CT Hospitality Businesses Hurt By Pandemic to Receive Thousands of Dollars in Grants

Hospitality businesses in Connecticut that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will begin receiving grants from the state, according to the governor’s office.

Starting this week, the State of Connecticut will be providing $30 million in grants to more than 1,700 of the state’s restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, breweries, wineries, travel services, transportation services, and other businesses, that suffered financial losses due to the pandemic, according to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office.

The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services will distribute checks between $7,500 and $49,999.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development is overseeing the Connecticut Hospitality Industry Support Program and there are several criteria for businesses to receive a grant. Businesses do not need to apply for a grant, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Who is Eligible for a Grant

Existing Businesses

• Experienced a decline of at least 15%, but no more than 95%, in gross receipts from 2019 to 2021.
• At least 50% of total gross receipts coming from the sale of meals and certain drinks, room occupancy, and admissions or be registered with the following NAICS codes:
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (7111, 7112, 7113, 7114, 7115, 7121, 7131, and 713950)
  • Accommodation and Food (72)
  • Breweries (312120)
  • Wineries (312130)
  • Movie Theaters (512131 and 512132)
  • Travel Arrangement and Reservation (5615)
  • Other Transit and Transportation (4853, 4854, 4855, 4859)
• More than $100,000, but less than $125,000,000, in 2021 gross receipts
• Less than $50,000,000 in 2021 wages
• Filed with a CT address to DRS
• Been in good standing with DRS

New Businesses

• Commenced filing with DRS during 2019, 2020, or 2021
• At least 50% of total gross receipts coming from the sale of meals and certain drinks, room occupancy, and admissions or be registered with the following NAICS codes:
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (7111, 7112, 7113, 7114, 7115, 7121, 7131, and 713950)
  • Accommodation and Food (72)
  • Breweries (312120)
  • Wineries (312130)
  • Movie Theaters (512131 and 512132)
  • Travel Arrangement and Reservation (5615)
  • Other Transit and Transportation (4853, 4854, 4855, 4859)
• More than $100,000, but less than $125,000,000, in 2021 gross receipts
• Less than $50,000,000 in 2021 wages
• Filed with a CT address to DRS
• Been in good standing with DRS
• Not received a grant from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program

If your business has incurred or will incur eligible expenses that are less than the full Connecticut Hospitality Industry Support Grant amount, if you do not want to accept a grant or if you have any questions, call the DRS Hotline at 860-297-5799.

The governor’s office said the funding was approved in the state budget bill and is supported by money the state received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

“These grants will provide meaningful help to Connecticut restaurants negatively impacted by the pandemic, most of which are family-owned businesses whose owners and employees live in and around the communities in which they work. Even as restaurants have worked to recover from the pandemic, they’ve faced new headwinds in the form of inflation, worker shortages, and supply chain disruptions,” Scott Dolch, president and CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said in a statement.

Learn more about the grants here.