Vision

The Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits will be recognized nationally as the preeminent career development network, committed to readily-accessible resources and best practices for preparing a job-ready workforce.

Our Story

In 1999, five nonprofit Executive Directors across the United States decided to leverage their collective knowledge and experience to provide a greater impact and support for small, independent nonprofits providing work clothes and interview clothes to women seeking economic independence and leaving welfare. This small band of women became The Women’s Alliance with a vision of sharing resources, training, and support in all communities. In hopes of broadening the work begun then, in 2014 TWA became the Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits to include career development organizations that serve men and teens.

We saw the growth of our member organizations was extending deeper than our collective original mission: providing interview clothes and business clothes to women transitioning from welfare to work. This evolution for many of our members reflected the rising number of unemployed and the need for more support to be competitive in the job market, therefore, they moved in a direction to support women, men, teens and military families with career development services, such as resume development, mock interviews, professional development seminars/workshops and job development.

The name change to the Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits, ACDN, better reflects the work our member organizations are engaged in and the services they are providing. All of our members now serve women, men, transgender individuals, military vets and their families, as well as teens.

Since 1999, ACDN members have provided workplace clothing for over 325,000 individuals. Among ACDN member nonprofits, 100% provide work clothes and business attire to assist clients in dressing for success, and 70% also provide additional career development training. Our communities deserve to know that ACDN member agencies offer more than clothes – they are part of the workforce development solution for job seekers everywhere.

Through our member agencies we have witnessed lives transformed. There’s Tina, the passionate storeowner reaching out to help women in her community get a fresh start. She’s found a sense of purpose, community and friendship in her work with a member agency where she lives. There’s Monica, the single mother needing services and support to get back on her feet in the workforce as she raises her two children. With assistance from a member agency, she got that job with just the right clothing, a positive sense of self and support.

Ready to make a difference in your community?  

Join us by starting a career development program in your community, or if you already are a 501(c)3 and provide these services in your city, join ACDN. 

If you just want to help grow the services in your community, support our outreach and expansion with a financial gift.