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Local currency issuers are listed in alphabetical order by state, in the following groupings:
* Local Currency Groups in the United States
* Local Currency Groups in Canada and Mexico
* Soon-To-Be-Active Currency Groups
ARIZONA
Flagstaff Neighborly Notes (FNNs) (look under publications concerning "neighborly notes")
P.O. Box 22324
Flagstaff, AZ 86002
928/774-5942
Lisa Rayner - Director
1st Issue: August, 2000.
Currency: Hour-based scrip, 1 HOUR = $10. Notes are issued in 3
denominations; 1, 1/2 and 1/4 HOUR. Approximately $3,200 worth of FNNs have
been issued.
Participation: Over 80 members, 8-10 store-front businesses. FNNs are also
accepted by several local nonprofit organizations in payment for membership
and workshop fees.
Outreach: The "Flagstaff Neighborly Notes Community Pages" appears bimonthly
in the Flagstaff Tea Party community newspaper, 11,000 copies per issue.
Two assistant are available for consultations with local business owners and
managers interested in how the currency works and how it can work for them.
A "Neighborly Notes fair," is in the planning.
Background: Flagstaff Neighborly Notes are sponsored by a community
newspaper, Flagstaff Tea Party. The paper, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, was
established in 2000 by Lisa and her husband.
Information last updated 8/01.
Tucson Traders
Debbie Daly
P.O. Box 1842
Tucson, AZ 85702
520/388-8844
1st Issue: 1999.
Currency: Unit of exchange is the "Tucson Token," equivalent in value to one
federal dollar. To date 9,448 Tokens have been issued, facilitating an
estimated $40,000 worth of transactions.
Participation: 200 participants including 30 businesses (5 retail stores).
Outreach: Quarterly newsletter; bi-monthly trading potlucks; web site;
monthly e-mail update containing announcements of events, items, and services
currently for trade.
Background: Tucson Traders was established in 1997 as a LETS system and in
1999 moved to a scrip (paper currency) system.
Information last updated 7/01.
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CALIFORNIA
Berkeley BREAD
BREAD (Berkeley Region Exchange And Development)
Dina Mackin and Miyoko Sakashita
P.O. Box 3973
Berkeley, CA 94703
510/644-0376
1st Issue: May, 1997.
Currency: Hour-based program, currency comes in 3 denominations; 1/4, 1/2,
and 1 Hour. One Hour is equal to $12. To date approximately $30,000 worth of
BREAD has been issued.
Participation: 250 members; 15-20 businesses.
Outreach: Community journal/directory, BREAD Rising, 600 listings, 250
members
Background: The program aims to create a thriving local economy that will
counter the negative impacts of a globalizing economy. BREAD also seeks to
build community and increase civic participation. They are planning a
vigorous outreach program to locally-owned businesses and to diversify and
expand their constituency.
Information last updated 7/01.
Sonoma County Community Cash
P.O. Box 4935
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Patricia Haramati
707/763-1419
Michael Reins
Information to be updated
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COLORADO
NOCO HOURS (Northern Colorado Local Currency and Barter Project)
1605 W. Mulberry
Fort Collins, CO.
Lisa
fortnet.org/nclbp
1st meeting: April 17, 2004
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FLORIDA
Gainesville HOURS
Gainesville Barter Network
Shanti Vani
P.O. Box 12504
Gainesville, FL 32604
352/375-0539
fax: 352/377-1112
1st issue: Summer, 1997.
Currency: Approximately 600 HOURS have been issued to date.
Outreach: Quarterly newsletter, HOURS Times, contains articles, updated
Barter Listing (approximately 100 listings to date), and member information.
The Barter Listing can also be found on their web site, along with other
useful information.
Information last updated 7/01.
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HAWAII
K.A.R.M.A. (Kauai Alternative Resource Management Agency)
P.O. Box 677
Kilauea, HI 96754
828-0834 (Ask for Free)
karma@realkauai.com
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INDIANA
BloomingHOURS
BloomingHOURS Local Currency and Exchange
Mike Englert
P.O. Box 1574
Bloomington, IN 47402
812/332-8796
1st Issue: September, 1999.
Currency: One BloomingHOUR is the equivalent of $10.00. The currency is
issued in three denominations; 1, 1/2, and 1/4 HOUR. Approximately 720 HOURS
(worth $7200) in circulation.
Participation: 200+ members; ~50 participating businesses.
Outreach: 12-page quarterly Directory and web site.
Information last updated 8/01.
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KANSAS
REAL Dollars
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KENTUCKY
Berea Bucks
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MARYLAND
Baltimore Hours
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MASSACHUSETTS
Valley Dollars
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NEW YORK
Brooklyn Greenbacks
Ithaca HOURS
Oneonta HOURS
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NORTH CAROLINA
Bull City Bucks
NCPlenty
OREGON
Corvallis HOURS
Cascadia Hours
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PENNSYLVANIA
Equal Dollars
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TEXAS
Dillo HOURS
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VERMONT
Buffalo Mountain Hours
Burlington Currency Project
Green Mountain Hours
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WASHINGTON
Lopez Hour
Sound Hours
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WISCONSIN
Madison Hours
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Local Currency Groups in Canada and Mexico
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Bow Chinook Hours
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Salt Spring Island Dollars ($$)
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Toronto Dollars
Tlalocs
Red Global de Trueque (ARGENTINA)
Bonn, River Rhine, central Europe
Japan has about 20 local currency systems.
China has two experimental systems.
South America has several hundred barter currencies.
African systems
a general directory
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Soon-To-Be-Active Local Currency Programs, US & CA
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Ukiah HOURS
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Jefferson HOURS
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West Philadelphia
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Washington, DC
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Rose City HOURS
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Traverse City, MI
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Denman Island, BC.
PLEASE SEND UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS TO paglo@lightlink.com
Lawrence Trade Organization (LTO)
P.O. Box 1542
Lawrence, KS 66044
Boog Highberger: 785/843-0995,
Steve McFarland: 785/841-8796
1st Issue: September 2000
Currency: REAL dollars are issued on par with federal dollars, in
denominations of $1, $3, and $10. An estimated 8000 REAL dollars are
currently in circulation.
Participation: 88 participating businesses. While most will accept at least
20% of a total purchase in REAL dollars, almost 40 will accept 100%.
Outreach: Newsletter (available on-line) and web site.
Background: The is modeled on the system put in place on
the Isle of Man in the early 1800s.
Information last updated 7/01.
Kristin Stratton
859/986-2373
1st issued: December, 1997.
Currency: Currency issued on par with federal dollars, in denominations of $2
or $10.
Approximately $6,000 worth of Berea Bucks have been issued.
Participation: 38 local merchants have agreed to accept Berea Bucks, mainly
as partial payment for goods and services.
Background: Program initiated by MACED (The Mountain Association for
Community Economic Development), together with the People¹s Bank of Madison
County, Berea Chamber of Commerce, Berea Tourism, and 38 participating
merchants who agreed to accept the currency. At this time MACED is
attempting to relinquish administrative control of the program to another
participating organization, and is not actively promoting the currency.
Information last updated 8/01.
Brad Johnson
Baltimore Hours
P.O. Box 39673
Baltimore, MD 21212
410/296-4870
Currency: An hour-based scrip. Participation: 80 members.
Outreach: newsletter
Timothy Cohen-Mitchell and Gurunam Kaur Khalsa
Valley Trade Connection (VTC)
324 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
413/774-7204 x127#
1st Issue: Nov. '91
Currency: 1 Valley Dollar is the equivalent of 1 federal dollar. Valley
Dollars come in 4 denominations: V$1.00, V$5.00, V$10.00, V$20.00. The VTC
has issued approximately $59,000 Valley Dollars. This has facilitated an
estimated $250,000 of trading in Valley Dollars, and $500,000 in combination
with U.S. dollars.
Participation: 100 members businesses, down from 375 in 1996.
Outreach: Directory, 500+ listings; web site; monthly meetings.
Background: Grew out of University Women's Network resource pool of 75 memb
ers. A VISTA volunteer administered multi-level local economic community
development program, partnered with a variety of local organizations and base
communities. Sponsored by Franklin Co. CDC, funded by membership dues and
various granting organizations, policy decisions made democratically by
members at monthly meetings. VTC board is currently working on a plan to
include a wider range of trading members who may or may not accept local
currency, but agree to provide a 5% discount to other members. Also working
on including consumers who can purchase Valley Dollars at a discount or
receive a 5% discount from member traders.
Information last updated 7/01.
1st Issue: Summer '97
Currency: Approximately $10,000 worth of Greenbacks have been issued. One
Greenback is equal to $12, considered a living hourly wage in New York City.
Currency printed in denominations of 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or 1 Greenback.
Participation: 200 members, including 4 storefront businesses.
Outreach: Newsletter, and soon a web site. Brooklyn Greenbacks have also
sponsored marketplaces, similar to "flea markets," where people can buy,
sell, and promote goods and services. These events are open to the general
public and advertised in the local newspapers.
Background: Initiated by the Brooklyn Green Party and sponsored by the
Central Brooklyn Partnership. Located in Brooklyn, a densely populated urban
area with approximately 2.8 million residence. Though economically diverse
the area has a large low-income population that suffers from consistently
high unemployment. Most members live in Downtown and Central Brooklyn. To
date the program has enjoyed a lot of media coverage.
Information last updated 7/01.
Steve Burke, President
P.O. Box 6731
Ithaca, NY 14851
607/272-4330
607/272-3738
1st Issue: October, 1991.
Currency: The original Hour-based scrip, one Hour is the equivalent of $10.
To date, approximately $105,000 in Ithaca Hours have been put into
circulation, facilitating several million dollars value of transactions.
Participation: ~2000 participants, 500 businesses.
Outreach: 5000 copies of annual directory/community newspaper HOUR Town,
1500+ listings, plus occasional updates; web site; festivals; personal
visits; media coverage. "Making a Community While Making a Living"
Background: Initially developed and maintained by individual activist, Paul
Glover. Funded by membership and small grants. Grants of HOURS given to 65
community organizations, all political candidates solicit Hours, Chamber of
Commerce, Cayuga Medical Center, and public library accepts, Dept. of Social
Services distributes to clients, and local credit union offers
HOUR-denominated accounts. Hometown Money Starter Kit and video available by
mail for $40.00 from Paul Glover, Box 365, Ithaca, NY 14851. Contact Glover (607) 272-4330.
New Highlights: Ithaca HOURS has started a non-profit, member-owned health
security system, the Ithaca Health Fund.
HOURS are accepted as partial payment of the $100 annual membership fee.
Anyone in the world may join: payments are made for the services of any credentialed health provider anywhere.
Box 902
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 432-7160
Annie Avery
1st Issue: October 2001
Essence Spearman
1814 Chapel Hill Rd
Durham, NC 27707
Matt Kalb
(919)942-9704
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Christina Calkins
Box 1534
Corvallis, OR 97339
hourexchange@peak.org
1st issue: May 2002
HOURS in circulation (1/03) 465
"Making Community Connections with Local Currency"
Portland Cascadia Hour Exchange (CHE)
Don Hof
P.O. Box 26
Portland, OR 97207
503/297-4386
1st Issue: 1994.
Participation: 100+ members, ~professional/business/hobbyists: each new
participant is issued 5 CHE hours.
Outreach: Monthly directory for members only, 100+ listings; monthly events
such as auctions; and a website, updated almost daily, which provides a copy
of the CHE Directory and calendar of events.
Background: Cascadia Hours originated as barter-clubs in Eugene in '93,
branches developed and have operated independently in 3 different areas,
including Portland. Portland acts as a cooperative, and has developed and
expanded with no Federal Reserve cash budget.
Information last updated 8/01.
Vanessa Williams and Jonathan Duncan
Resources for Human Development, Inc.
4700 Wissahickon Avenue
Suite 126
Philadelphia, PA 19144
215/951-0300
1st Issue: October, 1996.
Currency: Equal Dollars are issued on par with federal dollars. To date
96,400 Equal Dollars have been issued by the program.
Participation: 864 members, 298 businesses.
Outreach: Quarterly newsletter, 2,400 listings; membership cards; Flea
Markets; Tool Rental Center; Micro-Loan Fund.
Background: Started by $78 million non-profit Resources for Human
Development, Inc., which maintains 150 diverse human service programs. To
date, more than $100,000 has been put toward this currency (mostly
discretionary funds of Resources, with some foundation, corporate, anonymous
donor funding), sponsoring a full-time project director, technical and
financial counselors, business development training, marketing materials,
etc. Currently applying for state money, hoping to expand to 5000 members.
Utilize both scrip and checking system.
Information last updated 8/01.
Armadillo Trading Company
lyndon phelps
1806 Cinnamon Path Ste. B
Austin, TX 78704
512.448.0717
Barbara Conn
P.O. Box 24
Hardwick, VT 05826
802/472-8566
1st Issue: January, 1996.
Currency: One Buffalo Mountain Hour equals $10. The currency is printed in
three denominations; 1, 1/2, 1/4 Hour. To date approximatly 525 Hours have
been issued.
Participation: 100 members.
Outreach: 300 newsletters distributed to members and public, no
advertisements; winter Hour fair; summer junk/garage Hour swap meet
Background: Run by group of individuals, funded by small grant
Information last updated 7/01.
Laura Markowitz, Gideon Turner
P.O. Box 8472
Burlington, VT 05402
802/434-8103
1st Issue: May, 1998.
Participation: 100 members, including a dozen storefront businesses.
Outreach: Quarterly directory, monthly potlucks, annual bazaar featuring
member wares, occasional bashes (entertainment fests) to promote circulation
and awareness.
Background: Supported by grant, membership fees.
Information last updated 5/01.
Steve Gorelick
P.O. Box 734
Montpelier, VT 05601
802/472-3505
1st Issue: October, 1996.
Currency: One Green Mountain Hour = $10. Currency is issued in 4
denominations; 1, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/10 Hour. To date 600+ Hours have been
issued.
Participation: 85 members, 12 businesses.
Outreach: Directory, 200+ listings (copies are made available to the general
public); web site which contains directory, an Œon-line exchange¹ for odds
and ends that wouldn¹t normally go into the directory, and downloadable
membership/renewal forms; posters of directory with participation flyers
attached at 3 locations; radio public service announcements and interviews;
public meetings; newspaper articles; flyers; personal contact
Background: Public debate and legal fight to keep McDonald's out of downtown
Montpelier help rally support for this project. Operates under the umbrella
non-profit International Society for Ecology and Culture, funded by $2000
total grants. Currency printed on locally made hay and corn leaf paper.
Strong spending at businesses, weaker exchange between individuals. Program
has given out two local currency grants, one to a local food pantry to
purchase leftover organic vegetables from a local grower at the end of the
farmers¹ market, and one to Northern spy, a local radical newspaper.
Information last updated 7/01.
Steve Ludwig
495 Aleck Bay Road
Lopez Island, WA 98261
360/468-2104
1st Issue: November, 1995.
Participation: 30 members, 5 businesses.
Outreach: Monthly meetings with members.
Background: Organized by group of individuals, formed Lopez Island
Commonwealth. Program has slowed down in resent years. Quarterly
newsletter/directory, The Commonwealth Times, is no longer published.
Organizers are attempting to find more volunteers to help in outreach.
Information last updated 7/01.
Sound Exchange
Gail Sullivan
311 9th Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501
360/352-2428
1st Issue: December, 1996.
Currency: 1 Sound Hour is equal to $10. The currency is printed in 3
denominations; 1/10, 1/5, and 1 Hour. Approximately $24,000 worth in Sound
Hours have been issued to date.
Participation: 300 members.
Outreach: Informal only.
Background: Organized by Sustainable Community Roundtable, supported by
worker-owned and operated collective food co-op, social change grantmaker
(which provided seed money), and current and former students of The Evergreen
State College.
Information last updated 8/01.
Jon Hain
1202 Williamson Street
Madison, WI 53703
608/259 9050
1st Issue: May, 1996.
Currency: One Hour is equivalent to $10 federal dollars. Currency is issued
in denominations of 1/4, 1/2, and 1 Hours. To date the program has issued
3600 Hours.
Participation: 380 individuals, 60 businesses.
Outreach: 4500 monthly newsletters, Hour Community, distributed throughout
community, ~900 listings.
Background: Planning committee overwhelmed with initial press release
response, received excellent media coverage. Originally fiscally funded by
Housing Co-op, currently supported mainly by directory advertisement,
advertisement representatives paid commission in Hours. Incorporated as
co-operative, broad-based group administration.
Information last updated 7/01.
Bow Chinook Barter Community
c/o The Arusha Centre
233 10th St. NW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2N 1V5
403/270-8002
Sarah Kerr and Gerald Wheatley
1st Issue: January, 1996.
Currency: Bow Chinook HOURs are issued in 4 denominations; 1/10, 1/2, and 1
HOUR. One HOUR is the equivalent of $10 Canadian dollars. To date 3200
HOURs (worth $32,000) have been put into circulation.
Participation: 300 members.
Outreach: Monthly potluck, bi-monthly Bow Chinook Barter Bulletin (700
listings), web page and e-mail list.
Background: Four part-time staff, funded by local United Way, anonymous
sponsor, and membership and advertising generated revenue. We have a
partnership with the City of Calgary that allows us to sell city transit
tickets and passes to use city pools and recreation facilities for 100%
HOURs. Over 100 participating businesses - video rental store, restaurant,
grocery store, theater company, mechanic, dry cleaner, etc. Created a
carsharing project and have a 60 unit housing coop who accept local currency
for rent.
Information last updated 8/01.
Eric Booth - Director
Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation
147 Robinson Rd.
Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada V8K 1R6
Background: $$ will be issued by a non-profit foundation, the Salt Spring
Island Monetary Foundation, better known as the Salt Spring IMF. The $$ will
be issued on par with the Canadian Dollar, one $$ for one Canadian $. The
currency will be issued in limited editions of 20,000, the first in
denominations of 1, 2 and 5$$. Each limited edition will have an expiry date
of two years, during which time they can be redeemed for the equivalent
amount in Canadian dollars, or exchanged for a new edition of $$.
Gooderham Flatiron Building
49 Wellington St. East, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1C9 CANADA
416/361-0466
tordoll@web.ca
1st Issue: December, 1998.
Currency: The Toronto Dollar trades at par with the Canadian dollar and is
backed by Canadian dollars. Here¹s how it works. Initially, consumers can
exchange their Canadian dollars for an equal amount of Toronto Dollars (1
Canadian dollar buys 1 Toronto Dollar). Each time a Toronto Dollar is
purchased from Toronto Dollar Inc., 90 cents is deposited in a reserve fund
and 10 cents goes to the Toronto Dollar Community Projects Fund.
Participating businesses have agreed to accept Toronto Dollars on-par with
Canadian dollars. A business can continue to spend at par the Toronto
Dollars it receives or it can redeem its Toronto Dollars for Canadian dollars
at 90 cents on the dollar. Money for these redemption is drawn from the
Toronto Dollar reserve fund. The bills have a 3 year expiry term, with the
expectation that 12% of the Toronto Dollars sold will never be redeemed so
that the total new money created is about 22%. The main challenges
experienced with this program were first, getting supporters to purchase
Toronto Dollars because of the potential inconvenience; and second, dealing
with inherent risks involved with a system tied to cash - i.e. having tight
controls as one expands.
Participation: Approximately 250 businesses in the St. Lawrence Market and
Riverdale areas have agreed to accept Toronto Dollars.
Background: Organized by a volunteer group, the Toronto Dollar Community
Project Inc., the Toronto Dollar was launched December 5, 1998. Originally
located in the St. Lawrence Market area, circulation has recently expanded to
include businesses in the Riverdale area of Toronto. Overhead for the
program is covered by interest on the Reserve Fund and donations. The
Toronto Dollar Community Projects Fund is used to give Toronto Dollars to
people as "thank-you honorariums" for volunteer work with a focus on
supporting those who need more income. One of the main benefits reported by
Toronto Dollars organizers is the synergy created between the participating
community groups through this "Spirit At Work" project and the way it fosters
support for caring services - see this section on the Toronto Dollar web
site. In its first two years of operation the Community Projects Fund was
able to donate $25,000 to 22 agencies and community groups.
Information last updated 8/01.
Luis Lopezllera M.
Promocion del Desarrollo Popular (PDP)
Tlaloc 40-3
11370 Mexico D. F.
011-52-5-66-4265
1st Issue: Early, 1996.
130 participants
Outreach: "Yellow Pages supplement" listing goods and services is distributed
locally and also through quarterly magazine LA OTRA Bolsa de Valores (THE
OTHER Stock Exchage), which is distributed to 70 countries and 850
organizations
Background: PDP, a small non governmental organization created 30 years ago
to organize peasants, workers, suburban settlers, and indigenous people,
works to foster exchange of knowledge related to self-reliance and
sustainability among grassroots and non governmental organizations. Started
publishing LA OTRA in 1990, and in the past three years has been exploring
economic issues; initiated BOJA money with indigenous people in a rural
valley, but was halted by government harassment. Started Tlalocs in Mexico
City, issues both scrip and LETS-style checking system, produced brief video,
Tiangas Tlaloc (in Spanish).
Information to be updated.
TOKYO: Earth Day Money Association
Ikuma Saga
090.8346.6898
Larry Sheehy
296 Gardens Ave
Ukiah, CA 95482
707/463-5517
Participation: ~50 members.
Background: Currency is in the formative stages, 50 individuals and several
businesses have already signed up. Published promotional literature
including a brochure, brochure racks and a business information packet.
Currency design is ready to print. The core group is taking a well deserved
hiatus before proceeding with the next step, issuance.
Information last updated 6/01.
Fairfield, IA
Bob Dekema
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Kaua`I HAWAII
They have a beautiful design for their money
Jay
Daisy Birch and Arash Sadati
703/978-9552 (home office)
knowing.org"
Portland, OR
Jacob Wollner
Natasha Lipinski
232 E. Front St Suite 7
Traverse City, MI 49684
erinsong@island.net
7/02
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