Three Champaign organizations are in the running to receive grants from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

Each month, Pepsi Corporation gives away $1,300,000 to fund ideas. Those looking to apply for grants can enter under one of six categories: Education, Planet, Health, Neighborhood, Foods and Shelter or Arts and Culture. The top contenders for each category are decided through online voting: two winners in the $250,000 category, ten for $50,000, ten for $25,000 and ten for $5,000.

In the run for the largest grant, the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum is competing to receive $250,000, and is currently ranked number 42.

The Orpheum Theatre was once a famous venue, drawing in performers like Harry Houdini. The theatre has been closed since 1989, but the community has worked to preserve it as a non-profit community center.

While the lobby area is in operation, and despite community efforts to raise money, more is still needed to restore the theatre area because of its lack of safety.

The community hopes to restore the theatre to use it as a performing arts and science center, which will aid to revitalize downtown Champaign and encourage its use as a community center.

Struggling to gain a noticeable place is SmileHealthy, ranked number 163rd in the $50,000 category. SmileHealthy is a non-profit organization that provides dental care to children from low-income families.

“It’d be a dream come true if we could receive this. We want to use the money to buy mobile equipment so that our mobile clinics are more effective,” said Jill Myers, Program Coordinator of SmileHealthy.

Myers said the grant would aid in providing restorative care to school programs and to increase the amount care provided to adults.

Competing for $25,000 is the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability (INRS), currently ranked number 25. With the money, INRS would host the third annual “Naturally Illinois” Expo, a 2-day family friendly science expo hosting over 100 scientists that aims to increase public awareness of science and the environment.

INRS hopes to increase its attendance and to provide transportation for the underprivileged. There will be more than 45 exhibits in geology, biology, water resources, archaeology and other fields.

“I already get Pepsi, but I’m glad I prefer that one since they give money to good causes,” said Petrus Brandjes, junior in Engineering.

For Ajith Susai, junior in LAS, the Pepsi project could be an incentive to switch brands.

“I grew up drinking Coke, but I might think twice next time I buy pop,” he said. “Coke Rewards are awesome, but this could help out the community.”

Voting closes at midnight tonight. Finalists will be announced Dec. 1.