American Express is offering A$23,000 grants to each of 15 small restaurant and cafe owners in Greater Sydney and Greater Melbourne, as part of its Backing International Small Restaurants program.
Now in its fourth year in Australia, the program is also expanding to New Zealand for the first time, where five Auckland-based restaurants will receive NZ$25,000 each. Applications are now open and will close on July 1, 2025.
Run in partnership with the International Downtown Association (IDA) Foundation, the 2025 program will distribute US$1.45 million to 100 restaurants across eight countries: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the UK.
Grant recipients will be able to use the funds to improve their operations, from improving kitchen efficiency and upgrading digital tools to refreshing dining spaces.
“Independent restaurants are often at the heart of our villages and communities – bringing people together, shaping local culture, and fueling the economy,” said Robert Tedesco, Vice President of Global Merchant Network Services for American Express Australia and New Zealand.
“We’re proud to expand this program even further for its fourth year in 2025, now reaching Auckland for the first time, alongside Sydney and Melbourne. These cities are home to some of the most dynamic and diverse dining scenes in the world, driven by passionate chefs, restaurateurs, and family-run businesses. These grants will help them grow, innovate, and continue serving their communities.”
Since its introduction in Australia in 2022, the program has contributed A$522,500 in financial assistance.
Previous grant recipients have noted that the funding assisted them with implementing essential infrastructure developments.
In 2024, Sue and Dale Messina of Bojak Brewing, a 75-seat brewery based in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong, were selected as one of 13 grant recipients in Australia.
“We installed permanent gas heaters in the outdoor beer garden, making it a perfect year-round spot for families and beer lovers alike,” said Sue.
“The grant also enabled us to invest in new kitchen flooring and better equipment like a new density meter to provide more precise measurements and streamline the brewing process, as well as a carton box-taper to improve efficiency when packaging beer.”
Business organisations such as Mainstreet Australia, Restaurant & Catering Australia, and Restaurant Association of New Zealand, voiced out their support for the program.
American Express introduced its Backing Small programs at the height of the pandemic, when many restaurants were forced to shut their doors.
Over the years, the grants have evolved to address the changing needs of small restaurant owners, providing targeted support for long-term resilience.
As the creator of Small Business Saturday in 2010, American Express continues to help local businesses connect with nearby customers.
Since 2020, American Express’ grants have assisted about 5,000 small businesses throughout six countries, as well as 50 US states and Puerto Rico.