RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) will be reimbursing hospitality businesses up to $10,000 in expenses used to expand outdoor programming. Reimbursements will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis and RIHA cannot guarantee approval until Commerce verifies an applicant's application.
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Who is eligible to receive funding?
Applicants who meet the following guidelines are eligible for Take it Outside funding.
These requirements were determined by the federal and state government and RIHA does not have the authority to change them.
- Applicant had less than $1 million in gross annual revenue in 2020 or 2021.
- Applicant has not received more than $10,000 under the current Take it Outside initiative.
- Applicant has not received more than $20,000 under the current Take it Outside initiative, the Small Business Grant program, and the Technical Assistance Program.
- Applicant has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Applicant has not been reimbursed from the federal or state program for the requested items previously.
How much money will I be able to get through this program?
Applicants can get up to $10,000 in reimbursements or items. RIHA will only be offering reimbursements on purchased items.
You can get reimbursements or items from multiple sources as long as the total amount does not exceed $10,000 and you have not received any compensation for the same products from any other source. Commerce RI will be verifying how much each business received.
Do I need to purchase the items before I apply for reimbursement?
Yes. RIHA can only accept applications for items that have already been purchased. All applicants will be required to submit a dated, itemized receipt for purchase items with their application.
Estimates, invoices that don't show payment, and quotes will not be accepted.
Are items that I purchase now available for reimbursement?
Items purchased on or after April 22, 2022 will be eligible for reimbursement. Please note: This is a new change that was a result of RIHA asking for more flexibility)
What items will be eligible for reimbursement?
RIHA has received authorization from Commerce to approve applications for the following items.
- Chairs
- Tables
- Heat lamps
- Tents
- Outdoor WI-FI systems
- Masks
- Hand Sanitizers
- Staffing,
- Security
- Insurance costs related to specific outdoor activities
- Lighting
- Power Sources
- Relevant signage
- Bike racks
If an item is not listed, a business may still be able to apply, but it will require additional authorization from Commerce RI. Please email sarah@rihospitality.org.
How soon will I get the money?
Due to the complex federal guidelines on this program, the estimated time it will take us to process the applications, verify the information, and prepare the funding will be approximately 4-5 weeks.
We understand that this time frame is quite long - here is an explanation of the process.
- Applicant applies for reimbursement through an online application.
- RIHA verifies the business information, SAMS number, business, and item eligibility. (approximately 3-5 business days if the application is submitted correctly with all information)
- RIHA will also be required to verify with Commerce that the applicant has not received more than $10,000 in Take it Outside funding from other sources. (approximately 1 week depending on how quickly we are able to obtain the verification information from Commerce)
- RIHA will submit the application to Commerce to receive program funding (Commerce has stated it will take about 15 days to process these invoices).
Once RIHA has received the funding through Commerce, RIHA will issue payment to the applicant. (approximately 7-10 business days).
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