About the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program

Black entrepreneurs have long faced systemic barriers to growth, including access to loans and capital, biased community perceptions, and gentrification challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these hurdles for Black-owned food service companies.

In partnership with PepsiCo Foundation, the National Urban League, through its 12 Entrepreneurship Centers in cities across the U.S., has launched the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program (BRAP). The BRAP will help address these barriers and take a long-term view by pairing participants with entrepreneurship advisors and PepsiCo employee volunteers to build an actionable plan for growth. Our objective is to help these businesses to become profitable, nimble, and thrive.

The Program will comprise direct grant assistance grants to 500 businesses and technical assistance, including entrepreneurial coaching and training on various topics, including back office and accounting systems and support, inventory management, operational efficiency, marketing for growth and ROI, and staff development.

Eligibility requirements: must be a food service company located in in the service area of a National Urban League Entrepreneurship Center in one of the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Houston, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; New Orleans, LA; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington DC. Minimum revenue standards and other prerequisites will apply. Interested businesses should contact their local Entrepreneurship Center to complete an application for consideration:

[i] Business must be one of the following types of food service companies as defined by the following NAICS Codes: 722511 Full-Service Restaurants; 722513 Limited-Service Restaurants; 722330 Mobile Food Services; and 722320 Caterers.