Shuttered Venue Clarity Part 6 – Weekend Reboot

Posted on by Amy Wratchford

Just when we thought the SBA learned from the unmitigated disaster of the SVOG portal launch on April 8, last night our hopes were once again dashed when they tweeted this:

That’s right, they are re-launching the portal on Saturday, the Sabbath for some, a time when others catch even the smallest iota of a step towards that mythical work/life balance. We tried to push back, but they are saying they need to be “responsive to the urgency of the need.” Yeah, that’s why you are re-launching four months after the law was passed. OK, enough grousing, let’s get to the useful stuff.

This post is to make sure that you know where all the currently available information is. Read ALL the information below because it has all changed, sometimes significantly. I will do my best to review all the materials that have been posted in the last hour in time to provide some insight before the portal opens tomorrow.

Special thanks to Sara at our local SBDC and Martin Miller of TheatreSquared for providing the following additional information (the sub-bullets are my thoughts):

  • Customer Service Center phone number will be 800-659-2955
  • New Revenue Table headers (with month-by-month breakdowns under each header):
    Gross Rev. 2019 / Earned Rev. 2019 / Gross Revenue 2020 / Earned Revenue 2020 / Gross Rev. 2021 (ends March) / Earned Rev. 2021 (ends March)
    • Laurie Baskin at TCG is working to learn if we still have to option of using our fiscal year for determining the grant size, the new FAQs seem to say otherwise
  • There will be a queued waiting room limiting the number of folks who can apply at once
    • This tells me (1) we’re going to have to be patient and (2) I wonder if there is any way to know if the system is working or if we’re just stuck in SVOG purgatory?
  • Ineligibility flags that pop up will no longer keep you from proceeding through / submitting application
  • There is a new area at the end of the application to upload required documents referenced in the checklist but which did not have a specific question to upload on the April 8 application

Keep the faith, y’all. As one member of the TCG Finance Directors Circle Group commented: at least it will be done soon! [we hope]

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