A local business hotline will be available for restaurants, bars and other entities eligible for federal financial assistance due to losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northeast Iowa Community College’s Business Helpline can be reached at 563-588-3350 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday or via email at sbhelpline@nicc.edu to provide help with registering for assistance from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Starting today, restaurants, bars, food trucks, caterers, bakeries, breweries, wineries, distilleries and “other qualifying businesses may apply for funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023,” according to a press release.

The business helpline is a service established in partnership among Northeast Iowa Community College, Greater Dubuque Development Corp., Small Business Development Center and East Central Iowa Intergovernmental Association.