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PepsiCo announced that it will award $5,000 to 40 community organizations focused on the outdoors as part of the MTN DEW Outdoor Grants program. The soda brand launched its grant program in 2020 as a response to the uptick in outdoor recreation during the pandemic as outdoor organizations struggled with declines in funding.

Applicants who received the grants shared how they or their favorite community organizations positively impact their local outdoor spaces. Recipients were selected based on their efforts to preserve and protect the great outdoors and get people outside through conservation or infrastructure initiatives.

“We’re proud to invest in the work of even more diverse, local organizations who are helping the great outdoors be even better for future generations,” PepsiCo Beverages North America, Central Division CMO Jill Abbott said in a press release.

MTN Dew says it will consult the recipients later in the year to share how they spent the grant money at their organizations, offering ongoing storytelling opportunities. Contests, awards and grants also set precedents for future partnerships.

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