110 Bay Area Restaurants Receive $5,000 Resilience Grants

The PG&E Corporation Foundation Supporting Hometown Restaurants in PG&E’s Bay Area for Fifth Consecutive Year

OAKLAND, Calif. — More than 100 locally owned Bay Area restaurants will receive a financial boost from the California Restaurant Foundation (CRF) and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) from grants to invest in equipment upgrades, workforce training and more — all intended to help keep them in business and thrive. The complete, county-by-county Bay Area winner list can be found at bottom of release.

The PG&E Foundation’s $1.1 million charitable contribution is funding $5,000 grants to 188 hometown restaurants in 29 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) service area. The contribution also provides operating support for CRF, which administers the grant program. The funding comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.

The PG&E Foundation’s contribution to CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund will help grantees pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and training to help restaurant owners invest in their business and people. Grants were made available to California resident restaurant owners with fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in revenue, and prioritized minority- and women-owned businesses.

“This grant helps us be able to upgrade to a more energy efficient pizza oven, which will increase our productivity during peak times. Game changer!” said Sharon Ardiana, Managing Partner/Chef, Gialina Pizzeria in San Francisco.

Since 2021, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $4.3 million in funding to the CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, providing grants ranging from $3,000 to $5,000. In total, PG&E has funded grants to 675 restaurants and caterers in Northern and Central California. (See our “From Kitchen to Community” video featuring past grant recipients in PG&E’s service area.)

“Neighborhood restaurants are a vibrant part of our Bay Area communities, bringing people together and fueling our local economies. We are proud to partner with the California Restaurant Foundation in supporting these small businesses, ensuring they continue to thrive and be an integral part of the local experience,” said Jake Zigelman, PG&E Bay Area Region Vice President.

Assisting Restaurants and Small and Medium Businesses

PG&E remains committed to providing ways for its small and medium business customers to save energy and money amid economic hardships including the pandemic and inflation. Here are some ways PG&E is helping its customers:

• On-Bill Financing: PG&E offers 0% interest loans for replacing old and worn-out equipment with more energy-efficient models. Watch this video to explore how energy savings are reinvested back into your business to help improve your bottom line.
• Rebates for food service equipment: PG&E offers several rebate programs that will help you save money and improve productivity when you upgrade your food service equipment.
• Food Service Technology Center. Access key training programs, design consultants and test kitchen plans to improve your operations and energy efficiency.
• Budget Billing: If you are a small business owner, you can have a predictable bill each month by enrolling in Budget Billing. The program averages out your monthly bill to determine your monthly payment, instead of having unpredictable summer bills.
• Energy Efficiency Programs: PG&E contracts with external companies to provide a customized solution for different business sectors.
• Find Your Lowest-cost Rate Plan: Customers can use this online tool to run a rate analysis to see if they are on the lowest-cost rate plan for their operations. Last year, customers saved $5.4 Million dollars.
• Economic Development Rate: This offers eligible business customers the opportunity to lower costs through one of three reduced electric rate options. PG&E developed this rate to help businesses grow or maintain jobs in California. The standard 12% rate discount is available throughout our service territory.

For more information on the California Restaurant Foundation, Restaurants Care, or the Restaurant Resilience Fund, visit restaurantscare.org.

Bay Area Winner List:

Alameda County (28 recipients)

Contra Costa County (14 recipients)

Marin County (2 recipients)

Napa County (6 recipients)

San Francisco County (30 recipients)

San Mateo County (6 recipients)

Santa Clara County (12 recipients)

Solano County (1 recipient)

Sonoma County (11 recipients)

About The PG&E Corporation Foundation

The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.