Now in its fourth year, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are doubling the number of Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant awardees to 50 small or independently owned restaurants across the country. Each restaurant—all places that contribute to their neighborhood's unique history and identity—will receive $50,000 in funding to help them improve their businesses and positively impact their communities.

Grant applications and public nominations will be accepted until 11:59 PM ET on March 25, 2024.

Since it began, the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program has granted a total of $3 million to 75 historic restaurants (2021, 2022, 2023) to help restaurants address critical needs amid ongoing economic challenges. This critical financial support helps small restaurant owners better navigate supply chain issues, staffing shortages, inflation, and other crises so that their establishments’ legacies can continue.

Have questions? Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or email historicrestaurants@savingplaces.org.