As federal emergency funding continues to be available to small businesses, the UGA Small Business Development Center is offering webinars and one-to-one assistance to business owners and operators hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Jan. 1, 2021:
• The UGA SBDC hosted eight webinars on the new Economic Aid Act, which offered help to the businesses hardest hit by COVID-19.
• The UGA SBDC partnered with UGA Agriculture Extension and the Georgia Department of Agriculture to offer a webinar for agribusinesses negatively impacted by the pandemic.
• UGA Public Service and Outreach (PSO) hosted a webinar for owners and operators of entertainment venues.
• Nearly 2,000 small business owners and operators have participated in at least one webinar.
The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program provides financial support for live music and other performing arts venues, arts promoters, movie theaters, and museums that meet specific criteria. Three PSO units—SBDC, Carl Vinson Institute of Government and J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development—hosted the webinar to offer expertise to private, nonprofit and government-owned entertainment venues.
The SVOG, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, includes $15 billion in grants. The UGA SBDC plans to organize additional webinars for the SVOG as rules for those funds continue to evolve.
“Nonprofits who are cornerstones to the arts, culture and heritage tourism in Georgia didn’t just face a drop in revenue but a total loss when they faced cancelling events, programming and public outreach and operations all together,” said Jessica Walden, business and leadership advisor to the UGA SBDC and the Fanning Institute. “The Shuttered Venue and Operators Grant will provide federal grant relief to qualified loss.”
Find more COVID-19 resources and webinar schedules at www.georgiasbdc.org.
