2024 Round of Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Now Open

The 2024 round for Backing Historic Small Restaurants, a grant offered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in partnership with American Express, opened today and has a quick turnaround before grant applications are closed.

Although this is not exclusive to Route 66, this program has been a great opportunity for small historic restaurants along the broader corridor. In the first three years of the program, six restaurants on or near Route 66 have been awarded this grant, including Wanda J’s Next Generation Soul Food in Tulsa, OK (2021), Stutt’s House of Barbeque in Tulsa, OK (2021), Hi-Way Café in Vinita, OK (2022), Delgadillo’s Snow Cap in Seligman, AZ (2023), U Drop Inn in Shamrock, TX (2023) and the Mitla Café in San Bernadino, CA (2023).

In previous years, this grant was awarded to 25 restaurants who each received $40,000. This year we are excited to announce that the grant will be awarded to 50 restaurants who will receive $50,000 each. Restaurants only have two short weeks to apply for this opportunity as applications must be submitted by Monday, March 25th.

$10,000 of this grant is unrestricted; at least $40,000 must be used for exterior improvements such as murals, awnings, lighting, signage upgrades (including neon repair), painting, cleaning or repair of exterior facades, and creating exterior seating areas. Funding can also be used for website improvements.

For more information and to apply, check out https://savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants