The Daily Tell

Pepsi will not be placing a commercial spot for this year’s Super Bowl. Instead, Pepsi is using the money to fund sustainable projects. At the Refresh Everything website, Pepsi is asking the public to submit their ideas for projects and grants. The application ideas are then put up for a vote. The winners will receive Refresh Grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000.

The applicants must submit their ideas into one of six categories: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods, and Education. After an applicant chooses a category and award amount, they can download an Idea Toolkit (in pdf format) that shows how the proposal should be formatted. Pepsi encourages people to include multimedia (such as videos) to present their idea.

Refresh Grants are similar to a standard grant. Applicants are required to submit a letter of reference and resume, and nonprofits requesting grants must share their 501c3 documentation. All applicants must demonstrate that ability to accomplish their ideas, and adhere to all applicable laws.

Starting February 1st, people can start voting on the project proposals. With voting determining where the money goes, Pepsi encourages applicants to promote their project proposal in any way they can.

Pepsi will award two $250,000 and ten $50,000 grants to larger organizations that have the time and resources to dedicate to a large-scale project. Ten $5,000 and ten $25,000 grants will be given to smaller organizations and individuals.

The Refresh Grants are open to any US resident 13 years or older. The projects must be completed within the next twelve months, and cannot promote any religious activities.