Previous |
Next |
February 2, 2010, 12:06 PM ET
Pepsi's Online Contest Joins Growing Number of Corporate Efforts
Voting opened on Monday in Pepsi's Refresh Project, the latest effort by a company to let consumers have a say in how its philanthropic dollars should be spent.
Visitors to the project's Web site can choose among more than 700 ideas submitted by individuals and charities. Top vote-getters as of Monday afternoon were a proposal by an elementary-school teacher's assistant to form a club to promote self-esteem among girls, and camping trips for disadvantaged young people that are run by a charity connected with the University of Arizona.
Pepsi plans to give away $1.3-million each month, with grants ranging in size from $5,000 to $250,000.
In the last few years, more corporations have been experimenting with ways to give consumers a chance to help direct their charitable money. Last May, the retail-company Target started an online campaign to let voting by its Facebook fans determine how big a share of $3-million various nonprofit groups should receive.
Comments
1. akorngold - February 02, 2010 at 05:59 pm
This is an exciting way to engage people in learning about nonprofits and advocating for organizations where they or their friends are involved. American Express held online voting starting in 2007 and as recently as May 2009. I think we'll learn more and more about what works best and for whom--companies, nonprofits, and communities. http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/alice-korngold/leading-companies-good/polls-are-open-choose-which-site-will-receive-american-ex I call it the "new philanthropy of engagement." http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/alice-korngold/leading-companies-good/new-philanthropy-engagement-online-voting-collaboration-a
Add Your Comment
Commenting is closed.