The Independent Restaurant Coalition and Chase Innovator Awards Grant Program

(the "Grant Program" or "Program")

Official Terms and Conditions and Program Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase will not increase your chances of being selected for a grant.

Please carefully read all the terms and conditions of this agreement prior to submitting your application. There are important things you will need to gather before you go online to submit your application.

What is the Grant Program?:

Chase and the Independent Restaurant Coalition (“IRC”) (individually or together “Sponsor” or “Sponsors”) supports independent restaurants and bars that are leading the way in innovating new business models or practices that prioritize sustainability and/or a commitment to the health and well-being of their teams and local communities. This Grant Program will provide financial support in the amount of $25,000 to forty (40) selected independent restaurants and bars (each, a “Grant”), enabling them to further develop their innovative practices and continue to lead by example.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the food and beverage industry, independent establishments are at the forefront of innovation, demonstrating that business success can go hand in hand with responsible practices. The IRC and Chase believe that these establishments are not just places to eat and drink—they are the heart and soul of our neighborhoods. They create jobs, support local farmers and artisans, reduce environmental impacts, and foster a sense of belonging and shared values. By investing $1 million throughout 40 small businesses nationwide, the IRC and Chase aim to empower and uplift those who are making a difference, ensuring that their efforts are recognized, and their practices can be shared and adopted by others.

Recipients selected by Sponsors to receive a Grant will demonstrate a commitment to at least one of following areas: Sustainability and Environmental Innovation; Workforce Support and Industry Innovation; and Community Collaboration and Impact.

These practices might include, but are not limited to:

• Sustainability and Environmental Innovation - Zero-waste kitchens, hyper-local sourcing, food rescue partnerships, reusable and refillable programs, low carbon menus, renewable energy adoption
• Workforce Support and Industry Innovation – Leadership pathways and/or culinary training for workers; childcare support or collaboratives, mental health and wellness access, collective healthcare purchasing, employee profit-sharing or ownership, grants or stipends for employee projects or education, financial literacy or legal aid workshops
• Community Collaboration and Impact – Mutual aid restaurant hubs, public school lunch or curriculum partnerships, disaster relief kitchen protocols, restaurant co-ops or collectives, local farmers or artisan pop-ups, sliding scale community dinners, hosting community resource event

Who may apply for the Grant?

For purposes of this Grant Program, a small, independent business is defined as an establishment whose primary purpose and profit comes from preparing, serving, and selling of food and/or beverages to the public, such as, but not limited to, full-service restaurants, limited-service restaurants with counter service, cafes, bars, pubs and food carts (hereinafter, collectively, a “business”, “restaurant/café/bar/pub” or “food/beverage establishment”). The business must have a physical public facing location that customers can either dine or drink onsite or carry food out.

A small, independent business that meets the following requirements (“You, Your, you, your or small business”) may apply for a Grant through its owner or representative.

To be eligible a small, independent restaurant or bar business (as defined above in “Who may apply for a Grant”) must:

• be a for-profit only business (corporation, LLC or sole proprietor) located/headquartered in the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam;
• have been actively engaged in its current business activity for at least two (2) consecutive years immediately preceding the start of the Program;
• be a for-profit only business (corporation, LLC or sole proprietor) located/headquartered in the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam;
• have been actively engaged in its current business activity for at least two (2) consecutive years immediately preceding the start of the Program;
• be owned by natural persons who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, and who are at least eighteen (18) years old (or as required by the laws in your state of residence) (Note: A sole-proprietor shall be deemed a business and not a consumer for purposes of the Program);
• have a valid employer identification number or taxpayer identification number;
• have no more than a maximum of 20 locations in the 24 months prior to submitting an Application;
• total annual revenue of less than $13,000,000 (13 million) for tax year 2024 (or tax year 2023 if information is not yet available for 2024);
• not be owned by an employee of Sponsors or a company wholly owned by a Sponsor or Sponsor’s parent company (an “affiliate”); and
• produce evidence of the foregoing upon request.

A small independent business will not be eligible if, among other things, it or any of its owners, management or affiliated organizations:

• are, or have been, under any investigation for fraud, misconduct (financial or otherwise) or other criminal activity;
• promote or suggest, directly or indirectly, the illegal use of firearms/weapons, money remittance, check cashing services, use or sale of any illegal drugs (state or federal), prostitution or pornography, violence, or the underage use of alcohol;
• suggest or encourage, directly or indirectly, the taking up of arms against any person, government or entity or otherwise challenge or seek to overthrow any government;
• disparage or denigrate (in writing or otherwise) any race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, political orientation, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, marital status, veteran status or mental or physical disability or condition or otherwise discriminates (in an exclusionary way) against any of those groups based solely on being classified as fitting into those groups;
• disparage, denigrate (in writing or otherwise), or act by means of adversarial or confrontational tactics to impact a product, service, person, industry, or organization including, but not limited to, the Sponsor or any Program participant;
• participate in the Program, or otherwise conduct itself, in an unsportsmanlike or inappropriate manner;
• post Prohibited Content (see below); or
• violate these Program Rules.

Grant Program Timing (the “Submission Period”):

Submissions Period Begins: The Grant Program begins and applications can start being submitted on July 30, 2025 at 9:00:00 a.m. ET.

Submission Period Ends: Applications must be submitted by 9:00:00 a.m. ET on August 27, 2025.

How does a small independent business apply for a Grant?

If you believe your small business is eligible and wish to apply for a Grant, you must do the following:

• visit the Program site at https://ircinnovatoraward.chase.com and review the list of required documents you will need for your submission (see below for list of items);
• read and agree to these Program Rules with the intent to be bound by its terms even if you are later found to be ineligible;
• complete and submit your Application along with the requested supporting documents; and
• agree that you have read these Program terms and conditions.

Once you have submitted the Application you cannot edit it.

What does the Application require?

In the Application, you will be asked to provide, at a minimum, the following information:

1. name of business;
2. business owner first and last name;
3. business address including City/State/Zip;
4. contact person;
5. business phone number and email;
6. business website and social media handles (if applicable);
7. business entity type (e.g., sole proprietor, partnership, corporation) and state of domicile;
8. years in business;
9. number of locations;
10. responses to the questions described (the Essay(s)) (on the website referred to as “Application Question(s)”);
11. financial statements (most recent Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet*);
12. detailed budget showing how the Grant will be used; and
13. One (1) letter of support from a community member, partner, or vendor, supporting your application (all elements collectively with agreement to these Terms and Conditions, the “Application”).

Essay Requirements

Your Essays, consisting of your response to one (1) of the questions below in Essay #1, and your response to Essay #2, will be used to determine whether you should be awarded a Grant. You may include any information you deem relevant. Your Essay may not contain Prohibited Content (see below).

Essay Question #1 (You may select only one (1) essay question to answer in this section):

1. Sustainability & Environmental Innovation: How does your establishment (or "business") prioritize sustainability and the support of local products, farmers, and services? Share your goals for further enhancing your sustainability practices. (500 - 1000 words)
2. Workforce Support and Industry Innovation: How does your establishment (or "business") prioritize the health and well-being of your team and model a new standard of workforce support? Share your goals for further enhancing these workforce and labor practices. (500 - 1000 words)
3. Community Collaboration and Support: How does your establishment (or "business") collaborate with and support your broader community? Share your goals for strengthening these practices and community relationships. (500 - 1000 words)

Important Notice Concerning Application Content

All Application information including your Essay and any additional information you provide will be used by the Panel (defined below) to determine Grant Recipients. Do not include any confidential, proprietary, competitive or trade secret information you wish to keep confidential. While you may not edit your Application once you have submitted your Application, you have an affirmative obligation to notify Sponsors if any of the content has changed or is untrue. You must email the Administrator at NyrkTerra@zneqraxnar.pbz .

Sponsors in their sole discretion retain the right to determine eligibility of the Grant Recipients and reserve the right to disqualify an application at any time for any reason. All content that has been submitted that is deemed ineligible, may be promptly removed from the Program without notice. All decisions by Sponsors are final, binding and conclusive.

Content Guidelines and Prohibited Content

All content must be appropriate for all ages. You represent and warrant that you will not submit any content that contains (a) content not in English; (b) confidential information that violates any obligation of confidentiality; (c) any viruses, spyware, malware, or other malicious components that are designed to harm the functionality of a computer in any way; (d) content referencing, facilitating, containing or using, Prohibited Content; (e) content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of a third party; or (f) must not be generated by generative AI content (e.g., GPT or image generation tools) or any computer software (excluding any word processor software, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Note Pad, etc.). "Prohibited Content" includes, but is not limited to, content that, a Sponsor, in its sole and absolute discretion, determines violates the Program Rules or any applicable law, as well as content that promotes, suggests or encourages:

• gambling, including without limitation, any content related to online casinos, sports books, bingo or poker;
• the use of firearms/weapons/ammunition, any illegal drugs, prostitution, pornography, nudity, profanity or other adult content, violence, or the use of alcohol or tobacco products;
• the taking up of arms against any person, government or entity or otherwise challenge or seek to overthrow any government;

Or otherwise contains or reflects:

• obscene, indecent, defamatory, libelous, slanderous and/or unlawful content;
• content that infringes upon, or otherwise violates, the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary rights;
• information that is false, misleading, deceptive or fraudulent;
• hate speech, or other discriminatory, disparaging or denigrating content, whether directed at an individual or a group, and whether based upon race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, political orientation, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, marital status, veteran status or mental or physical disability or condition;
• content that disparages, denigrates, or uses adversarial or confrontational tactics to impact a product, service, person, industry, or organization including, but not limited to, Sponsors or participants in the Program;
• content that is primarily intended to advance a religious denomination, expand membership or encourage conversion;
• content advancing a particular political party or candidate or supporting lobbying for any particular party or candidate, or expanding or encouraging a membership or a particular political party, candidate or lobbying effort;
• content inconsistent with the Program Rules; or
• unsportsmanlike conduct.

Choosing the Grant Recipients

At the end of the Submission Period, your Application will be reviewed by Sponsors and their representatives (“Panel”) based on the criteria listed below. The Panel may include senior executives of Sponsors and other notable business executives.

Criteria:

GRANT RECIPIENTS (“Recipient(s)”):

All eligible Applications received during the Submission Period will be sorted into five (5) regions, as outlined in the chart below (collectively, “Regions”). The Recipients of a Grant will be the top applicants who received the highest scores from the Panel in each Region using the above criteria. All grants may not be awarded if not enough eligible Applications are received in a Region. If not enough eligible Applications are received in a Region, the Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may award those Grant(s) in another region. The regions that will receive the Grant(s), if not awarded in another region, will be the region that received the most application submissions. In the event of a tie, a separate tie-breaking representative with re-judge the tied Applications in question to break the tie.

GRANT(S):

There will be a total of Forty (40) Recipients of a $25,000 grant each (as further divided per Region in the Chart above). Grant will be awarded in the form of a check made payable to the Restaurant. Retail Value (“RV”): $25,000.00 each. Total Retail Value of all Grants: $1,000,000.00. Limit: one (1) Grant per restaurant/café/bar/pub. For purposes of clarity, if an Applicant owns more than one (1) restaurant/café/bar/pub, only one (1) business establishment can be awarded a Grant within the owner’s restaurant group.

How the Grants will be Awarded; Conditions

Potential Grant Recipients will be notified by letter, email and/or phone in advance of any public announcement. Potential Grant Recipients will be notified on or about October 14, 2025. A Grant Agreement, which will contain affidavits of eligibility and compliance with these Program Rules, among other things (as described below in Grant Agreement Terms), will be delivered and must be agreed to and signed by the potential Grant Recipient and returned to Sponsors (or their designee) within five (5) business days as a condition to receiving the Grant. Sponsors reserve the right to require additional documentation from the potential Grant Recipient to confirm eligibility to receive a Grant or to conduct additional research or investigation regarding any information submitted in connection with an Application or the Program.

By accepting a Grant, each Grant Recipient will be required to affirm that it shall use the Grant in furtherance of the activities stated in the Application, that it shall at all times comply with the Program Rules, and shall not, in any event, use the Grant for any purpose inconsistent with such Grant Recipient’s Application or these Program Rules. Upon awarding of the Grant and depending upon the location of the Grant Recipient, Chase will in its sole discretion, either deposit the Grant into a JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. business checking account, subject to all of its required account opening rules and procedures, in the name of the Grant Recipient and designate a Chase Business Banker to assist the Grant Recipient, or issue a check to the Grant Recipient.

Tax Liability: Payment of Federal, State and Local taxes and fees due, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Grant Recipient. Grant Recipient will be issued a 1099-MISC tax form in January 2026.

Grant Agreement Terms

Each potential Grant Recipient may be required to substantiate that it meets the eligibility and other requirements of the Program Rules. Grant Recipients will receive Grants only after Sponsors determines that eligibility requirements have been met. Potential Grant Recipients will be required to sign and properly execute Program documents and return them to Sponsors or its designees within five (5) business days of receipt. These documents include, for example: (1) an Agreement and Release; (2) Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release and Declaration of Compliance; where legal, a Publicity Release (collectively the "Affidavit"); (3) a Background Check Authorization Form; (4) a Grant Agreement; and (5) IRS Form W-9 and furnish his/her social security or taxpayer identification number that will be used only for the purpose of reporting the Grant Recipients prize earnings to the Internal Revenue Service, as required by law for winnings of $600 or more. Failure to timely return any documents requested, return of Grant notification as undeliverable, or noncompliance with these Program Rules may result in disqualification. Sponsors shall have no further obligation to that potential Grant Recipient, and an alternate Grant Recipient may be selected. A Grant Recipient will be required to:

• permit Sponsors to use the Grant Recipient’s name and likeness in any and all media, press materials, websites, photos, videos and any collateral materials developed for the Program for two (2) years after execution of the Grant Agreement (except where prohibited by law);
• permit Sponsors to verify eligibility by completing a full background check and credit check;
• participate in preparations for opportunistic media interviews, photo and video opportunities and social media platforms to promote the Program.

Grant Recipients

To request the list of Grant Recipients, send an e-mail with subject line “Innovator Awards Grant Program” to winners@mkpromosource.com. Requests must be received no later than October 30, 2025. The list will be sent when all Grant Recipients have been verified.

Content Ownership and License

You represent that you own all content you submit in connection with your Application or the Program and such content will remain your property and you will have sole responsibility and liability for any claims related to that content. You grant Sponsors and their affiliated companies and designated agents a worldwide, non-exclusive, transferable, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, unconditional, fully paid right and license: (a) to make, have made, use, copy, reproduce, modify, and create derivative works of any content provided by you through the Program, (b) to publicly perform or display, import, broadcast, transmit, distribute (directly and indirectly ), license, offer to sell and sell, rent, lease, or lend copies of the content (and derivative works thereof), and (c) to sublicense to third parties the foregoing rights, including the right to sublicense to further third parties. Additionally, you consent to the use of your name, your small business name, statements, photographs, videos, voice recordings and likenesses of yourself and any other person appearing in the content for publicity purposes, as well as any other purpose associated with the Program. Your consent is without restriction or compensation or permission of any kind and you represent and warrant that you have not and will not take any action that interferes with the rights granted to Sponsors under these Program Rules, and that you have secured written consents for any third parties who appear in your content for you to submit the content and make grant of rights set forth in these Program Rules.

In addition, if the content contains any material or elements that are not owned by the you, and/or which are the subject to the rights of third parties, then you are responsible for obtaining, prior to submitting the content, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the content by the Sponsor, including, without limitation, name, and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the content and any person who is shown in any video or photographs. The Sponsors reserve the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to the Sponsors at any time. Failure to provide such proof may, if requested, render the content null and void. By submitting content, you and your small business represent and warrant that any person appearing or who is identifiable in the content consents to the content and the use of the content as described in these Program Rules. Sponsors are not responsible for any loss, theft, or damage of any kind to any content submitted to the Sponsors. Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered or garbled Applications or email; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer or device hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Program, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Program, the processing of Applications, the announcement of the Grant Recipients, or in any Program-related materials. Nor is either Sponsor responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Program. Sponsors are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Program or downloading materials from or use of the Program Website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Sponsors or Program Website or who are in violation of these Program Rules, as solely determined by the Sponsors, will be disqualified and all associated Applications will be void. Should any portion of the Program be, in a Sponsor’s sole opinion, compromised by virus, worms, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of a Sponsor, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of Applications, each Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to terminate the Program and, if terminated, select the potential Grant Recipients from all eligible, non-suspect Applications received prior to action taken.