Second Federal Coronavirus Economic Relief Package
(passed December 21, 2020)
The end of 2020 brought new federal relief via the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The lengthy bill includes $15 billion in Save Our Stages (SOS) relief for performing venues and museums, extension of unemployment benefits and expansion of eligibility for those benefits, and more funding in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) (which now can be used in combination with the SOS relief).
A table detailing each of these opportunities is found here.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is administering the majority of these funds. Some of the rules are still being defined and refined by the SBA, so check their website for the latest information.
Here is a recording from the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) Information Session from March 30, 2021.
Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) grants (open April 8th):
www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/shuttered-venue-operators-grant
NOTE: SBA has changed their rules for this program and now recommend that potential SVO grant applicants apply for a round two PPP forgivable loan. SBA will determine what you qualify for.
Governor’s Office update on Shuttered Venue grants
Slide deck from presentation – PowerPoint Presentation (texas.gov)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application: www.sba.gov/document/sba-form-3508ez-paycheck-protection-program-ez-loan-forgiveness-application
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TEXAS ACCOUNTANTS AND LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS (TALA)
TALA has some resources and experts that help you navigate these options and identify the best opportunities for your organization.
Webinar recordings are found here.
Form for matching with one of their volunteer experts is found here.
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CARES Act Funding Information
(passed March 27, 2020)
STATE
Texas Commission on the Arts will receive $668,500 in CARES Act relief funds from the NEA to distribute to our very large Texas arts field. In order to efficiently and quickly distribute these dollars, TCA is splitting the money among current Arts Create – Operational Support, Arts Respond Project, and Cultural District Project recipients via amendments to their current grants (one amendment per organization). This pool is already very large; based on just those grant recipients, TCA expects to split the $668,500 in NEA money among about 500 Texas arts organizations. Eligible recipients were contacted about this on April 14 and asked to return a brief form by May 1.
Humanities Texas will receive some federal relief funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to distribute to their field, and some TCA grantees may qualify. Their guidelines are online here.
Texas State Libraries and Archives will receive some federal relief funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to distribute in Texas. For updates, check their website.
REGIONAL
Mid-America Arts Alliance will receive CARES Act relief funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to redistribute in their service region, which includes Texas. For updates, check their website.
FEDERAL
National Endowment for the Arts is taking competitive applications (for grants of $50,000) from organizations who have received funding from them in the last four years. The application deadline is April 22, 2020. Grant information.
National Endowment for the Humanities will distribute $45 million of CARES Act funds to support at-risk humanities positions and projects at museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, colleges and universities, and other cultural nonprofits that have been financially impacted by the coronavirus. For updates, check their website. Grant information.
Institute of Museum and Library Services received $50 million through the CARES Act; $30 million of this will go to State Library Administrative Agencies for local distribution. IMLS has not yet announced plans for the remaining $20 million. For updates, check their website.
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is now accepted applications for EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance. Eligible entities include state and local governments, tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and institutes of higher education (public and private). After reviewing the FAQ and Notice of Funding Opportunity, interested applicants should reach out to their closest regional office to discuss next steps. The FAQ states these grants can be for “travel and tourism-related marketing campaigns.” Applicants will need to explain how their project would “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus” or respond to “economic injury as a result of coronavirus.”
OTHER RESOURCES ON THE CARES ACT
Americans for the Arts (AFTA)
– recorded a webinar on the CARES Act
– created a chart of the CARES Act resources for the arts industry
LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL RESOURCE LISTS
There are a number of resources available (and growing) to help individual artists, organizations, and small businesses. A few of the more comprehensive ones are here.
Artist Relief is a major new national partnership to fund individual artists.
Creative Capital has a list of resources, including free workshops, and funding opportunities for individual artists and arts professionals.
The COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources list developed by the Freelance Artist Resource Producing Collective
Mental Health Texas is a statewide collection of resources for both children and adults
Texas Music Office created a list of resources for artists, musicians, music industry workers & businesses.
National Endowment for the Arts has a list of national resources.
Mental Health Resources to Help Prevent Creative and Professional Burnout
MEASURING THE IMPACT
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) is conducting a national survey to document the economic effect COVID-19 on the arts industry.
Please take the surveys:
– Survey for Artists and Creative Workers
– Survey for Arts Organizations
Mid-America Arts Alliance completed an initial survey to measure the impact of COVID-19 on Texas artists (March 20 – April 1, 2020). Here are those results.
