Garment District Alliance launches fifth year of business development collaborative program

The Garment District Alliance (GDA), a nonprofit organization, has launched the fifth year of its Business Development Collaborative (BDC), a program created to help strengthen the competitiveness of local businesses, encourage creativity, attract new audiences, and showcase the diverse industries that shape the district. 

In support of this ongoing effort, GDA is looking for additional local partners to support next year’s programming. The GDA’s multi-year, multi-million-dollar programmatic investment supports programs that reinforce New York City’s fashion and manufacturing community, including business education, technical support, workforce development, and resources for designers and factories.

The BDC provides a unique opportunity to unite innovative partners that offer training workshops, one-on-one consulting, recruitment and hiring services, apprenticeship and internship programs, and networking and marketing opportunities for the district’s businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers. Since its inception in 2019, the program has served more than 755 businesses and entrepreneurs and delivered more than 14,000 hours of programming.

“As we prepare for the fifth year of our Business Development Collaborative, we welcome like-minded New York City organizations to join our efforts,” said Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance, in a statement. “By building on our progress and applying key learnings, we are well-positioned to serve local businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers. As the Garment District continues to evolve into a vibrant, 24/7 neighborhood, supporting local businesses is more important than ever, and we remain committed to offering programming that strengthens them and creates new pathways for growth.”

The BDC is currently working with six New York City–based partner organizations to offer programs starting in January 2026, including Custom Collaborative, E-Com Fashion, Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC ITAC, Made in NYC, and Kent State University School of Fashion.

To broaden the scope of the current BDC programs, the GDA has released a new request for proposals,  inviting partners to develop and implement programming for Cycle 5. The new cycle will focus on businesses and industries within the district that may be affected by the 2025 rezoning, including fashion manufacturing and related sectors

Now the GDA is looking for partners that can enhance and build upon programming from prior BDC cycles. Eligible respondents include trade groups, nonprofits, educational institutions, private organizations, and government agencies.