Purchase, N.Y. – – September 15, 2026 -- The PepsiCo Foundation has awarded $500,000 in grants to 100 nonprofit organizations across the United States and Canada through its fifth annual Community Impact Awards, with each recipient receiving $5,000 to fund local programs in food access, water security, farming and workforce development.
Employee nominations drive grant selection process
PepsiCo associates nominated every organization receiving funding this year, based on firsthand knowledge of their work through volunteering or community involvement. Finance Sr. Director Matthew Hester nominated Hunger Resource Network in Northbrook, Illinois, which will use its grant to help provide more than 22,000 meals across the Chicago area.
Program has deployed $3.7 million since 2022 launch
Since its inception, the Community Impact Awards initiative has invested more than $3.7 million in community grants across North America. This year's 89 U.S. and 11 Canadian recipients span food banks, youth mentorship groups, sustainable agriculture centers and workforce training programs, including Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center in Westchester County, New York.
Grants extend into volunteer partnerships through Spring 2027
Beyond the direct funding, each of the 100 recipient organizations will be paired with the PepsiCo employee who nominated them for a volunteer activity tied to the nonprofit's mission, scheduled to take place by Spring 2027. Monica Bauer, SVP of Social Impact at PepsiCo and President of the PepsiCo Foundation, said the awards recognize organizations "creating opportunities, solving local challenges and making a real difference in people's lives."
Recipient organizations range from Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Kamloops Food Bank Society to Feed My Starving Children and Harlem Grown, reflecting the Foundation's four philanthropic priorities under its PepsiCo Positive framework: food access, safe water, farming and workforce development.