DES MOINES — The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) has announced that the Housing Fund for Linn County has won its inaugural Innovation in Homelessness Pitch Competition. The competition took place at the HousingIowa Conference in Des Moines last week.
“The Innovation in Homelessness Incubator aims to transform homelessness prevention and response systems and rethink how support is provided to those experiencing homelessness in Iowa,” said IFA Director Debi Durham. “Our homeless services providers rose to the challenge.”
The competition sought forward-thinking proposals to address homelessness prevention and response. IFA was looking for innovative ideas that aspire to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring, while ensuring that support is readily available to those in need.
The winning pitch will receive up to $100,000 in funding to develop their concept into a pilot initiative, setting the stage for long-term impact, potential expansion, and measurable outcomes.
“J’nae Peterman spearheaded the successful proposal and pitch process. She recently joined the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) as the new Homeless Programs Manager, a position jointly funded by Cedar Rapids and Linn County,” said Tracey Achenbach, Executive Director of the Housing Fund for Linn County.
“This award signals the promising success we can achieve by collaborating and incorporating insights from those with lived experience to better serve our community.”
The Housing Fund for Linn County was selected as the winner from three finalists. Their proposal involves creating an advisory council of individuals with lived experience of homelessness. This council will provide critical insights into policy recommendations, program development, and community engagement strategies. By integrating the perspectives of those directly affected by homelessness, the Housing Fund for Linn County aims to develop more effective and inclusive solutions that address the needs of marginalized populations and drive meaningful community change.
The panel of judges included Erin Drinnin from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, IFA Director Debi Durham, Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, Gilbert Thomas from the IFA Board of Directors, and Matt White with Housing Innovations.
For more details on the Innovation in Homelessness Incubator Pitch Competition and the other finalists, visit iowafinance.com.