For those interested in supporting the hospitality industry, specifically bars and bartenders, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation 2023 grant-giving program is a great place to start.
This program is unique in that it welcomes any individual person, group, or organization with ideas on how to support the industry to apply. Applicants can request $5,000 – $40,000 for either a new or an existing project.
Turning Tables, a 2020 grant recipient, is a non-profit focused on providing mentorship and education in support of the black and brown communities of New Orleans. Director Toure Folks says, “receiving the grant from Tales Of The Cocktail was a game changer for us as an organization that allowed me to manifest an idea into reality while connecting me to essential resources and a community of support.”
This year’s hospitality grant theme is “Bartender Welfare & Well Being,” coming at a time when this industry is recovering from the pandemic. Through determination, resilience, and pivoting to ensure their bars and restaurants survived, many industry workers have had to compromise their physical, mental, and financial health to make it here today. To assist in this community revitalization, Tales looks for proposals in the following areas:
- Equity
- Advocacy
- Healthcare
- Mental Health
- Education
- Workplace Inclusivity & Safety
- Any other topics that focus on bartender well-being and welfare.
To date, the Foundation has granted more than $350,000 in awards for projects improving the global hospitality landscape. In addition, the Foundation has provided direct relief for over 200 bartenders affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organizers of 2018 grant recipient The Pin Project, a sobriety project started in San Francisco, said, “This project truly would not exist without the TOTCF Grant Award. It has allowed all of this to happen.”
Grant applications are reviewed by the Philanthropy & Development Committee. This group of industry experts takes elaborate care in reviewing proposals and selecting grantees. The Committee is led by Kellie Thorn, Lead Mixologist for the Global Headquarters, Beam Suntory, and Eric Bennett, Owner of Continental Drift and Drift Kitchen. Read more about the Committee here.
“[We were] able to bridge and build community as a result of partnering with fellow Grant recipients,” says Andrea Merriweather, Director of 2020 grant recipient Farm Distilled. The Farm Distilled grant focused on including women and people of color in the distillation and food and beverage industry at large.
New to 2023, the grant finalists will be flown to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, which will be held July 23-28, and given an opportunity to present their project in front of attendees and brands at the 2023 grant showcase.
The 2023 proposal period is open from January 3, 2023 – February 3, 2023. Please refer to the TOTCF Grants F.A.Q for any questions regarding the grant process.
