Shuttered Venue Operators Grant – Midday 18 October 2021-508 (1)
Friends,
Attached are the reports from the SBA regarding SVOG as of Monday October 18th.
As you can see, 99% of the applications have been resolved.
There were 262 applications still being worked on as of Monday.
The program has expended $11.3 billion of the $16.2 billion dollars in the SVOG fund.
Thus, there is $4.9 billion dollars remaining in the fund.
The fund is now closed and is not accepting applications.
If every application of the 262 received the maximum of $10 million dollars, there is still $4.9 billion remaining.
That leads us to The MUSIC Act.
The MUSIC Act will require $4 billion dollars, so the remaining funds will provide grants for those left behind by SVOG.
As has been advocated previously, there is no reason Congress cannot and should not pass The MUSIC Act by Unanimous Consent and allow those left behind by SVOG to access the remaining funds.
I urge all of you to contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to pass The MUSIC Act at once.
You should also reach out to Senator Schumer, as he is the champion of SVOG and when he takes the lead on The MUSIC Act, Senator Schumer will finish what he started and save the rest of the industry.
We thank Senators Blackburn and Hagerty for introducing The MUSIC Act as well.
For those of you that were denied, appealed, and were denied a second time, please allow me to share what I know.
I know of a few entities that were indeed given a grant on their “third try”.
I also know a few people that were declined for a third time.
For those of you that were denied a third time, I suggest you join the legal actions we have discussed before.
Below is a link the Maher Law Firm.
For those of you that never applied for SVOG because you “believed” you would not be granted an award, The MUSIC Act is your opportunity now.
Those of you that were denied 3 times, you also may be reliant on The MUSIC Act as well as the above legal action.
Those of you that have been lucky enough to receive a grant, I implore you to help those left behind and work to pass The MUSIC Act so that those left behind by SVOG will receive grants.
The $4.9 billion dollars is sitting dormant and all of you have received grants.
Many of you received supplemental grants.
Please help your fellow industry people and assist them in receiving the much needed grants.
As SVOG is shut, the funds are all expended to all who applied, there is simply no reason to not pull for “the rest of the industry”.
If Congress does not pass The MUSIC Act and allow the rest of the industry to receive a grant, the $4.9 billion dollars will be reallocated to some other need not at all related to our industry.
Please click below and write your Senators and Representative at once.
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
I have attached a Word Document (see top of post) you can copy and paste into the space for a letter to your legislators.
You may write one of your own if you wish.
You need to sign it at the bottom and address it at the top to the appropriate legislator.
There look to be two paths at this time.
First is to convince Congress to do the right thing and pass The MUSIC Act now by Unanimous Consent.
The second would be Congress passing The MUSIC Act at the end of the year with the Reconciliation Bill.
There is a lot of conversation that indeed Congress will provide another $5 billion dollars for the entertainment industry as well as another $40 billion for the restaurant industry.
I hope this is of help to those of you still looking for relief.
Please know I have not slowed down nor given up.
I work quietly and directly every day with legislators and staff.
I will not stop until we receive relief.
As always, our power is in numbers and we need as many people as possible to please take 10 minutes and contact your legislators.
Thank you all for everything you have done and will do.
We don’t lose until we quit.
Never quit!
Onward and Upward!
Michael T. Strickland
Bandit Lites, Inc.
Chair and Founder
