The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced on Wednesday the launch of two new initiatives aimed at strengthening American fashion manufacturing, supporting workforce development, and driving innovation and economic growth.
CFDA unveils new fashion manufacturing grants backed by Ralph Lauren. – Ralph Lauren
The first initiative, the CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund, is supported by funding from both the New York State Department of State and Ralph Lauren Corporation and will provide partially matching grants to designers and manufacturers based in New York City’s Garment District. The program will distribute grants in two rounds, scheduled for 2026 and 2027, to Garment District–based fashion manufacturers as well as designers producing in-house.
The second, the U.S. Fashion Manufacturing Fund, was created with Ralph Lauren as its founding partner and will offer support to apparel manufacturers nationwide. It will operate from 2027 through 2029 and extend support beyond New York to major apparel-producing regions including California, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Florida, among others. The program will provide partially matching grants covering up to 80 percent of each award, with recipient manufacturers contributing the remaining 20 percent.
“Strengthening American manufacturing to ensure designers have local partners has long been at the core of CFDA’s mission,” said Steven Kolb, CEO and president of the CFDA.
“We are proud to extend our decade-plus work with Ralph Lauren Corporation and expand to a national level while also continuing our local NYC investments alongside our first-ever partnership with the New York State Department of State.”
The new funds build on the CFDA’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI), launched in 2013 in affiliation with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Andrew Rosen and long-term supporters including Ralph Lauren.
To date, Ralph Lauren has contributed $2 million as FMI’s premier underwriter, enabling grants to 54 factories and supporting more than 2,000 jobs across the sector.
“Our expanded partnership with the CFDA reflects Ralph Lauren’s enduring commitment to advancing innovation and supporting American fashion,” said Katie Ioanilli, chief global impact & communications officer, Ralph Lauren Corporation.
“This is not only an investment in our industry — it’s an investment in a vital part of American culture that we share with the world.”
