Organizer Information
BOBS from Skechers is the philanthropic footwear, apparel, and accessories collection of Skechers USA, Inc., dedicated to supporting animal welfare. The initiative traces its roots to 2011, when Skechers launched a movement to support children affected by natural disasters and poverty, ultimately donating more than 16 million pairs of new shoes to kids in over 60 countries. The BOBS animal welfare mission began in 2015 in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, and has since grown into a cross-continental effort supporting shelter pets in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan. As of its 10th anniversary in 2025–2026, the initiative had contributed more than $13 million to help save over 2.3 million shelter animals, funding scholarships, adoption events, and grants to animal welfare organizations through partners including Petco Love and Best Friends Animal Society. The Paws for a Cause Design Scholarship, now in its fourth year, is run by the Skechers Foundation as part of this broader philanthropic mission.
Title & Description
BOBS from Skechers Paws for a Cause Design Scholarship 2026
The BOBS from Skechers Paws for a Cause Design Scholarship invites eligible U.S. college students to design an original dog or cat mosaic print pattern for a BOBS from Skechers footwear style, paired with a personal story about their experience with a shelter animal or connection to the BOBS mission. Two winning designs (one dog, one cat) will be selected, each earning the designer a $10,000 scholarship, production of their design on BOBS footwear, mentoring sessions with Skechers leadership, and additional prizes. The Skechers Foundation states it is looking for two new college creatives who want to use their talents to help animals in need.
Theme
Dog and cat mosaic pattern designs for BOBS from Skechers footwear, inspired by shelter animals or the entrant's personal connection to animal rescue, fostering, or adoption.
Categories
- Fashion
- Design
- Illustration
Eligibility
- Open to full-time residents of the United States or the District of Columbia (including international students and individuals of any visa or immigration status)
- Entrants must be at least 18 years old as of the date of entry
- Entrants must be currently enrolled and in good standing in Year 1 of a program at an accredited 2-year college/university in the U.S., or in Years 1, 2, or 3 of a program at an accredited 4-year college/university in the U.S.
- Entrants must be physically present in the U.S. and available to attend in-person contest celebration/adoption events in Spring 2027 and a donation event in June 2027; winners unable to attend may forfeit their prize at Sponsor's discretion
- Employees, officers, and directors of Skechers USA, Inc. and affiliated agencies, their immediate family members, and household members are not eligible
- Any eligible minor must have parent or legal guardian permission to enter
- A household using more than five unique email addresses to enter will have all associated entries disqualified
- Submissions must be the entrant's own original work; designs created in whole or in part using AI, generative AI, or similar technology are void and may result in disqualification
- Limit of two submissions per person during the Contest Period: one cat design and one dog design maximum, submitted separately
Program Benefits & Awards
- Grand Prize (2 winners, one per category — cat and dog): $10,000 college scholarship for the 2027–2028 academic year, disbursed directly to the winner's accredited program (not to the winner); winning design featured on a BOBS from Skechers footwear style; one-on-one mentoring with three Skechers design and/or management employees (one hour each, maximum three hours total, employees chosen by Skechers); a $200 Skechers gift card; one free pair of BOBS from Skechers shoes. Approximate retail value per Grand Prize: $10,555
- Runner-Up Prize (2 winners): a $200 Skechers gift card and one free pair of BOBS from Skechers shoes. Approximate retail value per Runner-Up Prize: $255
- Finalist Prize (16 winners): one free pair of BOBS from Skechers shoes. Approximate retail value per Finalist Prize: $55
- Total approximate retail value of all prizes: $22,500
- Grand Prize winners do not receive royalties from sales of products bearing their design
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 September 2026
- Winner Notification: 24 October 2026 (potential winners must respond by October 28, 2026)
- Winners List Available: after October 15, 2026 (requests accepted by email through January 15, 2027)
- In-Person Celebration/Adoption Events: Spring 2027
- Donation Event: June 2027
Location
United Stataes
Additional Details
- Judging is weighted: 40% Design Experience and Artistic Merit, 40% How the Pattern Works on Footwear, 20% Story (connection to a personal animal-rescue narrative or the BOBS mission)
- The top 10 submissions per category (by initial score) are re-judged by a panel of Skechers design and leadership members; the top score in each of the two categories wins the Grand Prize
- Ties are broken by judging which featured animal is considered "cutest" by the judges
- Grand Prize winners must remain enrolled in their program for the 2027–2028 school year; scholarship funds are disbursed only to the accredited program, never directly to the winner
- Grand Prize winners are subject to a background check, including verification of enrollment and social media review, as a condition of receiving the prize
- Winning entrants grant Sponsor an exclusive, royalty-free, non-revocable license for five years from the end of the contest to reproduce, edit, create derivative works from, and distribute winning designs, including on footwear, apparel, and other consumer products; winners receive no royalties from such use
- Winning essays, videos, names, and likenesses may be used by Sponsor in perpetuity, worldwide, for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation
- Disputes are resolved through binding arbitration under JAMS rules in California; entrants waive the right to participate in class actions and to seek injunctive relief
- The Contest is governed by California law and administered by Skechers USA, Inc., 225 South Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, California 90266