CFDA Foundation Inc is a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation established in 1973 and based in New York City. The Foundation operates as a separate not-for-profit organization created to raise funds for charity and industry activities within the fashion sector. Through innovative partnerships with brands, retailers, and CFDA designers, the Foundation leverages fashion to generate awareness and funds for charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$37.9M
+7.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
+14.8% YoY
Grant Count
45
+4.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
+9.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's primary purpose is to promote and encourage fashion design talent and ability through exhibitions, awards, grants, scholarships, and other means for needy students and fashion designers.
The Foundation's key initiatives include:
- Educational and Professional Development Initiatives — Grants, scholarships, and awards for design industry students, designers, and local New York fashion manufacturers
- Fashion Targets Breast Cancer — A charitable initiative launched in 1994 by Ralph Lauren that marshals the goodwill and services of the fashion industry to raise public awareness and funds for breast cancer causes in the U.S. and internationally. To date, the initiative has raised $55 million globally
- HIV/AIDS Support — Raising awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS causes
- Disaster Relief — Supporting relief efforts through industry partnerships
- Initiative for Health, Safety and Diversity — Industry-focused health and diversity initiatives
- 50th Impact CFDA — A board-designated endowment to provide resources to meet industry needs, fund program initiatives, and provide general support to the organization's operations
Grantmaking
The Foundation distributes grants to support fashion industry professionals and students. Based on recent financial data, typical grant awards range from $7,456 to $310,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, California, and Texas, with particular emphasis on supporting the New York fashion industry and garment district.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $37,861,415
- Total Revenue: $8,646,652
- Total Expenses: $6,453,722
- Total Giving: $2,345,328
Historical Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $35.2M
- Revenue: $6.53M
- Expenses: $5.49M
- Total Liabilities: $521k
The Foundation maintains a strong financial position with a 97% rating score reflecting excellent accountability and financial management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $37,861,415 | $35,159,608 | $32,613,470 |
| Revenue | $8,646,652 | $6,530,714 | $6,833,295 |
| Expenses | $6,453,722 | $5,492,152 | $5,371,451 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,169,348 | $1,424,374 | $1,262,825 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
229 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include L'enchanteur ($310,000), Glory Apparel ($179,315), Trimworld Inc ($177,006).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FINANCIAL AID OFFICE NEW YORK, NY | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - SCHOLARSHIP | $25,000 |
| MARIST COLLEGE POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - SCHOLARSHIP | $25,000 |
| THE NEW SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - SCHOLARSHIP | $50,000 |
| SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN SAVANNAH, GA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - SCHOLARSHIP | $75,000 |
| S BY S STUDIO INC DBA BUTTON DOWN FACTORY NEW YORK, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT -- FASHION MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE | $23,787 |
| IN STYLE USA INC NEW YORK, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT -- FASHION MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE | $11,666 |
| KNIT RESORT LLC QUEENS, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT -- FASHION MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE | $30,899 |
| BACH MAI LLC NEW YORK, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - FASHION AWARDS | $40,000 |
| DIOTIMA INC BROOKLYN, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - FASHION AWARDS | $50,000 |
| DIOTIMA INC BROOKLYN, NY | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - IMPACT | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Steven Kolb serves as President & CEO of the Foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RALPH LAUREN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| MICHAEL KORS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| DIANE VON FURSTENBERG | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| NORMA KAMALI | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| TOMMY HILFIGER | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| BETHANN HARDISON | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| DAO-YI CHOW | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| CARLY CUSHNIE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| TRACY REESE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| STAN HERMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| VERA WANG | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| TORY BURCH | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| THOM BROWNE | BOARD CHAIRMAN | 5 | — |
| PRABAL GURUNG | VICE CHAIR | 5 | — |
| AURORA JAMES | VICE CHAIR | 5 | — |
| STACEY BENDET EISNER | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| MARIA CORNEJO | GENERAL SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| STEVEN KOLB | CEO | 26 | $280,701 |
| LISA ANNE SMILOR | EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | 26 | $182,535 |
| CASANDRA DIGGS TERM 124 | PRESIDENT | 26 | $15,367 |
| SARA KOZLOWSKI | VP OF PROGRAM STRATEGIES | 26 | $122,972 |
| ASHLEY M SANDALL | DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | 26 | $122,007 |
| MARC KARIMZADEH | EDITORIAL & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR | 26 | $118,268 |
| SACHA ELYSE BROWN | DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 26 | $95,547 |
| JOHN DOYLE MONKHOUSE | FINANCE MANAGER | 26 | $92,589 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation has been actively expanding its grant programs:
The 2026 CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund application opened, providing new funding opportunities for fashion industry professionals
The 2026 CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund Application Is Open - CFDACFDA and Ralph Lauren announced two new grant programs designed to strengthen American fashion manufacturing and support the garment district
CFDA and Ralph Lauren Announce Two New Grant Programs to ...The Foundation continues to operate the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative, which remains a major fundraising and awareness effort for the organization
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cfda Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation's primary purpose is to promote and encourage fashion design talent and ability through exhibitions, awards, grants, scholarships, and other means for needy students and fashion designers. The Foundation's key initiatives include: • **Educational and Professional Development Initiatives** — Grants, scholarships, and awards for design industry students, designers, and local New York fashion manufacturers • **Fashion Targets Breast Cancer** — A charitable initiative launched in 199…
How do I apply for a grant from Cfda Foundation Inc?
The Foundation distributes grants to support fashion industry professionals and students. Based on recent financial data, typical grant awards range from $7,456 to $310,000. Recent grant programs include: • **CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund** — A 2026 grant program with applications open to support fashion industry professionals and manufacturers The Foundation has also announced new grant programs in partnership with Ralph Lauren to strengthen American fashion manufacturing and sustain the garmen…
Where does Cfda Foundation Inc make grants?
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, California, and Texas, with particular emphasis on supporting the New York fashion industry and garment district.
What size grants does Cfda Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Cfda Foundation Inc awarded 45 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $51K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cfda Foundation Inc's EIN?
Cfda Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7371666. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Cfda Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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