PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. Emergency Grant
The PepsiCo Foundation has established a grant program for current (new or renewal) recipients of The PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E Scholarship Program who have experienced financial difficulties that may negatively impact their postsecondary enrollment.
PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. Emergency Grant
The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Eligibility
Applicants to the PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. Emergency Grant must:
- Be a current undergraduate student enrolled full-time at an accredited four-year college or university
- Be a current recipient (new or renewal award) of The PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. Scholarship Program.
- Have unexpected financial difficulties which may impact enrollment in school
- Be able to upload a course schedule* to verify enrollment
- Be able to upload documentation of eligible expense**
*Course schedule must include student name, school name, courses and credit hours for each course.
**Eligible expenses must have been incurred within thirty (30) days of application submission to be considered for reimbursement. Expenses are for one-time emergency need situations and not meant to address long standing challenges. Students may select only one eligible expense category on the application. Acceptable documentation for eligible expense includes bills, invoices, and receipts. Documentation must include student name, third party name, address and phone number, itemized list of expense(s) and total expense.
Eligible Expenses (for student only, not family members)
- Off Campus Housing/Rent/Utilities
- Medical/Dental
- Childcare (for PepsiCo Recipient’s Dependents Only
- Transportation/Car Repair (not gas or insurance)
- Food/Groceries
- Technology/Computer/Wi-Fi
- Public Transportation/Travel
Ineligible Expenses
- Tuition and Fees
- Required Course Materials
- Books
Awards
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a grant of up to $1,000 per request. Grants will not exceed the amount of the eligible expense.
Requests for food and groceries will be approved up to $500. Students will be asked to submit a receipt or receipts for groceries within 30 days of receiving the grant.
Eligible students may apply once per application cycle. Students may receive up to one emergency grant for a single eligible expense per application cycle.
Grants are for undergraduate students.
Notification
Applicants will receive first contact and/or approval within one (1) business day of submitting an application. Note: additional time may be needed at surge times.
Notifications are sent via email. When setting up your account, avoid using a school or work email. Instead, use an active, personal email address that you will continue to have access to.
Payment of Scholarships
For approved requests, payments will be made within three (3) business days (assuming appropriate documents are provided). Note: additional time may be needed at surge times.
Grants will be made payable directly to the students through Corporate Quick Pay, whenever possible.
Grants may be considered taxable income. Recipients should work with a tax professional to determine whether or not their grant is taxable.
Selection of Recipients
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
- Ability to demonstrate need as defined by the program requirements
- Meeting the basic eligibility requirements
- The availability of funds
Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of the Pepsico Foundation play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following:
- Proof of postsecondary enrollment
- Documentation of financial emergency
Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.
