Updates and Resources for Business
NAMM continues to monitor and post developments related to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the advisements from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others, daily. We encourage NAMM members from outside the USA to contact their domestic business administration institutions and/or Chamber of Commerce, as well as their local music industry associations to learn about assistance available in your countries.
Disclaimers: Readers should be aware that given the unpredictability of the COVID-19 crisis, the federal government may alter its relief programs at any time. The information presented on this website is accurate as of the date of the posting.
The webinars below are intended as informational only and are not eligible for Professional Development credits or certificates.
Latest Updates
President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan
On September 9, 2021, President Biden’s administration released the Path Out of The Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan that outlines six main components designed to provide economic, health, and safety relief to businesses, schools, and healthcare systems.
The six science-based components include:
- Vaccinating the Unvaccinated
- Furthering Protection for the Vaccinated
- Keeping Schools Safely Open
- Increasing Testing and Requiring Masking
- Protecting Our Economic Recovery
- Improving Care for Those with COVID-19
Additionally, the plan details the following issues that are most likely to impact NAMM member businesses and their families.
- Calls on large entertainment venues to require proof of vaccination or testing for entry
- Requires employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly and requires employers to provide paid time off to get vaccinated. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will shortly release a rule on this with guidelines and additional information.
- Calls on all states to adopt vaccine requirements for all school employees and all K-12 school staff, faculty, and students to be COVID tested regularly
- Provides additional funding to school districts for safe school reopening, including backfilling salaries and other funding withheld by states for implementing COVID safety measures
- Strengthens the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provides long-term, low-cost loans to small businesses
- Streamlines Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness for small loans
- Increases support for COVID-burdened hospitals
NAMM will continue to monitor this and other issues impacting our members. Visit NAMM.org frequently to check for upcoming webinars on relevant topics that affect your business.
Potential Changes to Employee Retention Tax Credit
Congress is considering ending the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) to help offset some costs of the bipartisan infrastructure plan. The proposal was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act recently passed by the Senate. The legislation is now pending in the House of Representatives.
The ERTC is a payroll tax credit created to help businesses partially offset the costs of keeping employees on payroll and on employer-sponsored health insurance during the pandemic. The provision was initially implemented by the CARES Act from March 13, 2020, through December 31, 2021, for eligible employers. The ERTC was extended and modified in subsequent COVID-19 relief legislation through December 31, 2021. Apparently, many small businesses have not elected to take the ERTC, opting instead to seek assistance through the more popular Paycheck Protection Program.
The provision in the Senate-passed infrastructure bill proposes to sunset the ERTC after September 30, 2021 – essentially three months early. The tax break would remain available until the end of 2021 for a narrow group of eligible entities known as recovery start-up businesses.
Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department recently released guidance on the employee retention tax credit. The IRS and the Treasury guidance in Notice 2021-49 addresses various issues regarding the application of the employee retention credit in both 2020 and 2021, building on earlier guidance in Notice 2021-20 and Notice 2021-23. NAMM will continue to monitor this issue and will post updates here as they are available.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Announces Streamlined Process for PPP Loan...
New Portal Opens August 4, 2021
The U.S. SBA is launching an online portal on August 4, 2021, to process PPP loan forgiveness program applications directly, assisting individual banks that have opted-in to the program. This streamlined process is available to borrowers who received $150,000 or less, benefiting millions of small businesses and independent contractors by reducing the burden on lenders to process millions of loan forgiveness requests.
Important Information:
- Lenders must opt-in to the program, and currently more than 600 banks have done so.
- Borrowers should visit the SBA Direct Forgiveness Portal to start a request.
- Borrowers with questions should contact SBA Customer Service, M–F, 8 am–8pm EST at 1-877-552-2692.
- Review the PPP Direct Forgiveness Platform User Guide before starting your application.
Save the date: August 4, 2021
Bookmark portal link.
Review the PPP Direct Forgiveness Platform User Guide.
Check the FAQ frequently as the SBA is updating it regularly.
SBA Proposes Revised Small Business Size Standards
The Small Business Administration has proposed a revision of its small business size standards for virtually all wholesale and retail businesses. The proposed standard for musical instrument retail stores (NAICS Code 451140) would increase from $12 million in annual revenues, to $20 million.
SBA size standards are important because being classified as a "small business" paves the way for individual businesses to qualify for SBA loans, disaster relief loans and other government benefits.
The review of size standards takes place every five years. The SBA proposal will be open for comment until July 26.
NAMM will continue to monitor this issue closely and will post updates here as they are available.
Treasury Dept. Launches $350 Billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal...
On May 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery (CSLFR) Funds established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments.
Treasury also released details on how these funds can be used to respond to acute pandemic response needs, fill revenue shortfalls among these governments, and support the communities and populations hardest-hit by the COVID-19 crisis.
Eligible state, territorial, metropolitan city, county, and Tribal governments may now request their allocation of CSLFR Funds through the Treasury Submission Portal.
These funds allow for a broad range of uses to address the disproportionate public health and economic impacts of the crisis on the hardest-hit communities, populations, and households.
A partial list of potential uses:
- Small Business Assistance: To support small businesses, helping them to address financial challenges caused by the pandemic and to make investments in COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tactics, as well as to provide technical assistance.
- Education Assistance: To address educational disparities through new or expanded early learning services, providing additional resources to high-poverty school districts, and offering educational services like tutoring or afterschool programs.
- Tourism, travel, and hospitality sector Assistance: To support industries that were particularly hard-hit by the COVID-19 emergency and are just now beginning to mend are eligible for support. Similarly impacted sectors within a local area are also eligible for support.
Equipped with this information, NAMM members are urged to engage with State and Local agencies as decisions are being made to allocate these and other resources.
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Past Webinars
Additional COVID-19 Resources
House of Worship Resources
Now more than ever, the connections and sense of community provided by houses of worship are critical. To best navigate this new normal, take advantage of these following resources, with cutting-edge ideas, tips and technologies to help your worship service continue to thrive.
Community
Live Streaming
- NAMM Webinar: House of Worship Streaming and Production in the COVID-19 Era
- Church Video + Streaming Handbook
- How to Live Stream Your Worship Service
- Top 5 Mistakes Churches Make About Streaming
- 5 Easy Steps to Your Best Church Streaming System
- Tips for Live-Streaming Your Worship Service
- Online Church Studio Tour | Broadcast Setup for Small Churches
- Live Streaming Setup for Churches 2020
- Perfecting Audio and Video for Livestream Church Services
- How to Livestream Worship Audio
Technology and Tools
Individual Relief Resources
Emergency Funding For Artists / Music Industry Professionals
- Federal State/Local Benefit Finder
- American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Relief Fund
- Artist Relief Tree
- Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund
- MusicCare's Covid-19 Relief Fund
- Musicians Foundation’s Covid-19 Emergency Aid Grant Program
- SoundGirls Coronavirus Relief (for production techs who are now unemployed)
- Sweet Relief’s COVID-19 Fund
- American Federation Of Musicians
- The Blues Foundation’s HART Fund
- International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bluegrass Trust Fund
- Jazz Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund
- Music Health Alliance
- Small Business Administration’s Guidance & Loan Resources (COVID-19)
Emergency Funding for Musicians Infected with Covid-19 who Require Intensive Care
Mental Health Resources
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Crisis Text Line: text “HOME” to 741-741
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746
- Support Act Wellbeing Helpline (free, confidential counseling service) for anyone working in music in Australia: call 1-800-959-500 or email admin@supportact.org.au
- Backline: a hub for artists, industry professionals and their families to access mental health and wellness resources
- Centers for Disease Control’s tips for managing anxiety & stress in regard to Covid-19
- Tour Support: response to COVID-19 includes providing one month of free online therapy through Better Help to independent touring contractors who are unemployed or were planning to join a tour that has been postponed or canceled)
- Jazz Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund
- Music Health Alliance
- Small Business Administration’s Guidance & Loan Resources (Covid-19)
Instrument Cleaning Resources
- NAMM's COVID-19 and Instrument Cleaning
- Third Round of Performing Arts Aerosol Study: Written Report of Data, Video Conversation of Results (with Lead Researchers and Co-Chairs), Let's Talk About Transmission (Video)
- The Piano Technicians Guild Suggestions for Safely Disinfecting Pianos
- CSFI's Good Practice Guide
- She Shreds Magazine's How to Disinfect Musical Instruments
- Volwein's Music: Instrument Hygiene for Musicians
- Connolly Music's Cleaning Your Brass Instruments
- CDC Cleaning Surfaces Guidelines
- Infection Control: Keeping Your Music Instruments Clean and Safe
- National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians's Instrument Cleanliness
- Amro Music's Video Series on Sanitizing Instruments: Wind Instruments, Stringed Instruments, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Flute, Saxophone, French Horn.
- How to Sanitize Your Guitar By PRS Guitars
Live Event/Sound Resources
- PLSN/FOH Covid-19 Entertainment Technology Economic Impact Survey
- Event Safety Alliance Reopening Guide
- MusiCares Coronavirus Relief Fund
- ESTA COVID-19 Resources
- USITT Industry Resources
- Lighting&Sound America COVID-19 Resources
- Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc. (SETC): COVID-19 Theatre Resources List
- Magnum Co.: Social Distancing Gig Guide: Tips for the COVID19 Downtime
- Live Design Magazine: Coronavirus Resources: Free Online Audio Training
- Front of House Magazine: Live Event Production COVID-19 Resources
- Sound and Communications AV Industry Video Chats About COVID-19
- 4Wall Blog - Resources and Training for Continued Learning
Music Retail Resources
Business Relief Resources
- NAMM Issues and Advocacy Resources
- Key Provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act")
- Paycheck Protection Program: US Treasury Borrowers Fact Sheet and Q&A
- SBA Paycheck Protection Details
- Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Respond to Covid-19 – Small Business Administration
- Step-By-Step Guide to Help Small Business Prepare to Access Fund
Global Resources
Overall
Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
- Canadian Music Trades COVID-19 Relief Updates
- Managing Financial Health in Challenging Times Guide
- The Government of Canada COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
- Retail Council of Canada Covid-19 Resources for Retailers
- Ontario Government Covid-19 Resource page
- Canadian Musician Trade: "Pushing Through the Pandemic"
France
- Coronavirus Information from the Government of France
- Updates from the French Music Instrument Makers Association (CSFI)
Germany
- German Government Aid for artists and self employed in creative industries
- Corona crisis: useful information
- Germany’s Society of Music Merchants SOMM COVID-19 website
India
Russia
Italy
Spain
United Kingdom