Capital One’s non-profit, in collaboration with Lever, established the Challenge to enhance the stability of local communities by promoting homeownership as part of its Community Benefits Plan that is supportive of small businesses.
Homeownership in the United States has become increasingly difficult for many. To address this affordability and access crisis, Capital One, the Capital One Foundation, and nonprofit partner Lever for Change have launched the $25 million Scaling Pathways to Homeownership Open Call.
Following its acquisition of Discover, Capital One’s five-year $265 billion Community Benefits Plan (CBP) includes this Challenge. The CBP aims to support consumers, foster small business growth, invest in community infrastructure, and expand affordable housing opportunities.
“Homeownership has long been the cornerstone of financial security for many, yet rising costs, lack of supply, and lack of access to the right tools and information continue to put it out of reach for millions,” said Andy Navarrete, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Enterprise Affairs at Capital One and Board Member of the Capital One Foundation. The Open Call is an invitation to partners—large and small—to “reimagine how consumers get equipped, informed, and empowered to build pathways to homeownership.”
The Challenge’s Focus Areas
“Some of the most effective housing solutions are born in local communities and led by smaller institutions that deeply understand the needs of their neighbors,” said Kerone Vatel, Senior Vice President and Head of Community Finance, Impact, and Investment at Capital One. “Through this Open Call, we’re helping to elevate and accelerate those efforts already underway—showcasing local innovations that are helping to shape a national movement to strengthen the housing ecosystem.”
The Open Call addresses three key housing issues: rising costs, a nationwide supply shortage, and critical information gaps.
Scaling Pathways to Homeownership seeks proposals from organizations and partnerships across the U.S. that drive transformative change in four key areas:
- Housing Counseling and Consumer Education
- For-Sale Housing Production at Scale
- Information Gaps or Supply Changes, and
- Access and Support for Homeownership Readiness
Ten finalists will each receive $200,000 in initial funding from the Capital One Foundation, along with technical assistance to refine their proposals.
In early 2027, five awardees will be selected, each receiving an additional $4.6 million to implement their solutions.
Capital One is building on its efforts that began in 2024 when it provided $2.9 billion in financing to develop over 15,000 units of affordable rental housing and awarded more than $10 million in grants to over 160 local nonprofit organizations.
The selection process will highlight both national strategies and effective local innovations.
From Ideas to Impact
The $265 billion Community Benefits Plan was developed in collaboration with leading community groups, including Capital One’s Community Advisory Council and over 200 community organizations. Housing affordability emerged as a top priority in these discussions, leading to the launch of this Open Call.
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois commended the effort, noting that it supports the search for “creative solutions to make homeownership more affordable.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago added that launching the initiative in the city helps “drive the kind of inclusive innovation that gives more families the opportunity to build wealth, put down roots, and share in our city’s growth.”
Managed by Lever for Change, which finds donors to solve grand challenges, the Open Call will add all ten finalist proposals to the organization’s Bold Solutions Network, providing ongoing learning and networking opportunities to enhance future funding and impact.
The registration deadline is December 17, 2025, and final applications are due January 29, 2026. Organizations interested in participating can learn more and complete the eligibility assessment at homeownership.leverforchange.org.
Kristen J. Molyneaux, President of Lever for Change, stated, “Homeownership is a gateway to stability and opportunity. This Open Call is about unlocking innovative solutions that empower individuals and families to achieve this goal and all the long-term benefits it brings.”
