SilverChef Community Grants Program

Each quarter we invite eligible community groups — specifically those who use hospitality to support disadvantaged or under-served communities — to apply for grants of $5,000 each.

Over more than three decades, SilverChef’s equipment finance has helped tens of thousands of hospitality owners and operators achieve their dreams.

Nearly half our customers are ‘financially under-served’ —they don’t qualify for loans from traditional lenders (e.g. banks). Without our support, they may not have been able to start or grow their business.

Through the SilverChef Community Grants Program, we also indirectly support disadvantaged or under-served communities who struggle to get fair and equitable access to community services and support.

We do this by providing $5,000 grants to community organizations that use hospitality or food services to train, empower and/or support underprivileged communities. If your organization fits the criteria, we invite you to apply for a grant today.

Who's eligible?

The SilverChef Community Grants Program is open to eligible Canadian community groups that use hospitality or food services to help disadvantaged or under-served members of their local community.

These community groups can include:

  • registered charities and not-for-profits
  • social enterprises (direct-benefit, cross-subsidy, or donation model)
  • private entities with a business number for which improving the lives of Indigenous people accounts for more than 50% of their time and/or resources.


What can the grant be used for?
Each $5,000 grant is a 75:25 mix of equipment and cash, as follows:


Equipment

Each grant recipient receives a $3,750 credit to spend on selected ‘Certified Used’ commercial kitchen equipment advertised on SilverChef’s website.


Cash

Each grant recipient receives $1,250 in cash. This money is intended to help towards the cost of the equipment’s freight and installation. Any remaining cash will be transferred to the recipient’s nominated bank account. They can spend this cash however they like.

When can I apply?

Each quarter we award four grants of $5,000 each. The four funding rounds occur as follows:

Round
Applications open
Applications close
1
1 July 2022
30 September 2022
2
1 October 2022
31 December 2022
3
1 January 2023
31 March 2023
4
1 April 2023
30 June 2023


Unsuccessful applications will automatically be reconsidered in the subsequent funding rounds in the same financial year (which for SilverChef is July 1–June 30), unless the applicant tells us otherwise.


Apply now

To apply for a grant, please download, complete and return the application form to us.



What next?

After you submit your grant application, we’ll assess it against our selection criteria, including how your initiative will positively impact your local community.

If your application is successful, we’ll contact you within one month of applications closing (see table above). Unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.

We’ll then give you expert advice so you can select the Certified Used equipment best suited to your organization’s needs. 

You’ll have 12 months to redeem your grant (from the time we notify you that your application was successful). (Unredeemed grants will be reabsorbed into our grants program and made available to other community groups.) 

About Certified Used equipment

Our range of used hospitality equipment helps our customers’ budgets go further by allowing them to get the best brands for lower prices.

This mostly ex-rental equipment comes from businesses we know and trust, is typically less than two-and-a-half years old, has been fully refurbished, and is backed by a three-month warranty.

Note that not all the equipment on our website is available through the grants program; we’ll advise you which items are available.

Read more about Certified Used equipment

Balancing purpose and profit

SilverChef is a certified ‘B Corporation’ — a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit.

As a B Corp, we believe in using business as a force for good to reduce inequality and poverty; and create a healthier environment, stronger communities and high-quality jobs that provide dignity and purpose.

The SilverChef Community Grants Program is just one example of the things we do to support our local communities.

Read more about SilverChef’s purpose

Frequently asked questions

How often can I apply for a grant?

Eligible applicants can apply for a SilverChef Community Grant once per financial year (which for SilverChef is July 1–June 30).

If your application is unsuccessful, it’ll automatically be reconsidered in the subsequent funding rounds in the same financial year, unless you tell us otherwise. 

When can I expect a decision on my grant application?

Successful applicants will be notified within one month of applications closing (see table above). 

Do you notify unsuccessful applicants?

We do not notify unsuccessful applicants. However, their application will automatically be reconsidered in the subsequent funding rounds in the same financial year, unless they tell us otherwise.

How many grants do you award?

SilverChef awards four grants of $5,000 per quarter — an annual total of 16 grants adding up to $80,000. 

Can I receive more than one grant per year?

No — there’s a limit of one grant per organization per financial year (which for SilverChef is July 1–June 30).