NEW RELIEF OPPORTUNITY – APPLY BELOW

Miami-Dade County Grant
On March 25, 2020, the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) launched the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund and has since granted over $1.6 million to more than 500 independently owned and operated restaurants and bars impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
On August 4, 2020, as part of the Miami-Dade County Business Grant Program, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez provided the Fund with a $5 million grant, to be earmarked and distributed to eligible hospitality employees who work in Miami-Dade County. As a result, this next round of funding will specifically support independently owned and operated restaurants, hotel restaurants, bars, and (non home-based) caterers in Miami-Dade County whose businesses have been significantly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Application
As of October 14, 2020 we are no longer accepting applications for this grant.
Grant Eligibility & Details
Grants will be provided to eligible establishments that have had to temporarily cease operations, lay off employees, or whose businesses have been severely diminished due to locally mandated closure orders. Financial support will enable those owners to provide continuity of compensation to employees who have been furloughed, laid off or whose incomes have been significantly reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In partnership with Miami-Dade County and United Way of Miami-Dade, the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund will distribute $500 per laid off or furloughed employee, with a maximum of $15,000 per individual establishment and a maximum of two (2) establishments per restaurant/hospitality group.
Establishments that were previously awarded grants from the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund during its initial round of funding (March 25 to July 31, 2020) are encouraged to apply for an additional grant, assuming they meet the current eligibility requirements set forth by Miami-Dade County.
For a comprehensive list of Miami-Dade County’s eligibility requirements, please review this Document Checklist.
Donate
If you would like to support our relief efforts by contributing to the Fund, click below to donate.
Learn More
You can learn more about the first phase of the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund and find industry resources below.
FAQ
Employers are advised to withhold any applicable taxes before issuing checks or money orders to their employees. Employers are required to report this grant money on the W-2s that they then issue to their employees (as if the funds are wages). Circumstances may vary so each employer and employee should contact a tax and accounting professional for guidance. Please refer to the following IRS COVID-19 FAQs: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/cares-act-coronavirus-relief-fund-frequently-asked-questions.
The affidavit can be found HERE. All applicants must download, print, and mail a signed, notarized affidavit to the following address. Only original notarized documents will be accepted (no photocopies). Please note that your application is not complete until the original notarized document has been received. SOBEWFF®/MDC Grant Attention: Alyson Schulman 2105 N. Miami Avenue Miami, FL 33127
For all application-related questions and general inquiries, please contact fundsupport@fiu.edu.
No. Monies must be disbursed directly to employees ($500 per laid off or furloughed employee) via check or money order. Per Miami-Dade County guidelines, recipient names on the submitted checks/money orders must match those outlined on your application. Copies of the checks/money orders and supporting payroll documentation must be submitted to relieffund@fiu.edu within ten (10) business days after receipt of your grant.
Yes. Any establishment that meets the current eligibility requirements set forth by Miami-Dade County is encouraged to apply during this second round of funding, regardless of whether it has previously received a grant from SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund during its initial round of funding (March 25 to July 31, 2020).
In partnership with Miami-Dade County and United Way of Miami-Dade, the Fund will distribute $500 per laid off or furloughed employee, with a maximum of $15,000 per individual establishment and a maximum of two (2) establishments per restaurant/hospitality group.
Per the eligibility requirements set forth by Miami-Dade County, only owners applying on behalf of their establishments will be considered. We encourage employees to contact the owner/operator of their establishment to apply for financial support on behalf of their team.
In partnership with Miami-Dade County and United Way of Miami-Dade, the Fund will distribute $500 per laid off or furloughed employee, with a maximum of $15,000 per individual establishment and a maximum of two (2) establishments per restaurant/hospitality group.
The current round of funding will support employees of independently owned and operated restaurants, hotel restaurants, bars, and caterers in Miami-Dade County impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For a comprehensive list of Miami-Dade County’s eligibility requirements, please review this Document Checklist.