The Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits (ACDN) created Smart and Sexy Day in 2012 in partnership with Smart & Sexy lingerie to empower women entering or re-entering the workforce by combining job training, professional wardrobe advice, and well-fitting undergarments donated during Women's History Month events.
CHAPTER 01
Building a national nonprofit network
Three years later, in 1999, five nonprofit executive directors across the United States formed The Women's Alliance. Their goal was to connect small, independent nonprofits that provided work clothes and interview clothing to women transitioning from welfare to employment. The alliance created a shared infrastructure for training, operational resources, and best practices.
As the economic landscape shifted and unemployment rose, member organizations expanded their services beyond clothing. They began offering resume workshops, mock interviews, professional development seminars, and job placement assistance. In 2014, the organization renamed itself the Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits (ACDN) to reflect a broadened mission that now included men, teens, and military families.
