The Ivory Prize
The Ivory Prize identifies and elevates promising solutions to housing affordability. Through national recognition and ongoing support, we help innovative organizations grow their impact and spread practical ideas to more communities.
The Ivory Prize is awarded in three areas of focus that encompass challenges facing the housing industry:
- Construction & Design
- Finance
- Policy & Regulatory Reform
2026 Ivory Prize Winners
Finance
City of Boston: Boston Acquisition Fund
By blending public and philanthropic capital with low-cost financing, this new way of thinking about the future of living in Boston creates long-term affordability in high-cost neighborhoods.
Policy & Regulatory Reform
City of Chattanooga: Affordable Housing PILOT
Everybody wins with this unique tax abatement model that is profitable for developers and affordable for renters.
Policy & Regulatory Reform
City of New Rochelle: Downtown Development
A groundbreaking comprehensive zoning and permitting reform package has transformed this city into a national model for housing growth.
Construction & Design
TradesFutures
Meet the innovators and programs providing education to address the construction labor shortage needed to build housing.
Come to the Ivory Prize Summit
The 2026 Ivory Prize Summit in Tempe, Arizona, brings together entrepreneurs, policymakers, developers, and researchers to catalyze disruptive progress in housing supply and resilience. By fostering knowledge sharing across all sectors, the summit highlights the next generation of systemic housing solutions. Attend in person or virtually.
Register to Attend the Summit
Ivory Prize winners receive:
Exposure & Access
Finalists are featured in national press coverage, newsletters, and social media campaigns. They also gain access to exclusive speaking opportunities at industry events including panels, conferences, and pitch competitions.
High-Quality Connections
We provide tailored introductions to potential funders, strategic partners, and customers through our national network. We also leverage our connections in Utah to support opportunities for finalists to scale their innovations in our home state.
Pro Bono Assistance
Finalists may receive pro bono consulting support from the Ivory Innovations team, including help with go-to-market strategy, customer discovery, and vision or KPI development—based on organizational needs and team capacity.
Sponsored Summer Interns
Where interests and expertise align, finalists may be matched with a sponsored summer intern through our student associate program at the University of Utah.
Financial Support
The Ivory Prize awards thousands of dollars annually in unrestricted grants to the winning innovator in each of the three areas of focus.
Meet Our Advisory Board Members & Fellows
Comprised of veteran housing experts, our Advisory Board is responsible for selecting the winners and finalists for each year's Ivory Prize.
Learn About the Board
Ivory Prize Sponsors & Supporters
The prize money for the Ivory Prize is generously provided by our Innovators Circle and Legacy Partners. Our sponsors range from corporate entities to philanthropic individuals who share our vision for recognizing and supporting groundbreaking ideas and solutions. We're grateful for their ongoing support.