Improve your restaurant’s energy efficiency with help from the City of Fresno’s newest grant application

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Escalating energy costs, coupled with wage and lease rate increases, are significantly impacting small businesses who typically operate on thin profit margins.   An increasing number of brick-and-mortar businesses are being forced to pivot or risk permanent closure as they struggle to compete with online and corporate counterparts. These small businesses are an important component of Fresno’s economy. 

Small locally owned restaurants, in particular, face substantial burdens due to their energy-intensive equipment, rising food costs, mandated wage increases, and higher leases.  To compensate, these restaurant owners are often forced to reduce operating hours, layoff staff, raise prices, and risk customer loss.   

When costs become insurmountable, many restaurants and other small businesses often shut down, negatively impacting owners and employees, and leaving fewer options for goods and services for the community.  These closures affect local economies, reducing local tax revenue that is critical to sustain essential services. 

The City of Fresno recognizes that restaurants, who are ineligible for many other programs, are in need of relief. Therefore, we are launching this pilot program to assist locally owned restaurants. 

If you are a locally owned brick and mortar restaurant located in the City of Fresno and would like to learn more, or express your interest in this program, click here: