannot imagine how difficult the previous 13 months have been,” Rochelle Layman, regional director of the Binghamton SBDC, said. “The SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund has prioritized funding for our hardest-hit small businesses: our restaurants. The American Rescue Plan set aside $28.6 billion for restaurants — the single largest allocation in the stimulus bill. The SBDC can offer assistance in preparing for and applying to this program.”

To sign up to work with an SBDC advisor, those interested can complete the online form at: https://www.nysbdc.org/selector/ReqForCons/formo.aspx