American Indian College Fund Announces Blanket Design Contest

The Infinite Prayer blanket design was created by 2024 design winner Jenabah Yazzie of Diné College. Pendleton Woolen Mills produced the blanket.

The American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills, the heritage lifestyle brand, are accepting submissions for the sixth annual Tribal College Blanket Design Contest. American Indian and Alaska Native students attending a tribal college or university (TCU) are eligible to submit up to two designs. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2026.

The Tribal College Blanket Design Contest elevates the work of promising artists attending TCUs. The first-place winner will have their design distributed on products internationally, with the top three designers also receiving scholarships and cash prizes. The winning design from each year is added to Pendleton’s American Indian College Fund collection of wool blankets. Pendleton has worked with the College Fund since 1995 and has provided over $1.5 million in scholarship support for American Indian and Alaska Native students attending TCUs. 

Submission guidelines and applications are available on the College Fund’s website at https://collegefund.org/pendleton. Formal artistic study and textile design experience are not required. Contest design winners are selected each year by a committee comprised of Native American artists and College Fund and Pendleton staff.

Prizes for the 2025 contest winners include a $5,000 scholarship, $2,000 cash prize, and six blankets for the grand prize winner. The runner-up will receive a $2,500 scholarship and a $500 cash prize. The third-place designer will receive a $1,500 scholarship and a $250 cash prize.

Bob Christnacht of Pendleton said, “Pendleton’s partnership with the American Indian College Fund is one of our most meaningful and enduring collaborations. We are deeply honored that the students choose to share their artwork with us, and we remain humbled by the opportunity to help amplify their voices within their communities and beyond. Each student’s design is a reflection of personal story and heritage, and we are grateful to play a part in honoring their artistry and supporting their lasting legacy.”