Governor
Steve Bullock today announced he will direct $10 million in Coronavirus Relief
Funds to create the Live Entertainment Grant Program to provide long term
viability for the live entertainment industry.
“Live
entertainment businesses that bring together large groups of Montanans and
visitors have had to cancel or postpone all of their events during the
pandemic. While that effort has certainly minimized transmission of COVID-19
and kept their customers and employees safe, it has greatly impacted their
revenues and outlook,”
Governor Bullock said. “This funding will offer
support to the hundreds of workers employed in the live entertainment industry
and provide long term support to businesses to ensure they can resume offering
events that are fundamental to our quality of life, as soon as it’s safe to do
so.”
As
Montana continues making progress toward economic recovery and most sectors
have reopened, live entertainment businesses across the state have remained
closed due to health risks related to large gatherings or acts that have
postponed touring.
To
ensure entertainment businesses can survive extended closures and postponement,
the Live Entertainment Grant Program will provide up to 25 percent of a
business’ 2019 gross revenue or a maximum of $1,000,000 per applicant. The
program is available to Montana based businesses and non-profits in the live
entertainment business, and whose revenues primarily come from live
entertainment events. Applicants must have derived at least 33 percent of their
2019 revenue from sale of tickets for live events and must be operating at less
than 10% of last years’ revenue.
Bars,
restaurants, and other facilities whose primary business is anything other than
live entertainment are not eligible.
Applications
will be evaluated on a first come first serve basis and will be open on August
12 at covidrelief.mt.gov.
Governor
Bullock also announced he is doubling the funds available in the Business
Stabilization Grant Program to provide working capital for small businesses
that have seen their revenue decline as a result of the pandemic. Nearly 8,000
businesses that have already been awarded a Business Stabilization Grant are
eligible to receive a second payment equal to the first, and new applicants as
well as applications in progress are now eligible to receive up to 6 months of working
capital or $20,000, whichever is less. Businesses eligible to receive a second
grant will be contacted by the Montana Department of Commerce via email and
should not submit a second application.
Additionally,
Governor Bullock announced a grant program for businesses located along the
east edge of Glacier National Park, which have been uniquely hit hard by the
pandemic due to ongoing closures on that side of the park. Many businesses are
entirely dependent on visitation to keep their operations running throughout
the year. Supporting them now will ensure they can sustain their operations for
next year’s tourism season.
Tourism
reliant businesses in the East edge of Glacier National Park may be eligible to
apply for a grant for up to 25 percent of their 2019 gross revenue or up to
$40,000. To be eligible, businesses must be located along the eastern edge of
Glacier National Park in the immediate vicinity of East Glacier, St. Mary or
Babb and must be Montana based. The application will be available next week on
covidrelief.mt.gov
Governor
Bullock has allocated nearly 80% of the CARES Act dollars, with over $210
million of that awarded, to help Montanans, small businesses, nonprofits,
farmers and ranchers, schools and local governments and more toward economic
recovery. A transparency dashboard of awarded funds and a list of all allocated
dollars is available at COVIDRELIEF.MT.GOV.