Sydney, Australia 14 May 2025 – Applications are now open to small business owners who qualify for one  of American Express’ signature grant programs in 2025: Backing International Small Restaurants and Backing Historic Small Restaurants.  

Together, the “Backing Small” program grants will provide $3.95 million USD in funding and other resources  to help small and independent restaurants around the world preserve their history and legacy while  celebrating their cuisines and invigorating local economies. 

“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, American Express Foundation. “Food brings people together, and we aim to offer these  restaurants the support they need for their spaces and operations so they can continue to grow and be  pillars in their neighborhoods.” 

This year, Backing International Small Restaurants is bigger than ever and is open to applicants in three new  countries — France, New Zealand, and Spain — in addition to restaurants in Australia, Canada, Japan,  Mexico, and the U.K. In partnership with the International Downtown Association (IDA) Foundation, the  program is offering $1.45 million USD in funding to 100 restaurants so they can make critical  improvements, like enhancing their digital capabilities, refreshing dining spaces, and improving kitchen  operations. 

Supported by local partner Mainstreet Australia, small restaurant owners in Melbourne and Sydney are  being invited to apply for one of 15 grants each valued at $23,000 AUD, while eligible restaurants in  Auckland are able to apply for one of five grants valued at $25,000 NZD ($15,000 USD) each. Since 2022 in  Australia, the Backing International Small Restaurants program has provided $522,500 AUD in financial  support.  

Robert Tedesco, Vice President of Global Merchant Network Services for American Express Australia and  New Zealand, said: “Independent restaurants are often at the heart of our villages and communities -  bringing people together, shaping local culture, and fueling the economy. 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.” 

Grantees from past years say the funding helped them make much needed infrastructure changes. Sue and  Dale Messina from Bojak Brewing, a 75-seater brewery in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong were one of  the 13 grant recipients in Australia in 2024. They used the grant to upgrade equipment and facilities in their  business. 

“The American Express grant was great because it helped us afford improvements that we couldn’t have  made otherwise. We installed permanent gas heaters in the outdoor beer garden, making it a perfect year round spot for families and beer lovers alike. 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.” 

Mainstreet Australia President Georgina Pikoulas said: “We’re proud to again be the local partner for the  2025 Amex Backing International Small Restaurants program, supporting our vibrant communities across  Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. This grant program provides critical support for small, independent  restaurants - helping them stay resilient, celebrate culture, and continue serving up the flavours and  hospitality that make our main streets unique.” 

Recognising the importance of this initiative for the local dining industry, Restaurant & Catering Australia CEO Suresh Manickam said: "Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. The hospitality sector  provides a valuable service to millions of Australians, we add to the cultural fabric of our suburbs, we enrich  our communities and in doing so we employ hundreds of thousands of Australians. I encourage people to  go and support their local restaurants, which in turn will support their local employer and uphold the  cultural cornerstone of their communities.” 

Also supportive of the program is Restaurant Association of New Zealand CEO Marisa Bidois: “We are  pleased to see American Express extending its global support for small restaurants to New Zealand. This  initiative acknowledges the critical role that our small hospitality businesses play in shaping our local  culture and economy. The Restaurant Association is committed to championing initiatives that provide real,  tangible benefits to our industry, and this is one of them.” 

"The IDA Foundation is excited to partner once again with American Express to launch the fourth year of  the Backing International Small Restaurants program," said David Downey, Executive Director, IDA  Foundation. "To empower these vital community anchors to thrive, this initiative provides essential support  to the independent restaurants that are the heart and soul of our downtowns. 

Applications for the Backing International Small Restaurants program are now open and close on July 1.  

American Express launched both Backing Small programs when many restaurants closed their doors during  the pandemic, evolving them over the years to support small restaurant owners in addressing their current  needs. As the founder of Small Business Saturday in 2010, American Express has brought communities  together by connecting small business owners with local customers when these businesses needed the foot  traffic. Since 2020, our grants have supported nearly 5,000 small businesses across six countries and 50  U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. 

Learn more about American Express’ community impact here.