The Who’s Who of Housing Innovation: The Ivory Prize Top 10 Finalists Announced

SALT LAKE CITY — Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit that operates as an applied academic institution at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business, today announced the top 10 finalists for its seventh annual Ivory Prize.

Each year, the Ivory Prize recognizes ambitious, feasible solutions to housing affordability. The award is designed to celebrate and reward innovators for their efforts and provide material support to advance their projects.  

The 2025 Ivory Prize Top 10 finalists represent efforts from across the U.S., delivering impactful and practical solutions to housing affordability in one of three categories: construction & design, finance, and policy & regulatory reform. Finalists are selected by the Ivory Prize Advisory Board, a group of leading experts in disciplines across the housing ecosystem.

“The Top 10 finalists for this year’s Ivory Prize are addressing housing affordability with a remarkable mix of ingenuity and dedication,” said Kent Colton, Chair of the Advisory Board.  “Their efforts highlight the innovative and practical ways we can expand access to housing affordability — whether through financing models that empower buyers, construction advancements that lower costs, or policies that remove barriers to home building.”

The Top 10 finalists of 2025 are as follows:

Finance:

• FutureProof
• Grounded Solutions Network: Homes for the Future
• Housing Accelerator Fund: Industrialized Construction Catalyst Fund

Policy & Regulatory Reform:

• City of Muskegon: Tax Increment Financing for Vacant Lot Development
• Los Angeles County Housing for Health & UCLA California Policy Lab: AI Homelessness Prevention Program
• State of Florida and Florida Housing Coalition: Live Local Act

Construction & Design:

• Gensler: Conversions+
• Incremental Development Alliance
• Lower Sioux Indian Community: Hempcrete Program
• Reframe Systems

The winners of the 2025 Ivory Prize will be announced on May 20 at 10 a.m. MT

on ivoryinnovations.org, each will receive a share of the $300,000 grand prize.