COVID-19

APPLY BY MARCH 22: News from Museum Association of New York - Applications are now being accepted for the fourth grant round of the Pomeroy Fund for NYS History. This round will provide $50,000 in grants to assist 501(c)(3) history-related organizations in New York State with capital needs expenses in 2021.

Grant requests will be considered for technology equipment, facility maintenance equipment, furnishings, major material purchases, renovations, refurbishments, remodeling and rehabilitation.

ARTS VENUES REOPENING NEWS from NYSCA!

March 3, 2021:  Event, Arts and Entertainment Venues are permitted to begin reopening April 2nd, 2021 at 33% capacity with proper safety protocols. The Governor announced today that up to 100 people will be allowed indoors and up to 200 people will be permitted in outdoor venues. Capacities for venues can increase with attendee testing, including up to 150 people indoors and 500 people outdoors.

All reopening guidelines and related news will be made available on the New York Forward website

More COVID-19 Resource news is available here:
NYSCA COVID-19 Resource page

Here are two useful, free online tools for nonprofit organizations:

EqualWeb is a simple resource to help improve your website accessibility. (There are free & paid versions.) 

Form990online is a tax preparation and filing tool for nonprofit organizations. It is FREE to file Form 990/990-EZ for organizations with less than $100,000 in gross receipts.

The SBA Updated its FAQ's for Shuttered Venue Operators Grants on 2/12/21.

A NYSCA PRESENTS webinar:  PPP and SOS Opportunities and Considerations is now available on the NYSCA Presents website- Presented in partnership with the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON), Andrew Marietta, NYCON's VP of Regional Development, reviews the Payment Protection Program (PPP) and Shuttered Venue Operator (SOS) Program. Topics include eligibility, criteria, and helping to identify which opportunities are the best fit for your organization. This webinar is free and open to the public. The webinar has been developed for New York State arts organizations of all sizes.

Read this Syracuse.com article about a change in how hours and days are counted for NYS Unemployment benefits, in an effort to encourage part-time work. 

Arts Midwest COVID-19 Resource Roundup: January 2021: Includes reports such as NEA's The Art of Reopening: A Guide During COVID-19, and webinar listings such as Revisioning Relevance with Nina Simon– January 27, 2021, 9am CST  

Following are details about resources being made available through the newly passed federal Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 - Watch this space for more information.

SECOND DRAW PAYCHECK PROTECTION LOANS

A new round of Paycheck Protection Loans has been announced. The Small Business Administration has opened the Paycheck Protection Loan Portal for Community Financial Institutions* as of 1/11/21, for First Draw PPP Loan Applications. (The Second Draw application portal for CFIs opened 1/13/21 and applications for other financial institutions will open soon.) 

Please note:  According to the Paycheck Protection Program Second Draw Loans Overview, Second Draw PPP Loans can be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. Also, according to current information, an applicant for the Second Draw PPP loan who received a First Draw PPP loan should have used all of their first draw loan, on eligible expenses. Please consult SBA, your lender, accountants, etc. on how this applies to your situation.

See sba.gov/ppp for more Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) information, documents and forms.

Please also see, from the SBA: 

Top-line Overview of First Draw PPP (sba.gov)
Top-line Overview of Second Draw PPP (sba.gov)

PPP Guidance from SBA Administrator Carranza on Accessing Capital for Minority, Underserved, Veteran, and Women-owned Business Concerns

*Information from SBA on PPP lenders: Per the Economic Aid Act, a Community Financial Institution (CFI) is one of four types of lenders. 

Types of CFI Lenders:

Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI)
Minority Depository Institution (MDI)
SBA Certified Development Company (CDC)
SBA Microloan Intermediary Lender

A list of participating PPP lenders: Paycheck Protection Program - Participating Lenders (sba.gov)
SBA Microlenders: List of lenders (sba.gov)
SBA Certified Development Companies: Small Business Administration (sba.gov)

PPP and Tax Relief Provisions for Employers: Information by the National Law Review about second PPP Loan eligibility, changes in loan forgiveness, covered costs, loan amount flexibility, plus details on tax treatment of covered PPP loans, deferred payroll taxes, credits for Paid Leave and Family Sick Leave, and more.

Unemployment Relief: Interested in how the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 will affect Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Insurance? Here's an article by the National Law Review outlining the updates: Unemployment Relief in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021.

Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (also called SOS - Save our Stages)

An SOS (Save Our Stages/Shuttered Venue Operators) grant program, is being administered by the Small Business Administration for the following entities: 

• Live venue operators or promoters
• Theatrical producers
• Live performing arts organization operators
• Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria
• Motion picture theater operators
• Talent representatives, and
• Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

Thank you to Americans for the Arts for sharing this information:

SBA Shuttered Venues Website. Please check the SBA website’s SVO section on a daily basis as they are posting new and corrected information by the minute at www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/shuttered-venue-operators-grant.

Applying for PPP versus SVO: If you believe your organization has a good chance at qualifying for an SVO grant, then you should not apply for a PPP second or first draw after 12/27/20:

SVO Priority Awards. The SBA website modified its original preliminary guidelines to be more in line with the Congressional intent of the newly passed law. SBA is no longer limiting the first two priority distributions to shuttered venues with only 50 employees or fewer. While there is still a set aside of $2 billion for this category of small venues, the early distribution awards are for any size organization with 90 or 70 percent revenue loss (still not clear if this is gross or earned revenue). 

PPP Acceptance Timing. In addition to the clarification above on applying for PPP versus SVO, please know that PPP bank loan offers can only remain open for 10 days before the bank offer is rescinded.

**Americans for the Arts has more updated information about PPP forgiveness forms, EIDL advances and more at www.ArtsActionFund.org/COVID19Resources, and on its COVID 19 Arts Resources Table. 

2020 News Archives

Help Locating NYS Services: NYS recently launched the "Find Services" web application, developed in partnership with Google.org, to assist New Yorkers in locating appropriate services with one streamlined web application. This can be helpful for those whose income has been affected by COVID-19 as well as those in need for other reasons.

Small businesses, nonprofits and residential landlords that received Paycheck Protection Program amounts of $50,000 or less may now be eligible for a low-interest loan from New York Forward Loan Fund to support reopening (not a forgiveable loan). 

SBA Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Information Sheet

Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness FAQ's (courtesy of Americans for the Arts website)

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, signed into law on 6/5, provides borrowers more flexibility for loan forgiveness. The loan covered period was extended from 8 weeks to 24 weeks.

Mohawk Valley Economic Development District (MVEDD) CARES Act Revolving Loan Fund Opens: The CARES Act Revolving Loan Fund is a new economic recovery loan program designed to alleviate sudden and severe economic dislocation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund provides low interest loans (up to $200,000) to coronavirus-impacted small businesses in Montgomery, Fulton, Oneida, Herkimer, Otsego and Schoharie counties.

The Americans for the Arts Action Fund shared the following news:

On June 8, 2020, the Federal Reserve announced the expansion of the Mainstreet Lending Program to small and medium-size businesses. While these types of loans are not the forgivable type and were previously only available to major corporations, the terms may be attractive and provide much more flexibility for use of funds. $75 billion is being made available for these loans through the CARES Act. 

Reopening Resources

NYSCA offers a Reopening and Recovery resource page featuring NYS and federal guideline links plus a variety of alliance and consortium industry guideline resources. NYSCA's website also includes a NYSArts Now Reopening page with a list of NYS cultural organization venues now open or opening soon. 

New York Forward - Phase 4 information
To view full guidelines, click here.

Arts, culture and heritage agencies and groups that are planning events and activities should refer to the New York Forward Business Reopening LookUp tool for guidance on eligibility to reopen, restrictions, industry-specific public health and safety guidelines, an affirmation form and business safety plan. 

Low risk outdoor includes outdoor zoos, botanical gardens, nature parks, grounds of historic sites and cultural institutions, outdoor museums, outdoor agritourism, local agricultural demonstrations and exhibitions; and other similar institutions/activities.

Low risk indoor includes indoor museums, historical sites, aquariums and other related institutions

Agencies that these guidelines apply to must go to the link and view the summary guidelines, read and affirm the guidelines and then prepare a safety plan that they will keep at their place of business.

Arts, culture and heritage agencies and groups that are planning events and activities should refer to the New York Forward Business Reopening LookUp tool for guidance on eligibility to reopen, restrictions, industry-specific public health and safety guidelines, an affirmation form and business safety plan. 

NYSCA offers a Reopening and Recovery resource page featuring NYS and federal guideline links plus  a variety of alliance and consortium industry guideline resources. 

NYS offers the Find a Test Site Near You tool, an online resource to find a free COVID-19 testing site. The site also states that:   "Individuals who have questions regarding eligibility or access for testing should call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 or visit the NYSDOH website https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov."

Onondaga County Economic Development Office:

economicdevelopment@ongov.net (315.435.3770) - General #

reopen@ongov.net (315.435.2210) # for reopening questions

Economic Development Office Reopen
https://www.ongoved.com/reopen-a-business/

Guide to Reopening Theatrical Venues (2nd draft edition), by the Performing Arts Center Consortium Advisory Committee on Reopening

CDC Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes

Empire State Development FAQ on Business Forward and Business Reopening

Centerstate CEO free webinar series - Keeping Workers Safe as Businesses Re-open:  Lessons from the Front Lines

Centerstate CEO Back to Business Re-Opening Toolkit