About Cfda Foundation
Mobilize the fashion community to raise funds and support charitable causes and industry initiatives that strengthen American fashion by promoting creative excellence, business longevity, education, and positive social and environmental impact.
Focus Areas
Fashion design and scholarshipsGrants to designers and manufacturersFashion manufacturing and supply chain supportSustainability in fashionDiversity, equity & inclusion initiativesHIV/AIDS and breast cancer fundraising/awarenessProfessional development and mentoringNew York Fashion Week / industry events
Who They Fund
emerging and independent fashion designersfashion/apparel manufacturers and production firmsAAPI entrepreneurs and designers
About Cfda Foundation
Cfda Foundation Inc directs much of its grantmaking toward fashion businesses that need capital, production support, or a platform to grow. The largest recent award in the data is a $310,000 grant to L'enchanteur in Brooklyn for business development through the Fashion Fund, followed by a $300,000 grant to Baumeister Inc in Long Island City for the same purpose. Those awards sit alongside a clear pattern of backing New York fashion infrastructure, from manufacturers and contract facilities to designers building commercial traction. The foundation also uses partnerships and awards to support specific segments of the industry. A $100,000 grant to Diotima Inc reflects that business-development approach, while a $75,000 scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design shows that education remains part of the portfolio. Recent grants also include support for AAPI designers, jewelry design, and industry recognition programs. Across these awards, the foundation works within the fashion ecosystem rather than outside it, using grants to support design talent, production capacity, and professional advancement.
What Cfda Foundation Funds
Manufacturing and production support are a central thread in the foundation’s recent giving. It gave $179,315 to Glory Apparel and $177,006 to Trimworld Inc, both for business development through the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative. Similar support went to Embroidery House & Sons II, which received $137,826 for the same initiative, showing an emphasis on facility-level improvements. The foundation also backs design-led business growth. It awarded $60,000 to Grace Ling LLC under its AAPI business-development work, and $50,000 to Area Studio LLC for fashion awards. Education remains part of the picture as well: the Foundation gave $75,000 to Savannah College of Art and Design for professional development scholarship support, and $50,000 to The New School for the same broad purpose.
How Cfda Foundation Gives
Typical awards cluster around a modest-to-mid six-figure range, with a p25 of $19,440, a median of $25,000, and a p75 of $40,057. The recent-grants list shows repeated support for the same recipients across multiple years, including Glory Apparel, Emmelle Design, S by S Studio Inc Dba Button Down Factory, The New School, and the Fashion Fund, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, and its giving includes both unrestricted-style business development awards and partially matching grants tied to equipment, software, training, and other capacity-building expenses. It also accepts unsolicited applications in some active programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.3M
Total Assets
$37.9M
Total Revenue
$8.6M
Total Expenses
$6.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $19K and $40K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$19K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$40K
Geographic Reach
Local11 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
THOM BROWNE
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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