named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Business Incubator
Ongoing support for graduates and emerging entrepreneurs through mentorship, advanced training, access to industrial equipment, showroom space, and office rentals
Training Institute
Free 15-week workforce development program teaching garment construction, sustainable fashion, business skills, and personal finance to low-income and immigrant women
Worker-Owned Cooperative Development
Program that trains participants in cooperative principles and supports the creation of employee-owned businesses to advance fair wages and equitable ownership
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Fashion and Creative Industries Education 2 activities
- Hosts public events and showcases for program participantsOrganizes graduations, runway shows, and workshops as public events to showcase participant work and support career development. Graduates complete a public runway presentation and produce portfolio-ready work.
- Provides post-training support and business incubation for fashion entrepreneursOffers mentorship, advanced training, access to industrial equipment, showroom space, and office rentals for alumni entrepreneurs. Supports business development through expert-led workshops on costing, textile selection, client relationships, and circularity, and facilitates connections to client and retail opportunities.
-
-
Textile Waste Diversion and Reuse 1 activity
- Manages donated fabric and production resources for program deliveryCollects, organizes, and manages donated fabric and production materials to support training and business development programs in sustainable fashion.
-
-
Vocational Sewing and Tailoring Training 1 activity
- Operates a 15-week workforce development program for women in sustainable fashionRuns a free 15-week training program that equips low-income and immigrant women with skills in designing, sewing, and selling sustainable fashion, including portfolio development and business planning. The program includes financial coaching, stipends, and transit assistance to reduce participation barriers.
-
-
Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Trains individuals in cooperative business models and incubates worker-owned enterprisesProvides training in cooperative principles and supports the development of worker-owned businesses as part of its capacity-building initiatives.
-
-
Uncategorized 2 activities
- Graduates cohorts from its Training Institute programCompletes multi-cohort delivery of its workforce development program, with evidence of at least 15 cohorts and specific mention of graduating Cohort 12. Retained 74% of participants across cohorts.
- Publishes multilingual resource guides for New YorkersCreated and distributed a resource guide listing support services for New Yorkers, available in both English and Spanish.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$970K
Contributions & grants$904K93%
Program service revenue$66K7%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.48M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$602K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.24M
Cash$874K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.37M
Net assets$871K
Liquid reserves7.1 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -44.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGOZI OKARO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $116K |
board members · 7
- ANDREA POZZI — BOARD MEMBER
- CELINE DECARLO — BOARD MEMBER
- DANA COX — BOARD MEMBER
- GITA GUPTE — BOARD MEMBER
- JACKIE SWANSON — BOARD MEMBER
- LEANDRO BRUFMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- MELODY ROLLINS DOWNES — BOARD CHAIR
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- Anand Delaquis Family Foundation Funder — Supporter listed in both corporate foundation and CC Circle donor lists.
- Anthony Galante Designs Partner — Fashion brand that hosts Custom Collaborative participants for internships and apprenticeships.
- Art to Ware Partner — Fashion brand that hosts Custom Collaborative participants for internships and apprenticeships.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- ENVSN fest Partner — Hosts Custom Collaborative pop-up shops at cultural events.
- Fondation Chanel Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- Goldman Sachs Lily Auchincloss Foundation Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- INSEAD Partner — Organization where Ngozi Okaro previously led initiatives.
- MYCO Partner — Collaborated with MYCO on a three-day Earth Day summit focused on intersectional climate action.
- Mara Hoffman Partner — Fashion brand that hosts Custom Collaborative participants for internships and apprenticeships.
- Morgan Stanley Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- NYC Small Business Services Government — Government partner supporting the organization's work.
- National Urban League Government — Former affiliate organization where Ngozi Okaro led initiatives.
- New York Women’s Foundation Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- New York and international cooperative developers Partner — Network of cooperative developers collaborating with Custom Collaborative to strengthen systems supporting women-owned worker cooperatives.
- Our Fund Foundation Funder — Supporter listed in both corporate foundation and CC Circle donor lists.
- PVH Partner — Hosts exclusive employee marketplaces for Custom Collaborative pop-up shops.
- Saks Global Partner — Hosts exclusive employee marketplaces for Custom Collaborative pop-up shops.
- Theory Partner — Collaborates with Custom Collaborative to offer apprenticeships through the Theory for Good program, leading to employment opportunities for graduates.
- Theory Partner — Fashion brand that hosts Custom Collaborative participants for internships and apprenticeships.
- UNIQLO Funder — Corporate and foundation partner supporting the organization's work.
- University of Fashion Partner — Partner organization supporting the organization's work.
- Yale Partner — Organization where Ngozi Okaro previously led initiatives.
- info@customcollaborative.org Partner — Primary contact point for volunteer coordination and engagement.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collective Ownership for Economic Justicemethodology: collective-ownership-for-womenBy building systems for women to collectively own and manage fashion enterprises, the organization advances fair wages and equitable working conditions, because structural ownership shifts power and economic returns to marginalized workers.
- Integrated Skills and Advocacy Modelmethodology: integrated-skills-and-advocacyBy combining skills training, mentorship, and advocacy, the organization supports the long-term economic empowerment of low-income and immigrant women, because technical skills alone are insufficient without systemic support and voice in the industry.
- Multi-Stage Career Pathway with Cooperative Ownershipmethodology: multi-stage-career-pathwayBy offering a continuum from training to business incubation to cooperative development, the organization enables sustained career advancement, because long-term economic mobility requires support across all stages of professional growth and ownership.
- Patient Capital and Income Support for Entrepreneurshipmethodology: patient-capital-for-low-income-entrepreneursBy providing patient capital and income support alongside business training, the organization enables low-income entrepreneurs to launch and sustain worker-owned enterprises, because bootstrapping is not viable without financial stability during startup.