Shuttered Venue Operators Grant

SOS Act / Shuttered Venue Operators Grant

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program was established in the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act to provide over $16.2 billion in economic relief to target industries. This SVOG portal is now open to receive applications.

SBA District Offices

Independent exhibitors across the nation will soon be able to apply for the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, also known as the Save Our Stages Act. The grant program—established as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021—includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. SBA will release detailed information on eligibility requirements soon. In the meantime, click here to read the current details on the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program.

Act Now: Register Your Company

There are several steps your organization must complete prior to submitting a federal grant application. Businesses must obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and then register with the System for Award Management (SAM) to receive federal funds. This process can take up to two weeks.

Below are links to the main steps and links to more information on how to complete this process. The process can take up to two weeks or more, so please make sure to begin now.

SAM Registration Guides

Document Preparation

In advance of the grant portal opening, independents should (1) prepare 2019 and 2020 revenue information (both earned and gross revenues); (2) articles of incorporation; (3) documentation to prove your business was in operation as of Feb. 29, 2020.

Save Our Stages Act

The Independent Cinema Alliance and its members applaud enactment of The Save Our Stages Act as part of the recently enacted COVID-19 Relief package. We thank Senate sponsors Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and House sponsors Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) for their resolute leadership during our industry’s darkest hour. This vital $15 billion grant program—championed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and supported by 230 bipartisan cosponsors in Congress—directs the SBA to make grants to eligible venues equal to the lesser of either 45 percent of operation costs from calendar year 2019 or $10 million. Click the link below to read the Save Our Stage Act provision passed into law as part of H.R.133 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. (Search for “SEC. 324. GRANTS FOR SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS”).