How much does it cost to enter?

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The entry fee is $45. 

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I competed in the 2018 Awards. Can I enter again?

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Yes, unless you were the Grand Prize Winner. All other products are eligible.

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Do I send in product samples with my entry?

 

No. After the judges have scored all the entries, we will send out requests for samples to the highest scoring products. 

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When will the winner we announced?

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We expect the following timeline, assuming everything stays on schedule: Entries close on Friday, August 14, 2020. Finalists and Grand Prize Winner announced by October 23. 

 

What kind of products are eligible?

 

This is an awards contest for consumer products. An easy definition of consumer products is products you might give or receive as a gift (excluding art or sculptures—see more below). So, a leather wallet would be fair game; brake pads for your car probably would not. 

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Please note that for Food, only “CPG” or consumer packaged goods are eligible. Meaning, products that would go on a store shelf and are packaged that way, with nutritional labels etc. Unfortunately, foods that may be ordered and shipped from a restaurant are not eligible. If you have a question as to whether your food product would be meet these criteria, please email us at howdy@texas.works.

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For additional guidance, here are a few examples of products that would be welcomed in each category: 

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• Fashion & Style: boots; jewelry; perfume; handbags and satchels

• Workshop: furniture; fire pits; porch swings; cutting boards; pocket knives; guitars; hand turned pens

• Food: Nut butters; oils; chocolates; popcorn; pickles; cheese; jerky

• Drinks: craft beer; coffee; whiskey; fruit juices; cocktail mixers; spring water

• At Home: candles; throws and quilts; porcelain vessels; kitchen wares

• Adventure & Outdoors: kayaks; bbq pits; lawn games; dog collars; fishing lures

• Pets & Animals: Collars, feed and treats, chicken coops, tack and saddles, dog sweaters

• Apothecary: Soap, lotion, hair care, skin care

 

How many products may I enter?

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Each product maker/brand is limited to one entry, and each entry is limited to one product or product collection. An example of a product collection is different flavor variants of the same product, like peanut butter: creamy, chunky, honey roasted, chocolate, etc. If you submit several products as part of a collection, we reserve the right to isolate for recognition just one of the products within the collection. 

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I’m an artist / photographer / sculptor. Are my artworks/photos/sculptures eligible?

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Unfortunately, no—please do not submit artwork, photos, or sculptures for consideration. If you have a question as to whether your product would be deemed “artwork”, please email us at howdy@texas.works.'

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I’m based in Texas but I have my product made outside of Texas. Can I still enter?

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Yes. The Texas Works Awards is intended to celebrate Texas-based product makers and brands, as opposed to strictly made-in-Texas products. We reserve the right to score greater weight to products in the following order of priority: products that are made in Texas (highest priority); products made in the USA; products made abroad for purposes of craftsmanship and authenticity; and products made abroad for purposes of economy and scale (lowest priority). 

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I can’t decide which category my product fits into. What should I do?

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Pick the category you feel most closely represents your product. We might re-categorize your product post-submission, but we’ll only do that if we feel it’s in the best interest of the contest to do so. 

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May I enter a new product that is not yet on the market?

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Yes, as long as a) you have a physical sample available (with final product packaging, etc) for us to review if requested, and b) the product is commercially available (for sale on your website or other stores) as of the date the winners are announced to the public.

 

What is the prize for individual category winners?

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Bragging rights only. There is only one Grand Prize winner, and that winner takes home a $10,000 prize. The Grand Prize winner is also the winner of its product category.

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What is the prize for the Go Texan People’s Choice winner? 

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In the 2020 Texas Works Awards, the People’s Choice Award will go to one winner, and the prize is $5,000. Only brands that are members of the Go Texan program are eligible for the People’s Choice portion of the contest. 

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Can a product win both the $10,000 Grand Prize and the $5,000 People’s Choice Award? 

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Yes! The Grand Prize is determined by a panel of judges, while the People’s Choice voting is open to the public. If the judges and the public pick the same product, then it’s possible to win both prizes!

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