City of West Hollywood to Launch Restaurant Grant Program to Support West Hollywood Restaurants

The City of West Hollywood's restaurant scene is widely recognized for being exciting, diverse, and trendsetting. However, like in so many cities across the nation, West Hollywood's local restaurants are operating under pressure, making it harder to sustain business.

In response, the City of West Hollywood is launching a Restaurant Grant Program designed to support eligible and qualified West Hollywood restaurants with grants of up to $12,500 per business, as outlined below.

Prior to developing the program, City staff conducted more than 70 individual outreach meetings with West Hollywood restaurant businesses. These efforts included one-on-one assistance and support, solicitation of feedback on potential programs and initiatives, and business retention strategy sessions. The City's Restaurant Grant Program directly responds to feedback regarding ongoing economic transitions and rising operating costs by providing a short-term immediate infusion of funding during a historically slower time period for foot traffic and sales volume.

To fund the program, the City of West Hollywood has allocated $250,000 in General Fund resources, approved by the West Hollywood City Council at its adjourned meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The Restaurant Grant Program application will open on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 8 a.m. Grant awards will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, in the order applications are received, subject to verification of eligibility and demonstrated financial need. The online application will be available at https://www.weho.org/business. The application period will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Applicants will be notified of their grant status in March 2026.

Eligibility criteria for the Restaurant Grant Program includes:

• The restaurant must be located within the municipal boundaries of the City of West Hollywood, have commenced operations prior to January 1, 2025, and be in good standing with a current City Business Tax Certificate and Business License;
• The restaurant must be a brick-and-mortar business with at least one physical location within the City of West Hollywood that customers can visit in person;
• The restaurant may not be hotel-based or located within a hotel; and
• The restaurant must have been impacted by economic conditions and be able to demonstrate financial hardship related to lease obligations, operating costs, or revenue decline.

Restaurant Grant Program applicants are required to complete the online program application, submit a written statement describing the restaurant's current financial position, and upload supporting documentation. Required documentation includes: a completed Form W-9, most recent tax returns, and a 2025 profit and loss statement. Restaurants approved for grant funding must also execute the City of West Hollywood's Grant Agreement prior to the disbursement of grant funds.

Grant award amounts will be based on the total square footage of the restaurant, as follows (additional details are provided in the application):

• $7,500 for restaurants under 1,250 square feet;
• $10,000 for restaurants between 1,251 and 2,000 square feet; or
• $12,500 for restaurants larger than 2,000 square feet.

For more information about the City of West Hollywood's Restaurant Grant Program, please contact Paolo Kespradit, the City of West Hollywood's Business Development Manager, at (323) 848-6556 or [email protected]. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

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For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or [email protected].