#United States #Salt Lake City #housing affordability #Ivory Innovations #Ivory Prize

Ivory Innovations Launches the 2027 Ivory Prize

Ivory Innovations is excited to announce the opening of nominations for the 2027 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability, a national initiative aimed at recognizing and promoting innovative solutions that enhance housing affordability and accessibility across the United States. Now in its ninth year, this prestigious award offers winners the chance to receive up to $100,000 in funding, along with national recognition and access to a dynamic network of innovators.

Background of the Ivory Prize

The Ivory Prize was created in 2018 to tackle the urgent housing affordability crisis in America. According to Jeffrey Steele of Forbes, the competition should receive equal attention to major entertainment awards, as the challenges it addresses are critical and complex. The initiative encourages participation from innovators of all scales, including startups, non-profits, and public entities, who can submit nominations through ivoryprize.org.

Each year, a total of $300,000 is distributed among winners in three main focus areas: Construction & Design, Policy & Regulatory Reform, and Finance. Notable past recipients like TradesFutures have highlighted the importance of national recognition for their efforts in workforce development related to housing. Marina Zhavoronkova, Executive Director of TradesFutures, noted that winning the Ivory Prize raised national awareness of their critical work.

The Need for Innovative Solutions

Cities across the country are grappling with a profound housing affordability crisis underscored by a significant demand for actionable solutions. Sheila A. Dillon, the Chief of Housing in Boston, lauded the Ivory Prize for its role in acknowledging effective strategies that could serve as models for other communities.

In addition to the financial incentives, winning organizations obtain extensive media exposure and operational support from the Ivory Innovations team that aids them in translating their innovative ideas into practice. The evaluation process for the prizes is overseen by the Ivory Innovations Advisory Board, comprising experts from various sectors including academia, government, and private industry.

Additional Opportunities

This year, along with the Ivory Prize, Ivory Innovations is also organizing a series of initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and innovation in the housing sector:

Hack-A-House: A 24-hour virtual hackathon set for September 25-26, designed to provoke creative ideas from college students on addressing the housing crisis. Registrations will be accepted until the morning of September 25.
Fieldworks Program: This implementation initiative focuses on housing innovators who are beyond the pilot stage, helping them scale their solutions in real-world settings like the affordable housing developments managed by Ivory Innovations in Utah.
* Ivory Prize Summit: An annual gathering that features previous winners and finalists alongside panels of experts, discussing trends and innovations in housing. This year’s summit will be held on October 14 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

How to Apply

To be part of the 2027 Ivory Prize, organizations interested in submitting nominations can visit ivoryinnovations.org/ivory-prize. The deadline for submissions is noon, MST, on October 30, 2026.

Ivory Innovations’ CEO, Abby Ivory, emphasizes the prize’s mission to shine a light on impactful individuals and ideas that contribute significantly to their communities. Through collaboration and support, Ivory Innovations strives to foster real change in housing affordability across the nation.

About Ivory Innovations

Ivory Innovations operates as both an academic center at the University of Utah and a foundation implementing practical solutions to enhance housing affordability. The nonprofit organization is committed to connecting students, entrepreneurs, and experts to identify and scale leading housing solutions, impacting hundreds of affordable housing units annually. To learn more about their initiatives, visit ivoryinnovations.org.