Shuttered Venue Applications Open April 8, SBA Hosts New SVOG Portal

March 19, 2021

Today, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Thursday, April 8 is the slated date for receiving applications to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG) program and created a new SVOG web portal to host further SVOG updates as the application process prepares to launch. 

• Prepare to apply on April 8: All applicants will need to be registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov) in advance of applying for a grant. An SBA video tutorial outlines this process. The SBA continues to update their Frequently Asked Questions, Application Checklist, and eligibility requirements (PDF). While the SBA will release further details about the application process, it is important to be prepared to apply as soon as possible. The SBA has indicated that the order in which applications are received will be taken into account as the agency processes grants through the priority periods, and through the general grant processing period.
• Register for a March 30 SBA Webinar: The SBA will provide a webinar on Tuesday, March 30 at 2:30pm Eastern/11:30am Pacific to review details regarding documentation requirements and the application process. Register to participate here.
• Sign up for more updates: Potential applicants can sign up using this link to receive further updates. According to the SBA, in the next several weeks, the SBA will release updates to the portal, including the ability to create an account and submit an SVOG application. As the updates are made, further email alerts will share short summaries of additional functions and user capabilities.
• Understand how dual PPP/SVOG eligibility works: Yesterday, the SBA released new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) guidance (PDF) and new first (PDF) and second draw (PDF) PPP application forms, implementing the American Rescue Plan’s new policy allowing organizations that received PPP funding after December 27, 2020 to qualify for an SVOG and subtract the amount of 2021 PPP funding received from the maximum SVOG grant amount.  
  
  While it is possible to apply for a Shuttered Venues Grant after receiving a 2021 PPP loan, it is not permissible to receive a PPP loan after your organization has been approved for an SVO grant. The regulations specify, “If a PPP applicant is approved for an SVO grant before SBA issues a loan number for the PPP loan, the applicant is ineligible for the PPP loan and acceptance of any PPP loan proceeds will be considered an unauthorized use.” This distinction is important to keep in mind as PPP is currently expected to close on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Congress is considering continuing the PPP application period through May 31, but has not yet completed passage of the extension.

Please stay tuned for further updates and continue to consult the League of American Orchestras’ COVID-19 Federal Relief Resource Center, where we keep track of key developments and link to the most up-to-date guidance direct from federal agencies, as it becomes available.