Deadline: 15-May-2026
Wells Fargo, in partnership with Enterprise, has launched the 2026 Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge to support innovative, ready-to-scale solutions that expand access to affordable housing across the United States. The competition will award five grants of $2 million each to organizations advancing transformative approaches in design and construction, finance, and service delivery and programs across Native, rural, suburban, tribal, and urban communities.
About the Opportunity
The 2026 Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge is the third cycle of a national competition aimed at identifying bold, proven solutions that can improve access to affordable housing across diverse communities in the United States.
Led by Wells Fargo in partnership with Enterprise, the challenge is designed to support organizations with ready-to-scale innovations that can drive meaningful, systems-level change in housing and related sectors. The focus is on solutions that can reshape current practices and expand housing choice, affordability, and quality nationwide.
Focus Areas
The challenge is centered around three major areas:
- Design and Construction
- Finance
- Service Delivery and Programs
Applicants should align their solutions with one or more of these areas while demonstrating strong potential for broader impact.
Funding Information
Selected winners will receive:
- Five individual grants of $2 million each
This substantial funding is intended to help organizations scale proven solutions that address structural barriers to affordable housing and generate long-term impact.
Additional Benefits
In addition to funding, winners will receive:
- Mentorship and coaching from industry leaders and experts
- Access to a strong network of Breakthrough Challenge innovators
- Opportunities for peer learning and strategic support
These added benefits can help organizations refine implementation strategies and strengthen long-term sustainability.
Geographic Scope
The challenge is open across the United States, with a strong emphasis on serving all community types, including:
- Native communities
- Rural communities
- Suburban communities
- Tribal communities
- Urban communities
This broad scope reflects the programme’s goal of tackling housing affordability challenges in varied local contexts.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. include:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Mission-oriented for-profit entities
- Quasi-governmental organizations
- Housing authorities
- Housing finance agencies with a 501(c)(3) designation
- Tribally Designated Housing Entities
- Tribal Housing Authorities
The competition is designed to welcome a wide range of organizations working on scalable housing solutions.
What Type of Solutions Are Competitive?
The challenge is specifically looking for solutions that are:
- Proven
- Innovative
- Ready to scale
- Capable of creating systems-level change
Strong proposals will likely demonstrate:
- Clear evidence that the model already works
- Potential to expand across multiple communities or markets
- Relevance to one of the three focus areas
- A practical path to improving housing affordability, access, or quality
- Capacity to influence broader housing systems or adjacent industries
Why This Opportunity Matters
This is a major funding opportunity for organizations already testing or implementing promising housing solutions and looking to scale them significantly.
What makes this challenge especially valuable is the size of the awards and the emphasis on transformative change rather than small pilot projects. With $2 million per winner, plus expert mentorship and national visibility, the programme is well suited for organizations that are ready to move proven innovations into broader adoption.
Quick Tips for Applicants
To strengthen your application:
- Emphasize that your solution is already proven, not just conceptual
- Show how it is ready to scale
- Clearly connect the model to design and construction, finance, or service delivery
- Demonstrate how it improves housing access, affordability, or quality
- Explain the potential for systems-level change
- Highlight relevance for underserved or diverse communities
- Include strong implementation evidence and measurable outcomes
FAQs
1. Who is organizing the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge 2026?
The challenge is launched by Wells Fargo, in partnership with Enterprise.
2. How much funding is available?
The competition will award five grants of $2 million each.
3. What are the main focus areas?
The three focus areas are Design and Construction, Finance, and Service Delivery and Programs.
4. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, mission-oriented for-profits, quasi-governmental organizations, housing authorities, certain housing finance agencies with 501(c)(3) status, Tribally Designated Housing Entities, and Tribal Housing Authorities.
5. Is the challenge open nationwide?
Yes. The competition is open to organizations from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
6. What types of communities are prioritized?
The challenge seeks solutions relevant to Native, rural, suburban, tribal, and urban communities.
7. What kind of solutions are preferred?
The challenge prioritizes proven, ready-to-scale innovations that can create meaningful, systems-level change in affordable housing.
Conclusion
The 2026 Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge presents a significant opportunity for organizations working to transform affordable housing in the United States. With five grants of $2 million each, plus mentorship and access to a national innovation network, the challenge is especially attractive for applicants with proven solutions ready for large-scale expansion. Organizations that can demonstrate strong results, scalability, and the potential to create systems-level improvements in housing affordability, access, and quality will be well positioned to compete.
For more information, visit Enterprise Community Partners.
