8 Ways to Prepare for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was included in the federal stimulus package approved on December 27, 2020. The program provides funding for museums, movie theaters, live performing arts organizations, and other venue operators impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more here: SVOG Program FAQs

The Small Business Administration (SBA) still hasn't opened the application portal for this new funding opportunity, but Americans for the Arts created a handy checklist to help organizations prepare.

Here are 8 ways you can get ready to apply as soon as the application portal opens, regardless of your Priority Category:

1. If you or your organization does not already have a Dunn and Bradstreet DUNS Number, get one.
2. Once you have your DUNS number, register in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM). (Note: You can't use a Taxpayer or Employer ID Number to apply for the SVOG, and it may take up to two weeks to finalize your SAM registration.)
3. Gather documents that demonstrate your number of employees and monthly revenues so you can calculate the average number of qualifying employees you had over the prior 12 months.
4. Determine your gross earned revenue losses. It looks like SBA is going to use the Gross Earned Revenue definition to determine Priority Eligibility, but it’s not confirmed yet.
5. Determine the extent of gross earned revenue loss you experienced between 2019 and 2020 on a quarterly basis.
6. Make PDFs of additional information such as floor plans, contract copies, and other evidence that you'll need to apply for a SVOG.
7. Sign up for updates from the Washington Small Business Development Center, which hosts webinars and provides webinars to help organizations navigate the SBA funding programs.
8. You can also contact the SBA directly with questions about SVOG eligibility by e-mailing SVOGrant@sba.gov.