Key Dates
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Submit idea: 3/1 to 3/15
Applications will be accepted from the 1st through the 15th, or until we receive 1,000 ideas, whichever comes first.
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Voting starts: 4/1 to 4/31
Voting on accepted submissions takes place throughout the month of March. If your idea was not accepted in February, you can try again March 1st.
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End of the month
Ideas chosen by users to receive grants will be announced. Then the whole process starts over.
We're Awarding Grants of All Sizes
Grant Categories
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who can apply?
Who can apply?
All legal residents of the United States residing in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are 13 years of age and older.
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Who can apply?
Who can apply?
All legal residents of the United States residing in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are 13 years of age and older.
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How many can apply?
How many can apply?
Each month, a maximum of 1,000 ideas can be submitted.
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How many Pepsi Refresh Grants will be awarded?
How many Pepsi Refresh Grants will be awarded?
Each month, there will be up to 32 potential Pepsi Refresh Grant Recipients selected.
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What are the Pepsi Refresh Grant Levels?
What are the Pepsi Refresh Grant Levels?
Each month, up to $1.3 million will be awarded as follows: 2 Grants at the $250,000 level; 10 Grants at the $50,000 level; 10 Grants at the $25,000 level; and 10 Grants at the $5,000 level.
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What kind of ideas qualify?
What kind of ideas qualify?
We are looking for ideas from individuals, non-profits and pro-social businesses that can make a positive impact in the community. Ideas should be feasible and completed 12 months from the date you receive the first funds. Ideas must have impact within one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.
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When can I submit my idea?
When can I submit my idea?
In the first month, submissions begin January 13th at 12:00:01 a.m. ET and end January 24, 2010 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. In subsequent months, submissions begin the first of the month at 12:00:01 a.m. ET and end at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on the 15th of the month or when the first 1,000 Applications are received, whichever occurs first.
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How many Applications will be voted on?
How many Applications will be voted on?
A lot! Up to 1,000 new Applications per month will be eligible for voting. The top 100 runners-up from each category will be automatically transferred over to the next month's voting period, but accumulated votes from past months will not be carried over.
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When will I know who the potential Grant Recipients are?
When will I know who the potential Grant Recipients are?
Potential Grant Recipients will be notified by email and will be posted at the beginning of each month. Official Grant Recipients will be posted on or about 2 weeks after that month's voting period has ended.
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If I am a Grant Recipient, when will I get my funds?
If I am a Grant Recipient, when will I get my funds?
Quickly! We want to help you get your project up and running fast. As a Grant Recipient, you will receive your funds within four weeks after you have signed a Grant Agreement and completed the verification process. Grant Recipients will receive their funds in two or more disbursements, the first within four weeks of being announced a potential Grant Recipient.
Learn More About The Refresh Project
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Pre-Submission
There's plenty to do before you even get started.
We've created a toolkit to help. It contains tips & tricks to make your idea a reality.
If you don't have an idea yet, but want to be a project leader, you can download an idea starter book.
You don't have to fly solo. Coming up with a good idea for your community might be even better if you get the community itself involved.
If you already have an idea for a project, great! Now it's time to do some research on your idea.
- Think about what level of funding you'll need, and what specific results you want to achieve.
- Consider how you might describe the idea in a single, short sentence, to someone who knows nothing about the issue you care about.
All of this will come in handy once you take that exciting step of submitting your idea.
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Submission
Each month, submissions will be accepted from the 1st through the 15th, or until we receive 1,000 ideas, whichever comes first. The exception is during January, when submissions will be accepted starting the 13th. Submissions will be reviewed and approved projects will be posted and can then be voted on for the entire month following submission.
The submissions process is designed to clarify and hone your idea, and as a way for us to filter ideas that are inappropriate or illegal. Read the small print here.
We're looking for projects that are beneficial, achievable, constructive, and "shovel-ready" (meaning it can be finished within 12 months of funding).
Keep in mind, too, that you can save your work and come back later and revise what you've already filled out. You can even start working on your project before submissions are open for the next month.
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Post-Submission
It takes us roughly two weeks to review all 1,000 submissions. During that time, you can learn some tips on how to promote your idea if it is approved.
If your idea is not approved, we'll try to be as specific as possible about why it was rejected, so you can try again with another project. And, if it's the kind of idea we believe in, but needs some help, we might even contact you directly to help you revise it.
If your idea wasn't selected for a grant, don't give up just yet! You have two options:
1) Resubmit your current idea, or
2) Submit a new idea. Visit the FAQ for more details.The Pepsi Refresh Project allows you to submit one (1) idea at a time for voter consideration. The ability to delete your current idea and submit a new application will be available starting April 1, 2010. Until then, please contact us at PepsiRefresh@young-america.com for assistance or additional information.
Use these tips to make sure your idea gets past our moderators!
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When Posting Written Content
- Be sure to submit your application in English and remember the Pepsi Refresh Grant can only benefit projects within the United States.
- Pay attention to detail! Provide plenty of it and show specific activities you'll need to carry out.
- Use common sense. Don't promote or suggest legalization of alcohol, tobacco, firearms & weapons, drugs or pornography. Don't suggest the taking up of arms. Don't challenge current laws, promote treason or terrorism and especially don't suggest overthrowing the government.
- Play nice! Don't disparage or discriminate against age, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion.
- Don't disparage any products, services, people or organizations. Don't suggest the boycotts or negative action against any business or enterprise.
- Keep it clean! Avoid profanity, abusive intentions, or any suggestions of violence.
- Watch those agendas! Don't advocate any political party or organization and don't promote or recruit for any religious denomination.
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When Posting Images & Video
- Make sure it's in English, clear, in focus, and audible (if the video contains sound).
- Make sure it works within the categories defined in this program and that it clearly states or refers to the objectives of your submission.
- Play nice! Make sure your video or image doesn't contain or promote sexual acts or overtones, pornography, profanity, abusive intentions, weapons, violence toward any creature, alcohol, tobacco, hateful content like racism or discrimination toward anyone, or anything else offensive or obscene.
- Watch out for this one! Don't feature or reference commercial brands or products, logos, or endorsements which don't belong to you. Also, don't show any third party logos even in street scenes, panoramic views, or on clothing, not even in the background. Also, don't show vehicle license plates. This stuff tends to slip in, so check your video carefully before you submit.
- Don't reference or use the names of any third party or public figures without their permission.
- Watch those agendas! Do not advocate any political party or organization and don't promote or recruit for any religious denomination.
- Cut! Make sure your video doesn't go over 3 minutes in length, otherwise it will be rejected.
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Music In Videos
If you decide to use music within your video, make sure it's on the list of approved songs under the Creative Commons Attribution license (see the list: http://www.good.is/cctracks). Also, be sure to credit the musician who made the music track, or we may have to reject your submission.
More Submission Tips Here
Our Partners
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Ambassadors
Meet the Refresh Ambassadors. They'll serve as mentors and guides for the refreshing ideas and concepts they believe in.
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GOOD is the integrated media platform for people who want to live well and do good. We are a company and community for the people, businesses, and NGOs moving the world forward. GOOD's mission is to provide content, experiences, and utilities to serve this community.
GOOD currently produces a website, videos, live events, and a print magazine. Launched in September 2006, the company has garnered praise for its unique editorial perspective and fresh visual aesthetic and is quickly positioning itself as a significant new voice in our culture.
DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the United States that helps young people rock causes they care about.
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City Year unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world. As tutors, mentors and role models, these diverse young leaders make a difference in the lives of children and transform schools and communities across the United States and in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England. City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps.
GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects you to the causes and countries you care about. You select the projects you want to support, make a taxdeductible contribution, and get regular progress updates - so you can see your impact.
