Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Weekly Advocacy Alert, April 14: A Moment for Grief and Solidarity & Opening of the Broadway Vaccination Site for Arts And Cultural Workers

By Dance/NYC

Weekly Advocacy Alert, April 14:
A Moment for Grief and Solidarity

Dance/NYC holds space to mourn the death of Daunte Wright and to acknowledge the continuing violence against Black people at the hands of law enforcement caused by white supremacy. As a team of arts workers we seek to ensure the lives and vitality of Black people and Black culture as an ongoing commitment outside of and during crisis and to work in support of justice in New York City and beyond.

Ways to support Daunte Wright’s family:

• Donate to a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs and family expenses created by Wright's aunt Kelly Bryant.
• Donate directly via this information coordinated by Holistic Heaux for the mother of Daunte's son.
• Participate in a protest, march or vigil. Information compiled via @justiceforgeorgenyc.
• Support the Brooklyn Center small businesses via GoFundMe organized by MN Teen Activists.

Ways to be in ongoing solidarity:

• Support Black membership based organizations such as Dance/NYC’s Justice, Equity and Inclusion Partners: International Association of Blacks in Dance, and Women of Color in the Arts.
• Support Black-led Dance/Arts Orgs from this independently compiled list.
• Visit the racial justice resources page for more knowledge, information and steps you can take.

Opening of the Broadway Vaccination Site for Arts And Cultural Workers

This week celebrated the opening of the Broadway Vaccination Site (aka ATC Vaccination Times Square) for arts and cultural workers. The site is now taking appointment requests online or by calling 877-829-4692. The vaccination site is working with The Actors Fund to aid individuals who need support with making appointments. Call 917-281-5937 or email vaccines@actorsfund.org with your name and phone number for assistance with scheduling an appointment.

NATIONAL

1. The Biden administration launched a funeral assistance program on Monday, April 12, those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 will be able to apply for retroactive reimbursements for burial costs. Applicants can receive up to $9,000 per burial, The Washington Post reports. To apply, you must call 844-684-6333. The call center will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, starting April 12.

2. Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program shutdown temporarily with no specific date/time for relaunch. The application user guide, which was released and re-released just prior to the start of the program at 12:00PM(EST) on April 8. The SBA released the latest version of its FAQ document (effective April 8). Here is a sample template that may be helpful with the application process.

3. President Biden signed the PPP Extension Act, H.R. 1799, giving nonprofits and other eligible borrowers until May 31 to submit their PPP applications. The Small Business Administration issued a new interim final rule revising the PPP rules to incorporate the American Rescue Plan Act’s changes to the PPP.

• PPP First Draw Borrower Application Form
• PPP Second Draw Borrower Application Form

4. The SBA announced that it will increase the limit on Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans from $150,000 to $500,000.

5. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced new funding opportunities to rapidly distribute American Rescue Plan Act funding to cultural organizations and educational institutions adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. These funding opportunities will provide direct grants to individual humanities institutions and grantmaking organizations to distribute as competitive subawards to affected organizations and individuals.

• Organizations
• Grantmaking

6. The Department of Health & Human Services announced that the special enrollment period that began on February 15 for HealthCare.gov will continue through August 15. This three-month extension allows people to enroll in or switch health plans with the credits that were included in the American Rescue Plan. People who received unemployment for at least one week this year are eligible for $0 premium plans and the highest level of cost-sharing reductions.

7. The Disability Policy Seminar will be a virtual event from April 19- April 22. The seminar offers the opportunity for advocates, self-advocates, experts, and professionals in the field to come together and learn about key federal issues that affect them most.

NEW YORK STATE

1. New York State budget legislation passed ($212B, go to Budget tab). This includes:

• 5% payment withholdings restored
• $2.1B for Excluded Workers
• $13M AAPI Emergency Fund
• Fully funded Foundation Aid over next three years
• 1% COLA for nonprofit OPWDD and OCFS workers
• $5B in additional revenue from tax reform
• Full budget docs

2. The Department of Financial Services will extend the emergency regulation requiring all regulated health insurers to waive co-pays for the COVID-19 vaccine until April 30.

3. Nonprofit Westchester is holding a budget forum with Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins on April 16.

NEW YORK CITY

1. Take the Dance/NYC Coronavirus Dance Impact Part 3 Today! Help Dance/NYC continue to advocate for your needs. If you are a dance worker or dance making organization, please take the Coronavirus Dance Impact Survey part 3 today! The survey should take about 15 minutes of your time. If you are an individual dance worker and also run an organization or fiscally sponsored group you are welcome to take both to ensure your experiences are represented in the data. You can take this survey whether or not you have participated in previous surveys. Please share with your networks using this toolkit.

CORONAVIRUS DANCE IMPACT SURVEY PART 3

2. Register to testify at City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations oversight hearing on “Amplifying BIPOC and Queer Voices in the Arts," April 20 at 10:00 a.m.

3. Arts in Education Roundtable is asking for arts education organizations to complete this COVID-19 Impact Survey by April 23, to help support the field of arts education in NYC.

4. Applications for affordable housing at The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence are now open. The Friedman is a supportive, shared housing (roommates) residence that offers affordable housing for working professionals in performing arts and entertainment, persons with HIV/AIDS, and senior citizens (60 years of age or older).

5. State Senator Liz Krueger hosts a virtual town hall, “New York City: What Can We Do After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccination?” on April 15 at 7:00 p.m. NYU epidemiologist Dr. Celine Gounder will speak about reasonable post-vaccination activities, vaccine passports, and COVID workplace regulations. There will also be a Q&A.

6. COVID-19 Updates

• Find vaccination locations and make appointments online at vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or by calling 877-VAX4NYC for assistance in multiple languages. For the latest information, please consult the City’s Vaccine Command Center and State's website.
• The statewide positivity rate was 3.75%.
• Download the COVID Alert NY app and Excelsior App today!
• Remember to follow the “core four”—wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing, stay home if you’re sick—and get tested! For information on free testing, personal protective equipment, and more, visit the NYC Mayor's Office Coronavirus page.

7. Engaging in community action in support of dance workers? Submit to be listed on the #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers Campaign Activations page. Visit the page for events, actions, and platforms that are independently led by the NYC dance community.

8. Dance/NYC hosts weekly dance field-wide calls. The call addresses questions, needs, and plans for the future of the field. Calls are Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Be sure to register.

9. For the ongoing Coronavirus Dance Impact Study, Dance/NYC is tracking studio & company temporary and permanent closures to gain a better understanding of the financial impact the pandemic is taking on the dance sector. This data will be used to better document this historic time and to be able to advocate for aid to policymakers. Please email any closures that you know of in the dance community to research@dance.nyc. You do not need to be in charge of the organization to send a notification as Dance/NYC works to compile a list of closures.

UPCOMING ELECTIONS

1. Attend the Mayoral Forum on Culture and Arts on April 21 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. This is coordinated by New Yorkers for Culture and Arts, Dance/NYC and the Mayoral Host Committee. This event is moderated by Luis A. Miranda and Anna Glass. Sign your organization on as a supporter of the Mayoral Forum on Culture and Arts.

2. Register for 2021 Nonprofit Mayoral Forum on May 7 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Co-hosted by Advocacy Institute, Human Services Council, Nonprofit NY, and 2021 Nonprofit Agenda Project Coalition (Dance/NYC is a member) and in partnership with City & State.

3. New Yorkers for Culture and Arts is hosting City Council Forums. For Brooklyn Districts 33, 35, 36, 39 on April 27 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m and for Staten Island Districts 49, 50, 51 on April 29 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.