WASHINGTON— Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva sent a letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Guzman urging her to expedite requests and quickly disburse funds to the Southern Arizona small live venue operators that have applied for direct aid through the SBA Shuttered Venues Operators Grant (SVOG) program. For months, repeated errors have significantly stalled and delayed funds from reaching small venues that need them to survive, reopen, and keep their workers employed. In his letter, Rep. Grijalva urged Administrator Guzman to expedite the requests of Southern Arizona small venues, provide them with an immediate status update, and quickly disburse funds.

“Many of these businesses have been closed throughout the duration of the pandemic, and without immediate assistance are moments away from permanent closure,” wrote Rep. Grijalva. “I appreciate your recent commitment to my staff that the SBA will provide applicants who have not had their applications fully processed weekly updates. However, these businesses need information, conclusions, and immediate funding. Live venues are an integral part of our economic engine and Tucson and surrounding areas will be changed forever if these delays don’t end. With funding in doubt, they cannot move forward to hire, book talent, start spending on marketing, and ultimately come back into operation. I respectfully request that you expedite their requests, provide them with an immediate status update, and release funds.”

Click here for the full letter, including a list of small venues applying to the SVOG program.

###