On April 1, 2020 The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Committee, along with its sponsors, the National Italian American Foundation and Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), announced the postponement of the naming of the 2020 grant award recipients due to the health concerns relating to the coronavirus.

The committee has decided to proceed with the awarding of the grants this year. In order to do so, it has been decided that the guidelines relating to the timetable governing the use of the grants will be modified this year in order to allow the grant recipients to proceed with the filmmaking process at a time, and in a manner, which is safe for themselves and those they will be working with. Each of this year’s grant recipients may choose to receive their grant award at any point in time from August 1, 2020 to April 1, 2021.