Franklin County approves $1.4M grant for Columbus Fashion Alliance’s workforce program

Franklin County commissioners voted Feb. 18 to approve a $1.400 million grant to the Columbus Fashion Alliance to support its Ready to Work workforce development program, which the alliance said will serve 28 young adults in two 26‑week cohorts.

Yogi Turrell, CEO of the Columbus Fashion Alliance, said the program—launched in partnership with the county in 2024—places participants in retail and entrepreneurship training and has led to job placements with national and local retailers. “We’ve created jobs through this program,” Turrell said, adding that participants have worked with retailers including Gucci and other market brands and that the alliance recently showcased brands at the Magic trade show.

Turrell described a new seven‑week LaunchLab curriculum to prepare brands for retail placement and said the program will move its retail gallery to a Short North Arts District location to improve foot traffic. He also detailed partnerships to support technical, sourcing and legal needs for participants, including a stated partnership with Adidas to support a shoe lab and a partnership with ECDI for financial literacy and business planning.

Two program participants described how the Ready to Work program developed technical and marketing skills and helped build customer relationships. Desmond Toure, a brand owner who has used the retail gallery, said the program increased sales and visibility for his brand. Commissioner comments focused on integrating tax and business planning resources into the curriculum and on sustainability efforts such as recycled materials and potential partnerships with local recycling initiatives.

The board adopted the resolution to fund the program. The agreement supports Franklin County’s Rise Together blueprint goals for training and employer commitments; Turrell said the program expects to expand services and placements later this year.