Pepsi announced the latest round of Pepsi Refresh Project Grant recipients, who have been collectively awarded $1.3 million. The Pepsi Refresh Project, a ground-breaking initiative designed to fund good ideas, big and small, that help refresh our world, will award more than $20 million in 2010 to the ideas voted most likely to move our communities forward by the public via online voting.

Pepsi «We Inspire» is an interactive online community that encourages women to share their sources of inspiration and taps into their powerful bond through a platform built just for them. Recognized with an NAACP Award on Friday, February 26, 2010 for advancing positive multicultural images in advertising and media, the «We Inspire» program is gaining momentum as a meaningful movement touching the lives of women from all walks of life.

In the USA the next official census is set for 2010. But Pepsi decided not to wait for statistics and started its own project Yo Sumo, encouraging the US Latinos to sign up and tell about themselves, their lives, dreams and aspirations. The movement is launched “to give a voice to all Latinos and show the world that we’re not just many, but we have a strong influence on culture in this country, while simultaneously encouraging everyone to do their part”. Bare listing is dull, Pepsi’s documentary is not. “Start to count, and stop being counted”, says the brand.

Starting on February 1 America can cast their votes at Pepsi‘s www.refresheverything.com for the refreshing consumer-generated ideas that they believe will make a positive impact on their communities. This is the first of eleven opportunities for the public to win grants from $5,000 up to $250,000 throughout the year. The first voting session ends on February 28 and the ideas that receive the top votes will be announced on Monday, March 1, 2010.