Phase 3 of the funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in the amount of $1.9 trillion to states for COVID-19 relief and economic recovery will be open for applications on Aug. 16.
Phase 3 will provide funding for “live events support industry” with up to $10 million in grant assistance for service providers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The “live events support industry” includes businesses, non-profits, sole proprietors, or independent contractors whose principal business activities result in 50% or more annual revenues derived from the provision of goods (rented or sold) or services for the production and execution of organized live events.
Applicants will be asked to demonstrate a 50% or more loss in revenue from live event support activities in Oregon for calendar year 2020 as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Eligible service providers for Phase 3 include but are not limited to:
- Event planners, designers, and talent buyers
- Event sound, video, lighting, rigging, and staging providers
- Event supply rental companies
- Event catering providers
- Event decor and floral vendors
- Theatrical services and equipment rental providers
- Specialty entertainers such as DJs, emcees, costumed characters, actors, musicians, musical groups, auctioneers, and other special event-specific talents
- Specialized event services and vendors such as event security, VIP toilets, photobooths, portable gaming, amusement providers, event transportation providers, ticket agencies, etc.
- Wedding-specific services and vendors such as stylists and makeup artists, photographers and videographers, planners and coordinators, etc.
The Phase 3 guidelines can be found here. The application opens on Aug. 16 and will be open for two weeks. Phase 3 awards will be announced in September. Eligible applicants will be selected for funding via a randomized lottery system; this is not a first-come first-served program.
