Huffman Announces Over $35 Million in Covid-19 Relief Dollars Approved for Local Venues to Save and Create Jobs

Press Release

Today, Representative Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced 62 venues in CA-02 have received a total of over $35 million in Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG). Rep. Huffman voted to establish the program, which provides support to hard-hit businesses in the music and entertainment sector that were forced to shut their doors due to pandemic restrictions.

The SVOG program was initially plagued by technical challenges, which have since greatly improved. On the day the application portal opened, it crashed and reopened almost 3 weeks later. Huffman took swift action to address the challenges businesses were experiencing and joined over 200 bipartisan Members of Congress in calling for the Small Business Administration to expedite the release of funds. This effort was successful, and the SBA has now approved 9,844 grants, including 1,393 in California.

"Local businesses in the music and entertainment industry are an important thread in the fabric of our communities -- they create good jobs, bolster the economy, and contribute to the culture of our region. The American Rescue Plan created the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program to provide a lifeline to struggling businesses, but it's been difficult for many to access those funds," said Rep. Huffman. "The Small Business Administration's move to improve and expedite the approval process for critical funding is welcome news, and I will continue working to ensure local businesses have the support they need to thrive as we rebuild from the pandemic."

"My company applied for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan extension and our applications were stuck in the system for weeks. This funding is critical to my business and the local economy. Congressman Huffman's office was able to seek information about my loans and they've finally been approved. It's great to be able to seek assistance when I need it," said Ky Boyd, Director of Rialto Cinemas, Great Falls Entertainment Inc.

See which businesses in California's Second District have been approved for a SVOG award by clicking here, or at the end of this press release. A full list of businesses can be found here.

Background:

The Small Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was established through the bipartisan COVID-19 relief package passed in December 2020. Rep. Huffman helped secure additional funding for the SVOG program through the American Rescue Plan, to total over $16 billion in grants for shuttered venues in order to keep businesses afloat and workers on payroll.

The American Rescue Plan also instituted a fix to ensure shuttered venues that received Paycheck Protection Program loans after December 27, 2020 can also receive a Small Venue Operators grant, as long as the grant is reduced by the amount of PPP funds provided. Applying for both grant programs was previously prohibited.

Below is a table listing all of the grantees in California's Second District and their SVOG amounts:

Amount

Grantee

City

$155,504

Brilliant Corners Artist Management LLC - SVOG

San Rafael

$534,427

California Film Institute - SVOG

San Rafael

$1,668,517

EC Events, LLC - SVOG

San Rafael

$63,086

Friends of the CFI-Sequoia Theatre, LLC - SVOG

San Rafael

$484,477

Marin Civic Ballet Association - SVOG

San Rafael

$322,901

Mountain Play Association - SVOG

San Rafael

$494,398

Zeitgeist Artist Management, Ltd - SVOG

San Rafael

$2,261,532

County of Marin - SVOG

San Rafael

$740,750

GLITTER CINEMAS,INC - SVOG

San Rafael

$116,427

Marin Symphony Association - SVOG

San Rafael

$42,927

MJJ MANAGEMENT, INC - SVOG

San Rafael

$762,209

WASH HOUSE MUSIC GROUP, INC - SVOG

San Rafael

$885,090

Lee Neighborhood Theatres Inc - SVOG

Greenbrae

$312,191

Marin Shakespeare Company - SVOG

San Rafael

$1,576

Alternative Theater Ensemble - SVOG

San Rafael

$177,239

Paso 190 Incorporated - SVOG

Tiburon

$238,905

Peri's Tavern Inc. (Peri's Inc.) - SVOG

Fairfax

$210,967

MONGREL MUSIC - SVOG

San Anselmo

$275,000

Lark Theater - SVOG

Larkspur

$384,553

Marin Theatre Company - SVOG

Mill Valley

$334,438

Mill Valley Live Arts dba 142 Throckmorton Theatre - SVOG

Mill Valley

$72,706

The Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival - SVOG

Mill Valley

$1,531,954

The Woods Music Hall LLC - SVOG

Mill Valley

$1,039,649

Red Barn Productions LLC - SVOG

Novato

$269,515

Cinnabar Arts Corp - SVOG

Petaluma

$62,945

Cotati Accordion Festival - SVOG

Petaluma

$4,761,396

David Corkill Cinemas - SVOG

Petaluma

$49,493

Petaluma Phoenix Center Inc - SVOG

Petaluma

$14,915

Marin Artists - SVOG

Petaluma

$273,391

Super Diamond - SVOG

Petaluma

$118,776

Ross Valley Players - SVOG

Ross

$2,327,429

High Road Touring LLC - SVOG

Sausalito

$798,389

Partisan Arts, Inc. - SVOG

Sausalito

$725,500

Sausalito Art Festival Foundation - SVOG

Sausalito

$7,802

Shakespeare At Stinson - SVOG

Stinson Beach

$3,865,204

Palladio Cinemas, LLC - SVOG

Folsom

$73,101

H-Town Youth Theatre dba Left Edge Theatre - SVOG

Santa Rosa

$2,164,945

Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation - SVOG

Santa Rosa

$90,452

Cloverdale Arts Alliance - SVOG

Cloverdale

$39,488

Cloverdale Performing Arts Center Inc - SVOG

Cloverdale

$209,463

Hecht Cinemas LLC - SVOG

Cloverdale

$425,286

Coast Cinemas, Inc. - SVOG

Fort Bragg

$43,598

Alexander Valley Film Society - SVOG

Healdsburg

$98,406

Healdsburg Performing Arts Theater, Inc dba Raven Performing Arts Theater - SVOG

Healdsburg

$139,071

Black Oak Ranch, LLC - SVOG

Laytonville

$266,518

Flynn Creek Circus LLC - SVOG

Mendocino

$91,145

Arena Theater Association - SVOG

Point Arena

$52,824

Performing Artists Coalition for Theater, Inc. - SVOG

Sebastopol

$35,443

Surefire Productions, LLC - SVOG

Sebastopol

$249,747

Rialto, Great Falls Entertainment Inc - SVOG

Sebastopol

$1,348,302

Pleasantown Motion Picture Company LLC - SVOG

Sebastopol

$1,233,653

Sonoma Motion Picture Company, LLC - SVOG

Sebastopol

$66,012

Ukiah Players Theatre - SVOG

Ukiah

$235,850

Jeffrey & Lois A Hoover (dba Noyo Theatre) - SVOG

Willits

$42,682

WILLITS COMMUNITY THEATRE INC - SVOG

Willits

$36,408

Blue Ox Historic Village & School - SVOG

Eureka

$10,803

Dance Scene Studio - SVOG

Eureka

$29,128

Redwood Art Association - SVOG

Eureka

$550,301

Minor Theatre Group LLC - SVOG

Arcata

$28,198

Playhouse Arts - SVOG

Arcata

$740,710

Northern Nights Music Group, LLC - SVOG

Garberville

$321,211

Mateel Community Center, Inc - SVOG

Redway

Source