Ivory Prize

The Ivory Prize is an annual national competition administered by Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit organization based in Utah dedicated to advancing solutions that address housing affordability challenges across the United States. The initiative seeks to identify, support, and elevate innovative ideas and scalable models that can meaningfully improve access to high-quality, affordable housing. By recognizing organizations and individuals working at the forefront of housing innovation, the Ivory Prize aims to catalyze systemic change and foster collaboration across sectors. The primary purpose of the Ivory Prize is to reward and promote impactful approaches in three core areas: Construction and Design, Policy and Regulatory Reform, and Finance. These categories reflect the multifaceted nature of housing affordability challenges and encourage applicants to present solutions that can be implemented at scale. Funding is awarded to selected winners, with a total of up to three hundred thousand dollars distributed annually. In addition to monetary awards, finalists benefit from increased visibility, networking opportunities, and access to educational and promotional resources that can further their work. Eligibility for the Ivory Prize is broad and inclusive, allowing both individuals over the age of eighteen and organizations of all types to participate, provided they are actively working to improve housing affordability and accessibility. However, employees, affiliates, and immediate family members of Ivory Innovations are excluded from participation. The program does not require any application or participation fee, making it accessible to a wide range of applicants, including nonprofits, for-profit entities, and independent innovators. The submission process involves completing a nomination form available through the Ivory Innovations website. Nominations are accepted annually during a defined period from September through December, and both self-nominations and third-party nominations are permitted. All submissions must be provided in English and adhere to the specified format. Following submission, applications undergo an initial review, after which selected nominees are invited to participate in a video call. From this pool, approximately twenty-five finalists are chosen and may be required to engage in additional calls and submit supplementary materials. Evaluation of submissions is conducted through a structured four-phase judging process that occurs between January and May. Entries are assessed based on several criteria, including innovation, feasibility, scalability, potential impact, clarity of presentation, and responsiveness throughout the evaluation process. Final decisions are made by an advisory board composed of experienced housing professionals from both academia and the private sector, and their determinations are considered final and binding. Finalists and winners are expected to fulfill certain participation requirements, including contributing to the creation of promotional video content and attending an annual award ceremony. Additionally, they must agree to allow Ivory Innovations to use and distribute information about their work for promotional purposes. While participants retain ownership of their intellectual property, they grant the organization a non-exclusive license to share their contributions. The Ivory Prize operates on an annual cycle, with nominations reopening each fall, making it a recurring opportunity for innovators to gain recognition and support in addressing housing affordability challenges nationwide.

Emphasize innovation scalability feasibility and clear presentation aligned with housing affordability impact criteria