Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit that operates as an applied academic institution at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business, announced the top 25 finalists for the 2025 Ivory Prize, an annual award dedicated to advancing housing affordability.
The Ivory Prize began to take shape in 2017 during a period of increasing concern for housing undersupply, and the first competition was held from 2018 to 2019. As of 2024, Ivory Innovations has distributed $1.3 million through the Ivory Prize.
“We are passionate about increasing the impact and scale of new ideas with the potential to improve the housing ecosystem,” says Brooklyn Lindsey, director of innovations, public policy, and legal affairs at Ivory Innovations. “The organizations recognized this year in our top 25 group are notable for the strength of their innovations, focus on affordability, and optimism to build solutions that can make a real difference for the country.”
A core mission of the Ivory Prize is to amplify the impact of housing innovators in three key areas: construction and design, finance, and policy and regulatory reform.
In April, Ivory Innovations will perform more thorough diligence to narrow the following top 25 list down to 10 finalists and will choose one winner from each of the aforementioned categories. Those three winners will split a $300,000 grand prize.
The search committee looks for solutions that combine elements of finance, policy, and design and construction. Innovators include small- and large-scale companies, nonprofits, and government entities.
This year’s 25 finalists across the award’s three categories include:
Construction & Design
- Gensler: Conversions+
- Howard Building Science
- Incremental Development Alliance
- Kelvin Systems
- Lower Sioux Indian Community: Hempcrete Program
- MGO Modular Utah
- Reframe Systems
- RENCO USA
Finance
- Arrive Home: Earned Equity Program
- BlocPower
- Center for Public Enterprise
- Dearborn Realtist Board: Community Receivership Training Program
- FutureProof
- Grounded Solutions Network: Homes for the Future
- Housing Accelerator Fund: Industrialized Construction Catalyst Fund
- Stake
- Transition Projects: Rent Well
Policy & Regulatory Reform
- City of Boston: Office to Residential Conversion Program
- City of Muskegon: Tax Increment Financing for Vacant Lot Development
- Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
- Los Angeles County Housing for Health and UCLA California Policy Lab: AI Homelessness Prevention Program
- Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority: Master Lease Program
- Matrix Rental Solutions
- Philadelphia VIP: Tangled Title Fund
- State of Florida and Florida Housing Coalition: Live Local Act
Read more about each of the housing innovators here.
