Supporting merchants in business growth and in times of need

While this last year has been hard for many, it has also been a period when an unprecedented amount of restaurants and retailers turned to delivery to reach consumers. And we know that independently-owned businesses face unique challenges and opportunities. From enduring and recovering from natural disasters to keeping pace with rapid digitization as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber is committed to helping our partners manage their businesses when times are bright, and in times when they might need a little extra support.

To help address merchant needs, today, along with Visa, we are excited to announce Grants for Growth, a $1 million grant relief program focused on restaurant recovery and entrepreneurship. This program builds off of Uber’s Eat Local Efforts, continuing a commitment to US merchants.

Merchants active on Uber Eats since January 1, 2022 in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, DC, Miami, Detroit, the NYC metro/New Jersey area, the San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, and Boston are eligible to apply for the program. Grant recipients will be selected through a competitive search process by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). LISC will give preference to veteran, minority, women, and LQBTQIA+ business owners.

Through Grants for Growth, 100 merchants will receive $10,000 grants, which can be used toward immediate needs like meeting payroll, paying outstanding debt to vendors, upgrading technology infrastructure, and other immediate operational costs. In addition to financial support, merchants will receive placement in the Uber Eats app and disaster recovery and resiliency guides from Uber and LISC. Merchants interested in applying for the Grants for Growth program can apply from January 17-24, 2022 at lisc.org/uber. Additional details about eligibility and the Grants for Growth program can also be found at lisc.org/uber.

As a foundation of Grants for Growth, today Uber is also releasing its first Merchant Impact Report. Uber’s first SMB Merchant Impact Report is a glimpse into our partners’ work and ingenuity, as well as the impact of Uber Eats on small and medium businesses in the US. The report also shares merchants’ candid thoughts on Uber Eats and the future of delivery.

Through Uber’s expansion to alcohol, grocery, convenience and more we are working hard to help our customers to truly Go Anywhere and Get Anything, and to give our merchant partners the right technology, resources, and control to take advantage of these opportunities for their businesses.  

The full report is available here and findings include:

Globally:

• 780,000+ total active merchants on the platform in more than 9,000 cities across 6 continents
• Over 60% are small or medium sized businesses
• 3M+ consumers are getting their grocery and convenience items delivered each month through Uber Eats
• 1.7+ billion orders were facilitated by the Uber Eats platform in the last year directly pumping:
• $28+ billion into local economies in the last year (in sales facilitated by Uber Eats in the past year)

In the US:

• 400K+ total active merchants on the platform, across all 50 states
• More than half a billion orders in the last year were facilitated by the Uber Eats platform, directly pumping:
• $11+ billion into local economies in the last year (in sales facilitated by Uber Eats in the past year)

According to a US merchant survey, single, local, independently-owned businesses report:

• Uber Eats is an important part of SMB success in driving higher revenue.

1. 5% report that working with Uber Eats has had a positive impact on their business in the last year, during the pandemic.
2. 86% say that Uber Eats has been beneficial to their bottom line.
3. 84% report that offering delivery or pickup with Uber Eats has increased their revenue, and by an average of 15%.

• Uber Eats helps SMBs to achieve their two biggest priorities: growth and new customer acquisition.

1. 94% believe that Uber Eats helps to expose their business to new customers.
2. 90% feel that Uber Eats helps them serve a larger community than they could serve on their own.
3. 88% feel that Uber Eats has driven more sales than they would have otherwise had.

• Uber Eats is an important part of SMB success for minority-owned SMBs in particular.

1. 94% say that working with Uber Eats had a positive impact on their business during the pandemic.
2. 86% say that Uber Eats has been beneficial to their bottom line.
3. 84% say that Uber Eats has helped them increase revenue.

As we continue to innovate, we’re committed to listening to and learning from merchants in the US and across the globe who grow their businesses in partnership with Uber.