Governor Laura Kelly announced that the Small Business Administration allocated 90 grant awards totaling $45.7 million to Kansas venues through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. Administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance, the SVOG provides emergency assistance for venues affected by COVID-19 such as live entertainment venues, theaters, museums or cultural institutions. The grants can be used for payroll costs, rent, utilities, scheduled mortgage payments and more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15,166 Kansas establishments closed in 2020 and it’s imperative to ensure that as many as possible can keep their doors open through this funding opportunity. In Kansas, 90 grants have been awarded to local theaters, museums, live venue operators, motion picture operators and talent representative businesses.