Ivory Innovations Invites Housing Innovators Nationwide to Showcase Affordability Solutions through its Annual Ivory Prize

Nominations are now open for organizations offering innovative, feasible and scalable solutions to improve housing affordability and accessibility in America

SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nominations are open for the 2027 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability, a national award recognizing ambitious, practical and scalable solutions making housing more affordable and accessible nationwide. Now entering its ninth year, the prize means direct funding of up to $100,000, national acclaim, and access to a powerful network of like-minded innovators through Ivory Innovations, an operating foundation based out of the University of Utah.

"Every area of human endeavor has its own award traditions and prizes. Given how intractable the U.S. affordable housing crisis appears to be, the Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability should be one competition followed more avidly than the Oscars battle," said Jeffrey Steele of Forbes.

Innovators of all sizes, from entrepreneurs and startups to public entities and nonprofits, are encouraged to submit a nomination at ivoryprize.org. Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome. Annually, the prize awards $300,000 to winners across each of three areas of focus: Construction & Design, Policy & Regulatory Reform and Finance.

"Winning the Ivory Prize brought national attention to the work TradesFutures and our partners are doing to strengthen the construction workforce," said Marina Zhavoronkova, Executive Director of Washington D.C.-based TradesFutures. "The prize helped reinforce the importance of workforce development as a crucial part of the housing affordability conversation."

Since its inception in 2018, the Ivory Prize has awarded more than $2 million in funding to organizations and programs advancing housing affordability. Beyond the monetary award, winners receive national recognition, media exposure and hands-on operational support from the Ivory Innovations team. Winners are selected by the Ivory Innovations Advisory Board, a panel of housing experts spanning academia, government and the private sector.

"Cities across the country are facing an enormous housing affordability challenge, and there is an urgent need for practical solutions that can make a difference now," said Sheila A. Dillon, Chief of Housing, City of Boston. "We were honored to have the Ivory Prize recognize Boston's work to preserve affordable housing and elevate our model as an example that other communities can replicate."

In addition to the Ivory Prize, Ivory Innovations facilitates a range of programs and initiatives in support of its mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability:

• Hack-A-House: A 24-hour hackathon that encourages college students to be imaginative about new approaches to overcoming our country's housing crisis. Hack-A-House takes place virtually on Sept. 25 and26 and registrations are accepted through the morning of Sept. 25.
• Fieldworks: A housing innovation implementation program designed for housing innovators who are past the pilot stage and ready to gain market traction and demonstrate real-world applicability by implementing their solutions in Ivory Innovations' affordable housing developments in Utah.
• The  Ivory Prize Summit: This annual event features Ivory Prize Winners and finalists as well as panels of experts, entrepreneurs, policy experts, and other innovators. Registration is open to attend this year's summit, which takes place Oct. 14 in Tempe, Ariz., at Arizona State University.

To apply for the 2027 Ivory Prize, visit ivoryinnovations.org/ivory-prize and submit a nomination by noon, MST, Oct. 30.

"Each year, this search brings to light impactful ideas and hardworking people who are dedicated to making a difference in their communities," Ivory Innovations CEO Abby Ivory said. "We love getting to know these individuals and supporting them in whatever ways we can as, together, we strive to make a meaningful impact on housing."

About Ivory Innovations
Ivory Innovations is both an academic center based at the University of Utah focused on research and innovation and an operating foundation that implements solutions in the field. The nonprofit is dedicated to catalyzing innovative solutions in housing affordability by working with students, entrepreneurs and experts to source, support and scale the most compelling housing solutions across the country. They put innovation into practice through their development of hundreds of affordable housing units each year. To learn more, visit ivoryinnovations.org.

SOURCE Ivory Innovations