13 Sep 2025

Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa REALTORS® Support Homeownership through Innovation

By Ashley Jared

DES MOINES, IOWA (September 13, 2025) — The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) and the Iowa REALTORS® (IR) have announced the winners of the 2025 Iowa Homeownership Incubator Pitch Competition: Central Iowa Community Land Trust, Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, and Residential Mortgage Network. The competition, held at the HousingIowa Conference in Cedar Rapids last week, awarded a total of $40,000 to support groundbreaking financial literacy initiatives designed to help more Iowans achieve the dream of home-ownership.

“Home-ownership strengthens families, communities and our economy,” said IFA and Iowa Economic Development Director Debi Durham. “We’re proud to support innovative approaches that advance financial literacy and open more doors to home-ownership across Iowa.”

The Homeownership Incubator invited financial institutions, real-estate firms, and housing organizations to propose new approaches to financial literacy, with a focus on community partnerships and promotion of IFA homeownership programs.

Finalists presented their proposals to a panel of industry experts including Travis Bushaw of Iowa REALTORS®, David Horak of MGIC, and Abbey Lukehart of USDA Rural Development. 

“Iowa’s real-estate professionals are full of innovative ideas, and it’s our honor to partner with IFA to help bring some of them to life,” said Iowa REALTORS® CEO Gavin Blair. “We’re eager to see the impact these efforts will have and how they might be replicated to benefit even more families across the state.”

2025 Awardees:

  • Central Iowa Community Land Trust — Affordable Homeownership that Lasts Generations ($20,000) Central Iowa Community Land Trust (CICLT), the region’s first community land trust, will use the funding to accelerate legal marketing and stewardship resources. By offering permanently affordable homes, CICLT helps families build equity, achieve stability and strengthen neighborhoods, creating a model for expansion statewide. 
  • Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity — Blueprint to Homeownership ($10,000) This independent program provides first-time buyers with personalized “blueprints” for success, including counseling, financial education, and connections to trusted resources. With a full launch planned for 2026, the initiative will expand access to down-payment assistance, credit counseling, and education for underrepresented communities. 
  • Residential Mortgage Network — Homeownership and Realtor Education Initiative ($10,000) Focused on strengthening partnerships between Realtors, lenders, and community organizations, this effort provides specialized Realtor training on loan products and best practices. Designed to be replicable across Iowa, it will ensure Realtors are best equipped to guide families through the path to home-ownership.

For more information about the Iowa Homeownership Incubator, visit housingiowaconference.com.

Business, Economy & Finance

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Michael Helke

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