The U.S. Small Business Association announced that it would begin accepting applications for its Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG) beginning on Monday, April 26th at 12:00pm ET. In fact, this round is a reboot of an earlier, failed introduction of the website to accept SVOG applications, which was plagued with technical problems when it debuted originally on April 8th. The SVOG program was established to provide financial assistance to movie theatres on other public venues offering live entertainment to the public, a sector that has been decimated by the health and safety restrictions enforced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was set up to review and process grants on a first-come-first-serve basis, setting up a stampede mentality among desperate applicants. The amount of assistance available through the program is substantial, awarding grants equal to as much as 45% of the 2019 revenues for a venue. The SBA has used the time since its aborted launch on April 8th to resolve the underlying technical flaws of its website and streamline the user experience for applicants. Fingers crossed….
See also: Shuttered Venues Still Waiting For Government Aid Announced In December (NPR) and Small Business Administration Halts Opening Day Of Covid-19 Grant Applications For Distressed Theaters, Live Venues (Deadline)