Restaurants already working to address hunger have a new funding deadline to put on the calendar: October 1.
Toast opened applications September 10 for its 2026 Changemakers program, which will award $10,000 apiece to 15 U.S. restaurant businesses. The company says recipients will be announced November 10. Applicants do not have to be Toast customers.
The program's published eligibility summary includes independent U.S. businesses operating for at least six months, with revenue of $3 million or less per location. Restaurants, cafes, food trucks and bars or lounges are among the business types listed. Applicants must also show active work addressing hunger in their communities and meet the program's full terms.
That existing work is central to the application. Toast says reviewers will consider the applicant's record, the practicality and potential impact of its plan, and how the proposed work responds to community needs. Recipients are expected to report on impact at three and six months.
Braisepoint's view: the strongest operator story here is the work a grant can sustain. An application can explain what the business already does, what it costs and what additional support would make possible. Clear evidence of the current program is more useful than a general promise to give back.
The follow-through deserves attention, too. A proposed expansion should explain who will do the work and how the restaurant will measure it alongside its regular service. The reporting requirement makes that planning relevant beyond the application itself.
Interested operators can review the eligibility details and application link on Toast's Changemakers page before the October 1 deadline. An award is competitive, and meeting the published criteria does not guarantee selection. The next news milestone after applications close is the November 10 recipient announcement.
