After launching a new form of currency on Nov. 1, UC Smiles has begun spending a second University grant of $15,000, which will help fund a documentary researching the initiative. 

UC Smiles are the brainchild of Seonmi Kim, executive director of the project. Kim received a $12,000 grant in December 2010 from the University’s Office of Public Engagement to start the UC Smiles project, which was used to promote the new form of currency.

In the first three months of circulation, the number of Smiles sold increased from 3,000 to more than 16,000. Now with the Focal Point grant, the non-profit organization will be able to research the effectiveness of the initiative later this spring.   

Using the funds, Kim and Tracy Satterthwaite, executive director of public relations for UC Smiles, will take trips to Toronto and Berkshire, Mass., in early March to study successful local currency movements. Satterthwaite said following their return, they want to create a documentary focusing on the value of local currency and why local shopping is important to a community’s economy.

The first public engagement grant funded the logo designer, brochure designer and website developer. Other expenses covered by the grant include printing costs, such as paper and ink, copying fees, web hosting and food for the UC Smiles board and committee meetings. The public engagement grant also covered the costs of the Oct. 27 launch party. 

Since receiving the second grant, the organization has spent a portion of the money on similar expenses covered by the public engagement grant. 

Bart Basi, owner of Cheese & Crackers in Champaign, said the UC Smiles project is a wonderful idea for improving Champaign-Urbana’s economy. Basi chose to approach Kim and the rest of the UC Smiles team in December about using the currency at his shop, and he chose to become an exchange store for Smiles, as well.

“There’s no drawback. It’s only a positive for businesses,” Basi said. “As far as I see it, businesses should be begging to participate in the program.”

Bill Mermelstein of International Galleries in Urbana said the program may need a little more time to get going, but it’s still a great idea to get people to shop locally. Mermelstein has sold about $1,200 in Smiles and has had about $300 come in via customers making purchases in his shop with the currency.

In a December interview, Jack Wallace, general manager of Strawberry Fields, said the next step for UC Smiles is to get more students to use them and to be aware of local shopping.

“I think it tends to be a more established customer (who use the Smiles),” Wallace said. “(It tends to be) permanent residents instead of students.”

The UC Smiles group’s ultimate goal is to get the community thinking about local businesses.

“The effect of the currency isn’t going to be just the currency but people talking about local business and local spending,” Satterthwaite said. “We don’t care if nobody uses the Smile, just if they are becoming conscious of local spending.”

Janelle can be reached at [email protected].