SVOG Application Update 5/11/21

Date of News Item
Body

ArtsVote Banner

SBA Website SVOG Portal

Arts Action Fund COVID-19 Resources PagePost-SVOG Application faqs

May 11, 2021
 

Dear Arts Action Fund Member,

Today, I participated in an SBA briefing on the status of the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG) applications and awards process. Here is the latest:

  • SBA has now received 11,600 SVOG submitted applications. Since last week, new submissions are averaging 200 per day. SBA stated that there are still ample funds available and they highly encourage all eligible performing arts organizations, venues, museums, movie theaters, producers and talent representatives to still apply at www.svograntportal.sba.gov/s/.
    1. More detailed SVOG stats and data will be posted on the SVOG website this week. 
    2. While the application portal does not currently have a closing date, it’s advisable to submit your application by the end of May.
    3. SBA reports that they have a curiously high number of applications started in the portal, but they were never officially submitted. Please double check that your application was officially submitted. SBA is encouraging applicants to complete and submit their applications as soon as possible.
    4. If you are having technical problems with starting or completing an application, the Office of Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center (1-800-659-2955) is available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 11 pm ET. and can direct you to information in the FAQs and online related to your question. For more in-depth assistance, contact SBA resource partners. You can find support in your area by visiting www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find.
    5. For those organizations and artists that are not eligible for SVOG, please know that additional federal COVID-19 economic assistance will be administered soon from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute of Museum and Library Services, state and local arts and humanities agencies, and state and local government block grants.
  • SBA will announce Priority 1 (90% or more gross income loss) round of awards by late May. Priority 2 in mid June and Priority 3 in late June. In order to facilitate receiving the proceeds, SBA will follow the protocols described at www.grants.gov for awardees to request federal funds, submit progress reports, and certify and agree to terms and conditions. As a reminder, unless you also submitted your 2020 tax return, you will not receive the lump sum of your award. You will likely receive your SVOG funds in disbursements of up to 4 payments.
  • SBA did not have any updated information available yet on the status of Supplemental Grants, but things look good for the possibility of supplemental awards to those who had 70% or greater gross revenue loss in the first quarter of 2021.
  • For those of you who have already submitted your SVOG application, SBA has issued “Post-SVOG Application FAQs” to inform applicants on how to respond to three kinds of timely email requests for more information. Check your email inbox, clutter, and spam folders frequently during this period in case you receive an email from the SBA. Officials confirmed that you will not lose your place in the queue if you correct the information in the time afforded for the following issues.
    1. IRS Form 4506-T was incorrectly completed. The FAQs instruct you how to correct the problem. Please note that you only have 3 calendars days to re-submit.
    2. Department of Treasury’s Do Not Pay (DNP) List. SBA takes this very seriously if you happen to be on this list. SBA will not be able to award federal funds to anyone or group on the DNP list. Please note that you have 30 days to rectify the issue.
    3. There is an issue with making the award decision and additional information is needed. The email will provide the turnaround time to provide the requested materials.
  • SBA provided the following answers to these common questions.
    1. You cannot delete an application that has been started or submitted.
    2. You cannot submit or re-submit a second application.
    3. You cannot upload additional supplemental documents after you submitted your application, except legal forms like IRS Form 4506-T.
    4. SBA will look at applications in their “entirety,” which means that if evidence from a document submitted to a specific question can also be used to provide evidence for a different question, the SBA reviewer will have access to all your uploaded attachments.
    5. Please know that your tax returns will be used to confirm your revenue numbers, but other evidentiary documents that were uploaded will also be used to substantiate the grant award.

If you’re still not sure about applying or have other federal COVID-19 relief questions, please join me at my next weekly Zoom Office Hours on Friday, May 14th @ 11:00 am ET to ask questions and share experiences.

Nina Ozlu Tunceli
Executive Director

To read an archive of Arts Action Fund federal updates, visit COVID-19 Arts Federal Policy Updates & Action Alerts.