City of Austin / Travis County has made available another relief program for households impacted by loss of work due to COVID-19. RISE 2.0 $2000 relief grants will be dispersed via a lottery to applicants who qualify.
To qualify your monthly household income, including UI benefits, has to be below twice (2x) the poverty level, and have lost work/income due to COVID-19.
Applications are accepted Sept. 14th through 7pm on Sept. 21st.
The existing RENT Assistance program applications are still ongoing for households making less than 80% of the MFI (Median Family Income). Providing up to 3 months of rent assistance.
This program is being periodically funded by the COA, last round of funding and applications was opened on August 19th, which may still have funds available, but is also somewhat first come first serve. There are income thresholds to qualify, and awards are decided via lottery.
Creative Workers Relief Grant
The Creative Worker Relief Grant is a direct result of advocacy on part of Austin’s Chapter of Soundgirls.org in partnership with IATSE Local 205 to earmark some of the CARES Act municipal funding for creative worker relief. It provides for up to a $2000 grant to cover expenses incurred due to COVID-19 loss of income from March 1st to August 17th. This program was definitely designed with live event professionals in mind, among many other disproportionately affected creative fields.
You can start/stop the application process at any time, so feel free to start it now so you can become familiar with the questions. The video webinar above and FAQ on their site are also excellent resources.
Additional eligibility questions can be fielded by: Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts Email: Call: 512-588-9971
For application process technical support: Austin Better Business Bureau Email: Call: 512-318-2683
Awards are to be split. 50% of them are based on a weighted matrix of vulnerability. The other 50% are lottery based. They are NOT based on how quickly you get your application in.
CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET HEARING. AUGUST 18, 2016.
RE. CITY FUNDING TO ZACH THEATRE
IATSE LOCAL 205 PRESS RELEASE.
The International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees, or IATSE, Local 205 of Austin, Texas, founded in 1911, assists our local stagehands in securing better working conditions and wages in music, theater, convention, and film production in Austin.
Stagehands at Austin’s ZACH Theater approached IATSE Local 205, seeking help to achieve fair and economically stable wages and working conditions. ZACH chooses to pay stagehands less than the area standards, and there is wage disparity between genders. Working people are often faced with the difficult choice of leaving the craft they love to find work that enables them to provide for their family. People who work in entertainment for a living should be able to earn a living wage.
ZACH management has responded in a negative and hostile manner to the stagehands campaign and its supporters. We are asking that ZACH stay neutral and let workers make the choice to negotiate collectively.
ZACH stagehands feel their best chance of affecting positive change is speaking up together to shape their workplace.
For further information, please contact:
IATSE Local 205 Organizing Committee Chair, Paul Arebalo Jr. at ; ZACH Internal Organizing Committee Chair, Katie S. Anderson at ; or IATSE Local 205 President, Rachel Magee at .