LA County Opens Entertainment Business Interruption Fund Grant Program for Small Business, LAEDC Offers Updates

In HPA's ongoing focus on providing input and insight from city and county government, Seth Hallen, President of HPA and Managing Director of Light Iron has reported updates and the latest information from LA County Supervisor Horvath and the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. LADEC is a nonprofit organization focused on equitable economic growth in the Los Angeles region that uses research to advance key industries, provide business assistance, collaborate with educational institutions to develop a robust workforce, and provide government officials with economic data to ensure the continued growth of L.A. County.

Hallen comments HPA is committed to ensuring that our industry has the tools, knowledge and context to continue to progress through the aftermath of the strikes and the long tail of the events which have so profoundly impacted us. During recent meetings with key LAEDC staff members, we have continued to illustrate the value and needs of our industry.

We were pleased that they heard us. In their report, LAEDC included that Direct employment tells only part of the story Studio production disruptions cascade down the industry's local supply chain, affecting businesses such as post-production facilities, craft services, studio equipment rental houses, prop and costume houses, and marketing firms specializing in the entertainment industry.

Hallen notes, While these comments are no surprise to those who work in post, it is significant that awareness of the impact on our industry are being recognized and we are proud that we played a meaningful role in providing these insights to LA County officials.

Taken directly from the insights that HPA shared with them, LAEDC continued to report: Production disruptions also impact thousands of independent contractors tied to these businesses and who do not appear in official statistics on payroll employees. Anecdotally, we have heard that even with the resumption of filming in late 2023, some post-production contract workers are not expecting to resume work until September 2024. The financial hardships caused by these delays will not only affect household spending in the County, but could also force some workers to exit the industry entirely as their savings become depleted.

HPA will continue to share updates and progress on government activities and our industry. You can access the entire reports here:

LAEDC 2024 Economic Forecast Report

LAEDC 2024 Economic Forecast Slide Presentation

In an important development, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced the Entertainment Business Interruption Fund (BIF), funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The BIF is designed to support qualified small businesses that serve the Entertainment Industry in Los Angeles County (County). The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) through the County Film Office, is the leading the program based on the July 2023 motion by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger.

LA County Supervisor Horvath's office encouraged businesses to apply:

We are excited to announce the launch of the Entertainment Business Interruption Fund (BIF) for small and micro businesses that serve the Entertainment Sector that experienced economic impacts from the COVID-19 Pandemic AND the 2023 Double Hollywood Strikes. The new $4.8 million grant program, championed by our office and Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, will provide grants ranging between $10k to $25k.

Those interested should visit the website for specifics about eligibility criteria as well as support to apply. The application portal opened this week, at https://grants.lacounty.gov.

LINK:	https://hpaonline.com/la-county-opens-entertainment-business-interrupt...
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