The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.
Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO 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.
For additional details, see our Shuttered Venue Operators Grants Frequently Asked Questions.
Cross Program Eligibility on SBA Coronavirus Relief Options
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Eligible entities include:
Other requirements of note:
Grant amount will be either:
-For an eligible entity in operation on January 1, 2019, grants will be for an amount equal to 45% of their 2019 gross earned revenue OR $10 million, whichever is less.
-For an eligible entity that began operation after January 1, 2019, grants will be for the average monthly gross revenue for each full month you were in operation during 2019 multiplied by six (6) OR $10 million, whichever is less.
SBA is in the process of setting up the grant program and is not yet accepting applications. Those who have suffered the greatest economic loss will be the first applications processed under the following schedule:
Note: On January 20, 2021, SBA updated the proposed plan for issuing Shuttered Venue Operators Grants during the first and second priority periods. To clarify, priority awardees will not need to satisfy the small employer set-aside. During the first 59 days of opening the SVO Grants, SBA will reserve no less than $2 billion of program funding for grants to entities that have no more than 50 employees.
First Priority - (1st 14 days of grant awards) - Entities that suffered a 90% or greater revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second Priority - (Next 14 days of grant awards) - Entities that suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Third Priority - (Beginning 28 days after First & Second Priority Awards are made) - Entities that suffered a 25% or greater revenue loss between one quarter of 2019 and the corresponding quarter of 2020.
Supplemental Funding - (Available after all Priority Periods have passed) - Recipients of First, Second, and Third Priority round awards who suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss for the most recent calendar quarter (as of 04-01-21 or later)
Funds may be used for specific expenses, which include:
Grantees will be required to maintain documentation demonstrating their compliance with the eligibility and other requirements of the SVO Grant program. They must retain employment records for four years following their receipt of a grant and retain all other records for three years.
For additional information, email SVOGrant@sba.gov. All emails regarding SVO Grants will be sent using an official government email address ending in @sba.gov.
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