Business Oregon Launches COVID Recovery Grant Program for Live Venue Operators, Producers, and Presenters

April 26, 2022

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Business Oregon is receiving American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds to support live event venue operators and live event producers/presenters negatively impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Live Event Venue Operators and Live Event Producer/Presenters Program will provide up to $35 million in grant assistance to qualifying applicants that have experienced financial hardships as an outcome of public health measures necessitated by the pandemic. This grant program is the second of three phases of grants Business Oregon is creating with new ARPA funds to help live event venues and live event supporting industries.

If eligibility criteria is met, successful applicants shall generally receive at least a $5,000 grant award and no more than a $250,000 grant award. Eligible organizations that operate multiple live event venues may receive up to $750,000 in total. Grant awards from this program shall not exceed the applicant’s reported loss in revenue from live events in fiscal year 2020 and will be limited by the availability of program funds.

Financial hardships eligible for funding under this program are restricted to loss of earned revenues from live event rental fees, live event ticket sales, and applicable charges associated with operating and/or producing ticketed live performances, fairs/festivals, and community events.

Eligible entities for the program are intended to include but are not limited to venue operators or producers/presenters of the following, if they meet the program requirements:

Ticketed live events (music, cultural, and/or community)
Museums with earned revenue from hosting live events
Fairgrounds owned and/or operated by non-municipal organizations
Cultural venues operated by a federally recognized Indian Tribes based in Oregon, including live performance or event venues on casino grounds
Tradeshows
Special event rental venues
Fair and festivals
Rodeos

Applications will be available online beginning at 10 a.m. on April 25, 2022, at biz.oregon.gov. All applications for funding must be received no later than 4:59 p.m. on May 16, 2022. Applicants should refer to the online Application Checklist for a detailed description of the elements needed to complete the application.

Submitted applications will be reviewed for eligibility, completeness, and accuracy. Applications that meet stated program eligibility and need requirements will be authorized for funding, pending availability of funds. Business Oregon may require additional information and has final authority on eligibility determination.

Ineligible applicants for the program include, but are not limited to:

Live event support industry representatives: they may qualify for the Live Event Support Industry grants provided in the third phase of the program
Adult entertainment venues and live events
Municipally or state-owned venues and municipally or state-operated live events
Non-ticketed live event producers/presenters, such as live music nights, open mic nights, free concerts, etc.
Movie theaters
Sporting events/venues
Organizations that operate temporary or pop-up live event venues as a non-principal business activity
All public or private universities/educational institutions
Nonprofit religious corporations and/or houses of worship recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
Lobbying organizations
Other businesses that do not meet the intent of the program as determined by Business Oregon

More information about this program can be found online at biz.oregon.gov. Please call 833-604-0880 or email biz.covid19@biz.oregon.gov with questions or requests for assistance with this program.