While we wait for the reboot of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) portal, I wanted to share the updates I’ve received from our local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) contact, Sara. I am SO THANKFUL that Sara has been communicative during this time when we’re only getting crickets from the SBA. The first list of bullets came on Tuesday.
- No date set yet about when portal will open. But it will be announced.
- FAQ will be updated prior to portal opening.
- User Guide will be updated prior to portal opening. This will be the last document to be updated. So you will see the FAQ first and after that, the User Guide. They are not expecting a lot of changes in the application itself, but there will be changes. The User Guide will be available a minimum of 24 hours before the portal opens.
- Applicants that uploaded documents when the portal was open last week will find that these documents are no longer in their application and they will need to uploaded them again.
- Everyone who has registered and created an account will still have that account when the portal opens
- Customer service will be available for technology-related issues only, such as not being able to reset a password.
- 4506-T instructions will be clarified.
- The start date of Priority Period #1 is the date they make the first award, NOT the date the portal opens. So it is NOT going to be 14 days after the portal opens as it is unlikely they will make an award the first day.
Then, last night, Sara sent another update:
- Over 20,600 applicants have registered. New applicants can go into the portal and register, however, they cannot go further than registering.
- The portal will not re-open this weekend. It will probably be mid-to-late next week before it re-opens.
- Clues to watch for concerning re-opening: an updated FAQ and user’s guide will be published at least 24 hrs. before the portal will become available. Check the SBA SVOG website to see when these two publications get released.
- Resource partners (like the SBDC) will receive at least 1 more training update before the “re-roll-out”. This will ensure that we have the latest information that we can use to answer any questions.
- While museums can apply for this grant program, they cannot not be for-profit entities. If they are, they are not eligible.
- The application checklist is also being updated.
Here’s what I take away from these updates:
- If you haven’t already, go ahead and sign up for an account so you are ready when the reboot happens, and
- TAKE THIS WEEKEND OFF!
We have to take time to breathe when we can. This is the only way we can keep going in this pandemic marathon. Stay strong, breathe deep, and send me your questions!