PepsiCo Foundation

Charity Number: CUSTOM_09815346

Annual Expenditure: £38.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £29.9 million (2023, globally; approximately $38.6 million)
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £1,000,000+
  • Average Grant: Approximately £40,000 ($50,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Global (including UK)
  • Application Method: Letter of interest system (invitation-only for full proposals)
  • UK Grants: Multi-year partnerships including FareShare and Magic Breakfast (3.4 million Quaker porridge bowls annually)

Contact Details

Email: [email protected] (for letters of interest only)

Website: https://www.pepsico.com/our-impact/philanthropy/pepsico-foundation

Important Note: Letters of Interest must include the organisation name and project name in the email subject line.

Overview

The PepsiCo Foundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation (EIN: 13-6163174) headquartered in Purchase, New York, established to support PepsiCo's philanthropic activities globally. In 2023, the Foundation awarded $38.6 million in grants across 79 organisations worldwide. While not a UK-registered charity, the Foundation actively supports UK organisations through strategic partnerships and grants aligned with their three core pillars: Food Security, Safe Water Access, and Economic Opportunity. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications; instead, they operate on an invitation-only basis, soliciting proposals from organisations whose missions align with their strategic goals. UK beneficiaries include major partnerships with FareShare (seven-year partnership with significant product donations since 2017), Magic Breakfast (3.4 million porridge bowls annually in a 15+ year partnership), and GroceryAid (Gold star partner status).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Grants (over $100,000): The Foundation solicits proposals for all major grants through their invitation process. The Foundation has provided substantial support to UK organisations including multi-year partnerships with FareShare and Magic Breakfast.

Community Impact Grants: $10,000 grants awarded to public charities and organisations across the United States and Canada (100 grants awarded in recent cycle).

In-Kind Donations: Significant product donations including 250,000 bowls of Quaker porridge to Magic Breakfast and 2,200+ tonnes of surplus products to FareShare since 2017.

Grant Range: Awards vary from a few thousand dollars to over $1 million, with an average grant size of approximately $50,000.

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on three core pillars:

Food Security: Supporting organisations that address hunger, food waste, and access to nutritious food. UK examples include FareShare's Surplus with Purpose programme (redistributing surplus vegetables to 8,000+ charities) and Magic Breakfast (providing school breakfasts to children facing food insecurity).

Safe Water Access: Grants supporting clean water access and water conservation initiatives globally.

Economic Opportunity: Programmes providing job readiness training, entrepreneurship support, and workforce development. UK example: FareShare's Leicestershire Employability Programme (supporting 600+ people with workshops, job application support, and one-to-one mentoring).

Additional Focus Areas: Women and girls empowerment, sustainable agriculture, healthy lifestyles, and affordable nutrition.

What They Don't Fund

  • Organisations not aligned with their three core pillars
  • Unsolicited proposals (they will not respond to these)
  • The Foundation operates strategically rather than responding to general appeals
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Governance and Leadership

Chairman of the Board: Stephen Kehoe, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of PepsiCo, assumed this role in May 2023.

President: C.D. Glin oversees the Foundation's strategic direction towards a more sustainable food system. Appointed Vice President, Global Head of Philanthropy effective May 17, 2021, he was later named President.

Key Quotes from Leadership

C.D. Glin on the Foundation's approach: “We look up to the community organisations across America that work tirelessly every day to ensure their neighbours thrive.”

On their funding philosophy: "We believe lasting impact is led by those with lived experiences in local communities. These Black nonprofit leaders are proximate to the issues their organisations are striving to address and closest to the Black communities we're working to support more broadly."

On their strategic approach: The Foundation “creates game-changing solutions that help communities thrive by providing grants to local non-profits, investing startup funding in breakthrough social enterprises, building cross-industry alliances to solve systemic issues, and catalyzing funding from like-minded organisations.”

How to Apply to Pepsico Foundation

How to Apply

Important: The PepsiCo Foundation does not have a public application process. They do not accept or respond to unsolicited grant proposals. The Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, soliciting proposals from organisations whose missions and programme objectives align with their strategic goals.

Letter of Interest Process (Initial Contact Only)

For organisations seeking to be considered for future funding opportunities:

  • Which specific PepsiCo Foundation focus area does your project/programme address? (Health, Environment, Education) - 350 words or less
  • Describe the project/programme, its goals, objectives, implementation plan, and timeframe - 350 words or less
  • Describe how the project is innovative/develops best practice, can be replicated/scaled, sustainability plan, and collaborators - 200 words or less
  1. What to Expect: PepsiCo will contact organisations to submit a full proposal only if their programme is a fit with the Foundation's priorities. Being contacted does not guarantee funding.

For Major Grants: The Foundation solicits proposals for all grants over $100,000.

Getting on Their Radar

SPECIFIC TO PEPSICO FOUNDATION:

Strategic Partnerships: The Foundation favours long-term partnerships over one-time grants. UK examples include the seven-year FareShare partnership (since 2017) and the 15+ year Magic Breakfast partnership (since 2009). Organisations should be prepared to demonstrate capacity for multi-year collaboration.

Corporate Alignment: The Foundation works closely with PepsiCo's business operations. Organisations serving communities where PepsiCo operates (e.g., Leicester where they have significant operations) or aligned with their product portfolio (food, beverages) have stronger positioning. FareShare grants specifically support programmes in Leicestershire where PepsiCo has a presence.

Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Foundation values organisations that “build cross-industry alliances to solve systemic issues.” Projects involving multiple partners or innovative sector collaborations are more likely to gain attention.

Lived Experience Leadership: C.D. Glin has specifically stated the Foundation believes “lasting impact is led by those with lived experiences in local communities” and seeks leaders “proximate to the issues their organisations are striving to address.”

Food System Innovation: Organisations working on innovative approaches to food waste, surplus redistribution, or sustainable food systems align strongly with current UK funding priorities, as evidenced by both major UK partnerships.

Decision Timeline

No specific public timeline is available. The Foundation operates on its own strategic schedule rather than fixed application deadlines. Based on their process:

  • Letter of Interest submitted → Review by Foundation staff → Invitation to submit full proposal (if aligned) → Grant decision
  • Multi-year partnerships suggest extended relationship-building periods before major grants are awarded
  • Specific programme timelines vary (e.g., Hispanic Business Program notifies mid-July with disbursement by end of July)

Success Rates

2023 Grants: 79 awards from $38.6 million in total giving

2022 Grants: 123 awards

2021 Grants: 155 awards

The declining number of awards with stable funding suggests the Foundation is making larger strategic grants to fewer organisations, consistent with their invitation-only, partnership-focused approach.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented due to invitation-only process. However, the long-term partnerships (FareShare: 7 years; Magic Breakfast: 15+ years) suggest the Foundation values sustained relationships and continued support over time.

Application Success Factors

PEPSICO FOUNDATION-SPECIFIC INSIGHTS:

Strategic Alignment Over General Need: The Foundation explicitly states they "solicit proposals for grants from organisations whose mission and programme objectives align with the corporation's strategic goals." Generic appeals highlighting need will not succeed—organisations must demonstrate clear alignment with Food Security, Safe Water, or Economic Opportunity pillars.

Multi-Year Impact Potential: Both major UK partnerships (FareShare and Magic Breakfast) are multi-year commitments. The Foundation seeks “game-changing solutions” and organisations that can “be replicated/scaled” rather than short-term projects.

Measurable Outcomes: The Foundation highlights specific metrics in funded projects: “550,000 meals,” “600+ people prepared for work,” “8,000 charities served,” “2,200 tonnes donated.” Organisations must be able to articulate concrete, quantifiable impact.

Innovation and Systems Change: Letters of Interest must address “how this project is innovative and/or develops a best practice” and “can the project be replicated/scaled.” The Foundation isn't looking to fund standard service delivery but rather innovative approaches that can catalyse broader change.

Lived Experience Leadership: C.D. Glin's emphasis on leaders “proximate to the issues” and “with lived experiences in local communities” suggests the Foundation favours organisations led by people directly affected by the challenges being addressed.

Collaboration Capacity: The Foundation “builds cross-industry alliances to solve systemic issues” and asks about “collaborators” in Letters of Interest. Solo projects are less likely to succeed than those involving strategic partnerships.

Food System Connection: In the UK, identified grants connect to food systems (FareShare: food waste/redistribution; Magic Breakfast: food security for children). Organisations working in food-adjacent areas should emphasise these connections.

Corporate Synergy: The Foundation supports communities “where the company operates.” UK grants focus on Leicester (PepsiCo operational presence) and use PepsiCo products (Quaker porridge, Walkers crisps). Demonstrating relevance to PepsiCo's business footprint strengthens applications.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is NOT an open grant-maker: The Foundation operates invitation-only and will not respond to unsolicited proposals. A Letter of Interest is the only entry point and does not guarantee progression to a full application.
  • Think partnership, not grant: Seven-year and 15+ year partnerships characterise UK funding. Position your organisation for long-term collaboration aligned with Foundation strategy rather than one-off project funding.
  • Food security is the UK priority: Both major UK grants address food access and redistribution. Organisations working in other Foundation pillars (water, economic opportunity) have less track record of UK success.
  • Scale and innovation are essential: The Foundation seeks “game-changing solutions” that can be “replicated/scaled.” Small, localised projects without growth potential are unlikely to secure funding.
  • Geographic targeting matters: Proximity to PepsiCo operations (Leicester, Fife, Wigan, Reading mentioned in UK context) appears to influence funding decisions.
  • Demonstrate measurement capacity: The Foundation publicises specific impact metrics for all funded projects. Organisations must have robust systems for tracking and reporting quantifiable outcomes.
  • Average grant is substantial: At approximately $50,000 (£40,000) average globally, with UK grants ranging into hundreds of thousands of pounds, the Foundation makes meaningful investments. Small grant seekers may not be the target audience.

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