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NJEDA to Open Phase 3 of Sustain & Serve NJ Program
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) it will open applications for a new round of Sustain & Serve NJ funding early next month. The NJEDA’s Sustain & Serve NJ program provides eligible entities with grants up to $2 million to support the purchase of meals from New Jersey restaurants that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and the distribution of those meals at no cost to recipients. Applications are expected to open March 1, 2022 & close April 1, 2022. The application will be available at https://www.njeda.com/sustain-and-serve/.
This latest phase of Sustain & Serve NJ is funded by $10 million in American Rescue Plan funding that will be made available to non-profit organizations in New Jersey. Eligible organizations will receive grants of between $100,000 and $2 million for bulk purchases of meals from New Jersey restaurants. The entities will then distribute the meals at no cost.
The NJEDA will hold an informational webinar on March 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. for potential applicants to learn tips and advice for applying. The webinar will also include a walk-through of the application. The webinar can be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/SSNJPhase3. A recording of the webinar will be available at https://www.njeda.com/sustain-and-serve/.
The NJEDA made several enhancements to the Sustain & Serve NJ programs between Phase 2 and Phase 3 based on feedback from Sustain & Serve NJ grantees and from the community. This includes raising the cap that the NJEDA will provide per meal from $10 per meal to $12 per meal, as well as allowing grantees to use a portion of their grant to support organizational implementation and operational costs. It also includes limiting eligibility to nonprofits with the following NAICS codes:
- NAICS code 611 (Educational services)
- NAICS code 62 (Social assistance and health care organizations)
- NAICS code 813 (Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations)
- NAICS code 92 (Public administration)
In Phase 3, the NJEDA is also lowering the threshold of past purchases that applicants must show to demonstrate eligibility for the program. Applicants now must demonstrate a history of purchasing at least 1,500 meals costing at least $25,000 between March 9, 2020 and the date of the application launch—lowered from 3,000 meals and $50,000, respectively, in past phases. Up to 50 percent of past purchases (i.e., up to 750 meals and $12,500) can be from donated meals from restaurants if the applicant can produce invoices from restaurant donors verifying the number of meals and monetary value of the donated meals.
Complete eligibility, as well as programmatic changes, can be found at: https://www.njeda.com/sustain-and-serve/.
Please reach out to Hilary Chebra, Manager, Government Affairs at hchebra@chambersnj.com if you have any questions.
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