Pepsi Refresh Project
Encyclopedia
The Pepsi Refresh Project (PRP) is a 2010 initiative by PepsiCo
to award $20 million in grants
to individuals, businesses and non-profits that promote a new idea that has a positive impact on their community, state, or the nation. The project is completely separate from the Pepsi Corporate Foundation and uses money budgeted for marketing.
. The rules of the project state that the first 1,000 ideas proposed online each month will be considered for a share of $1.3 million available It took less than a week for one thousand "January" ideas to be submitted and the site stopped accepting ideas.
Voting started February 1, 2010 for the group of ideas proposed during January. On March 1, the first grants were announced in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, the Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.
Up to 32 ideas may be selected every month in each of the following grant segments: $5K; $25K; $50K; and $250k. Individuals, non-profits, and socially beneficial businesses are eligible to compete in all categories.
In September 2010, the Pepsi Refresh Project was criticized for allowing a coalition of progressive, nonprofit organizations called the 'Progressive Slate' to participate in the project, accusing the company of violating its own terms
and crowd funding
.
, the National Football League
website hosted a one-week Pepsi Refresh Project contest for ideas suggested by NFL players. Drew Brees
was the winner of the "Super Bowl Refresh Project" with more than half a million votes. A $100,000 grant was given to the Hope Lodge in New Orleans for no-cost housing of cancer patients and families.
, on July 12, 2010 a special competition was announced within the PRP: Do Good for the Gulf. An additional $1.3 million was committed to projects for communities in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas which were adversely affected by the disaster. The application period was a full month, the response was overwhelming, and 32 projects were funded with grants, which ranged from providing mental health services for oil disaster victims, to building seafood farms to help employ displaced workers, to creating shelters for animals that lost their homes.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
to award $20 million in grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to individuals, businesses and non-profits that promote a new idea that has a positive impact on their community, state, or the nation. The project is completely separate from the Pepsi Corporate Foundation and uses money budgeted for marketing.
Rules
The PRP began on January 13, 2010 when the website, refresheverything.com began accepting ideas online. In contrast to the extensive requirements of Federal and Philanthropic organizations, the application process does not require skill in grant writingGrant writing
Grant writing refers to the practice of completing an application processes for funding provided by an institution such as a government department, corporation, foundation or trust. Such application processes are often referred to as either grant "proposals" or "submissions". Successful grant...
. The rules of the project state that the first 1,000 ideas proposed online each month will be considered for a share of $1.3 million available It took less than a week for one thousand "January" ideas to be submitted and the site stopped accepting ideas.
Voting started February 1, 2010 for the group of ideas proposed during January. On March 1, the first grants were announced in six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, the Planet, Neighborhoods and Education.
Up to 32 ideas may be selected every month in each of the following grant segments: $5K; $25K; $50K; and $250k. Individuals, non-profits, and socially beneficial businesses are eligible to compete in all categories.
In September 2010, the Pepsi Refresh Project was criticized for allowing a coalition of progressive, nonprofit organizations called the 'Progressive Slate' to participate in the project, accusing the company of violating its own terms
Power votes
Codes printed on Pepsi sodas can be redeemed for "power votes", in a way a hybrid of a loyalty programLoyalty program
Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior — behavior which is potentially beneficial to the firm....
and crowd funding
Crowd funding
Crowd funding describes the collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money and other resources together, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations...
.
NFL
Prior to Super Bowl XLIVSuper Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
website hosted a one-week Pepsi Refresh Project contest for ideas suggested by NFL players. Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
was the winner of the "Super Bowl Refresh Project" with more than half a million votes. A $100,000 grant was given to the Hope Lodge in New Orleans for no-cost housing of cancer patients and families.
Gulf disaster
In response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spillDeepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to leak fresh oil. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry...
, on July 12, 2010 a special competition was announced within the PRP: Do Good for the Gulf. An additional $1.3 million was committed to projects for communities in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas which were adversely affected by the disaster. The application period was a full month, the response was overwhelming, and 32 projects were funded with grants, which ranged from providing mental health services for oil disaster victims, to building seafood farms to help employ displaced workers, to creating shelters for animals that lost their homes.