PepsiCo Foundation Grant Expands Three Key Initiatives
The PepsiCo Foundation grant will help create the next generation of toolkits and training materials focused on how to install, operate and manage decentralized, water-purification systems. This new modular approach will form the foundation of our growing Technical Assistance capability which is available to organizations – including NGOs and government agencies – undertaking similar projects. PepsiCo Foundation awarded Safe Water Network a $300,000 Planning Grant to support three priorities aimed at overcoming obstacles to deliver safe, affordable water to those in need:
- Develop our Technical Assistance capabilities
- Deepen PepsiCo Foundation’s role in advancing locally owned and managed water systems
- Extend strategically our operations to align with PepsiCo Foundation’s African priorities
The grant also supports our priority to more fully incorporate private sector capabilities into our field initiatives. As a global leader in the beverage industry, PepsiCo Foundation brings considerable expertise to community water systems including quality assurance, demand generation, distribution and logistics. This initiative coincides with our plans to involve PepsiCo Foundation alongside our other partners to contribute resources to our work, including Merck and IBM.
This most recent PepsiCo Foundation support builds upon a $3 million grant awarded to us in 2008, aimed at providing safe water access to more than 200,000 people in India and Africa. Together, we have already exceeded that target. PepsiCo Foundation has been an invaluable partner since our inception. Former PepsiCo Foundation president and chairman, Steven Reinemund, was a founding Safe Water Network Board member, and Rich Delaney, PepsiCo Foundation’s senior VP for global operations, is a current board member. PepsiCo Foundation’s experts and executives are not only trusted advisors, they are active participants committed to making an impact. We are grateful for their support.