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 annually in three areas of focus that encompass challenges facing the housing industry:

Construction & Design
Finance
Policy & Regulatory Reform

Coming in September: Apply for the Ivory Prize

Terms & Conditions

Nominations

Each year, the Ivory Prize solicits roughly 200 nominations. These nominations are a mix of third-party nominations, self-nominations, and nominations sourced by our team of student associates at the University of Utah. Winners are selected via a four-phase judging process which takes place between January and May of each year. Our team of full-time staff and student associates supports our advisory board with research and diligence on each nominee. Final selections are made by our Advisory Board, which is made up of veteran housing experts from industry and academia.

Coming in September: Apply for the Ivory Prize

Selection Timeline

Contending nominees are updated of their status after each round of the selection process.

September 2026

Ivory Prize nominations open

Oct. 30, 2026

Ivory Prize nominations close at noon, MST

January 2027

Top 25 Finalists announced

May 2027

Ivory Prize Winners & Runners-Up announced

The winners of the Ivory Prize are typically announced during our annual award ceremony held in the spring. The exact dates and location of this ceremony vary from year to year, so make sure to sign up for updates via our newsletter or check our website regularly for the latest information.

1,200+

nominees in history

8 years

of recognition

197

winners and finalists

$1.8 million

awarded to winners

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.

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 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.

Ivory Prize Details

Is my organization eligible for the Ivory Prize?

Organizations within the United States are eligible for the Ivory Prize. The criteria for selection for the Ivory Prize are innovation, scalability, and impact on housing affordability. Any organization that demonstrates these elements will be evaluated equally, regardless of size, business type, or other factors. Nonprofits, academic institutions, government agencies, for-profit organizations and more are encouraged to apply.

What if my organization doesn’t fit perfectly into one of the three areas of focus?

We know that innovation comes in many forms and that a diverse array of solutions is necessary to ensure that high-quality housing is affordable and accessible to all Americans. Our three areas of focus — Construction & Design, Finance, and Policy & Regulatory Reform — represent our best attempt at categorizing the key challenges facing the housing industry such that the Ivory Prize can recognize and support models that address these challenges. Some nominees may not fit perfectly into one (or any) of our areas of focus. In these instances, our team will select the area of focus which we deem to be the best fit.

Can I nominate my own organization?

Yes. Many of our past winners were self-nominated. Once submitted, all nominations are evaluated equally, regardless of who submitted them.