Edited Release
09/11/26
The Iowa Finance Authority has named Shelter House in Iowa City as one of two winners of the 2026 Iowa Innovation in Homelessness Incubator Pitch Competition, awarding a total of $200,000 supporting pilot initiatives designed to advance homelessness response in Iowa communities.
The competition invited Iowa homeless service organizations to develop approaches that advance the goal of making homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring across the state. Up to $200,000 was available, with winning projects eligible for as much as $100,000 each to support pilot initiatives.
As communities across Iowa respond to the complex factors that contribute to homelessness, there is growing interest in approaches that address immediate needs while creating lasting change. The selected project at Shelter House offers an opportunity to test new strategies, measure outcomes and better understand how individuals and families can achieve lasting housing stability.
The Community Integrated Health Program is an innovative partnership between Shelter House, Iowa City, and University of Iowa Health Care that brings medical care directly to people experiencing homelessness. Supervised Internal Medicine resident clinics at Shelter House provide primary care, chronic disease management, wound care and post-hospital follow-up for individuals who face barriers to traditional care.
By connecting shelter-based care with the health system’s electronic medical record, the Community Integrated Health Program improves coordination across hospitals, emergency departments, outreach teams and homelessness services. The model strengthens continuity of care, reduces unnecessary emergency department use and helps address health challenges that can stand in the way of housing stability.
A link to more information can be found through a link included with this story on the KCJJ app and at 1630 KCJJ dot com.
https://opportunityiowa.gov/2026-innovation-homelessness-pitch-competition