The National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express have announced the opening of applications for the fifth year of the Backing Historic Small Restaurants (BHSR) grant program. The initiative, designed to help small and independent historic restaurants preserve their legacies, will provide $2.5 million in grants to 50 restaurants across the United States in 2025.
According to the announcement, the program has already awarded more than $5 million to 130 restaurant owners in all 50 states over the past four years. The grants have supported establishments facing economic hardships or recovering from disasters.
The BHSR program is part of American Express’ broader “Backing Small” initiative. This year, American Express is also launching the Backing International Small Restaurants program, bringing total funding and support to $3.95 million for restaurants worldwide in 2025.
“American Express is proud to back local champions who strengthen their communities, and that includes many small and independent restaurants,” said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability and President of the American Express Foundation. “Food brings people together and builds community. We aim to offer restaurants the support they need to expand, innovate, update their spaces, and improve operations, so they continue to grow and bring vitality to neighborhoods across the U.S and around the world.”
Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, praised the collaboration, stating, “American Express is an invaluable partner to the National Trust as together we work to strengthen neighborhoods across the country by supporting these small businesses that bring people together.”
Past recipients of the BHSR grant say the funding has made a significant impact on their operations and preservation efforts. Stephen Reeve, a 2024 grant recipient and operator of the New York Café in Ketchikan, Alaska, used the funds to restore the building’s façade and install historic signage to better document the café’s legacy. “We want to honor the families that created the New York Café and much more of the surrounding historic Stedman-Thomas neighborhood,” Reeve said.
Applications for the 2025 program opened May 16 and will remain open through May 30. Eligible restaurant owners can apply for the grant or be nominated by community members.
American Express launched the Backing Historic Small Restaurants and Backing International Small Restaurants programs during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist restaurants forced to shut down. The programs have since evolved to meet the changing needs of small restaurant owners. Since 2020, American Express has awarded grants to nearly 5,000 small businesses across six countries and all U.S. states, as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The company, which also founded Small Business Saturday in 2010, continues to promote local economic growth by helping small businesses connect with their communities and customers.
