American Express and Main Street America recently named three central Maine businesses as grant recipients for the Backing Small Businesses Grant Program. They are Oliver & Friends Bookshop, 150 Main St., Waterville; Bintliffs Corner Brew, 153 Water St., Gardiner; and State Lunch, 217 Water St., Augusta.

The program awarded 500 small business owners $10,000. Since launching in 2021, Backing Small Businesses has provided over $9 million in grants to 1,180 small business owners nationwide. American Express and Main Street America initially created the grant program to help economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses, according to a news release.

For more information, visit mainestreet.org.