Dear Friends,
This week New York City’s primary elections drew more voters than in 2013, and the state of emergency was lifted in New York State (details on that below), just as the city unveiled its tourism recovery campaign to announce to the global community that “It’s Time for New York City.” What a wonderful lead up to this weekend’s PRIDE festivities! |
REOPENING UPDATES
Governor Cuomo announced that New York’s state of emergency will expire after Thursday, June 24. The State’s guidance concerning the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People remains in effect. This means that unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear face coverings in most public settings. And everyone, whether vaccinated or not, must wear face coverings on public transit and in certain settings, such as health care, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters.
“Fully vaccinated” means two or more weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or full doses of the COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g., AstraZeneca, Oxford).
Nightlife
As the state of emergency expires, the State Liquor Authority (SLA) announced that it is allowing licensees that are currently part of NYC’s Open Restaurants Program to continue serving alcohol on outdoor City property while NYS Assembly Bill A7733 / Senate Bill S6353 awaits adoption. This legislation, if signed, would allow SLA licensees participating in the Open Restaurants Program to continue serving alcohol on City property for one additional year after the law is adopted.
Arts and Entertainment
The application for City Artist Corps grants is now live and applications for the first cycle close on June 22 at 10am. (The remaining application deadlines are: second cycle – July 20 at 10am; third cycle – August 10 at 10am.) A program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York Foundation for the Arts with support from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, City Artist Corps Grants are intended to support NYC-based working artists who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The program will distribute one-time $5,000 grants to over 3000 artists to help sustain their practice and engage the public across New York City’s five boroughs this summer beginning July. Artists working in any discipline are eligible to apply.
Open Culture performances continue to roll out in neighborhoods across the city. The program, which runs through October 31, allows ticketed, socially distanced, outdoor performances at nearly 200 street locations throughout the five boroughs. The NYC Open Culture Program Resources page offers tips for planning and preparation for Open Culture events, links to best practices and protocols for live performance developed by unions and performing arts organizations.
NYC BUSINESS QUICK START
NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is leading a new interagency initiative to cut red tape and support NYC businesses with opening or reopening. NYC Business Quick Start will provide small businesses a sole point of contact to help navigate City regulations, as well as a public dashboard. The program guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50 percent. NYC Business Quick Start is a collaboration between several key agencies including SBS, Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). |
STATE ASSISTANCE
Applications for the New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program are now live. The Grant Program provides $800 million in assistance for small businesses (including small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations), experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexible grants up to $50,000 can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, personal protective equipment, or other business expenses incurred during the pandemic. Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program, including 57 percent of the State’s certified MWBEs. |
The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) began accepting applications on June 1. Eligible low and moderate-income households can get up to 12 months of their back rent paid, three months of future rent, and other assistance. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program. NYC’s Human Resources Administration website offers information about the program, as well as a list of organizations that can help New Yorkers with their applications. |
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
*NEW* The National Endowment for the Arts is providing American Rescue Plan Grants to eligible organizations nationwide. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts sector, keep the doors open to arts organizations nationwide, and assist the field in its response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike other Arts Endowment funding programs that offer project-based support, Rescue Plan funds are intended to support specific operating costs only. Cost share/matching funds are not required.
The Arts Endowment encourages applications from a variety of eligible organizations including: organizations that serve populations that are underserved, such as those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability; organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural to urban communities; and organizations that may be applying for federal support through the Arts Endowment for the first time. For more information and to apply, visit the NEA’s webpage.
Eligible small businesses, nonprofits, sole proprietors and independent contractors can still apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Learn more about EIDL, the Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance.
SBA began making the first round of Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) award decisions. See SBA’s FAQ if you have applied but have not yet been notified of an award. For more information and to view applicant resources, visit the SVOG website. For SVOG application portal technical support such as a password reset, browser suggestions, or how to use the multi-factor authentication with an app and the QR code, applicants can call 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, 1-800-877-8339 and follow the prompts to SVOG assistance.
NYC live-performance venues, businesses, and non-profit organizations applying for SVOG and other federal assistance can access free technical assistance through Curtains Up NYC, a program partnership of MOME and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS). Trained counselors are also available for virtual, one-on-one sessions. Information is available on the Curtains Up NYC webpage or 888-SBS-4NYC. |
COVID-19 UPDATES
The NYS Department of Labor issued guidance on the use of paid sick leave for COVID-19 Vaccine Recovery Time. This guidance states that Labor Law section 196-b allows employees to use sick leave for the recovery of any side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination and section 197-c allows leave to receive vaccinations.
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• Free transportation to vaccination appointments in NYC is available for city residents 65 and older and those with disabilities who have no other way to get to a vaccination site. To arrange for transportation, call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).
• NYC residents who cannot leave their home can sign up for an in-home vaccination online or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). |
The NYS Department of Health’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory no longer requires asymptomatic travelers entering New York State from another country, U.S. state, or territory to test or quarantine. Fully vaccinated travelers should follow the relaxed CDC travel guidance for fully vaccinated travelers. Quarantine, consistent with the CDC recommendations, is still recommended for all travelers who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID-19 during the previous three months. Symptomatic travelers must immediately self-isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare providers to determine if they should seek COVID-19 testing. You can find the nearest testing location here.
All travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form unless the traveler had left New York for less than 24 hours or is coming to New York from a contiguous state. Contiguous states to New York are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont.
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