Utah Dream Fund

What Utah Dream Fund does

Utah Dream Fund (UDF) is a Utah-based nonprofit that provides down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers through Shared Appreciation Mortgages (SAMs). The product, built on the Homium platform and originated exclusively through Guild Mortgage as a second-lien subordinate to a Guild first mortgage, allows qualified borrowers to purchase a home with as little as 3% down and zero monthly principal or interest payments. Repayments are deferred until the home is sold, refinanced, or after 30 years, at which point the borrower repays the greater of the original principal or a pro-rata share of any home price appreciation; if the home declines in value, the borrower repays only principal. The 1:1 shared growth model routes any appreciation back into funding future Utah homebuyers.

UDF operates two coordinated offerings: a statewide program serving Utah residents earning up to 140% of Area Median Income, and a Promise Partnership Utah subprogram targeting South Salt Lake and West Millcreek zip codes (84106, 84107, 84115, 84117, 84119, 84123, 84124) with wraparound education, workforce, health, and stability services. Distribution is exclusively through seven Guild Mortgage loan officers across Utah (Vernal, St. George, Draper, Tremonton, Spanish Fork, Sandy, South Ogden), with top-of-funnel awareness driven by community partnerships, an online intake form, and Homebuyer Readiness Fairs.

The funding stack consists of philanthropic and program-related investment capital from Sorenson Impact Foundation, Garbett Family Foundation, Mark-Kathie Miller Foundation, and other partners, with operational alignment through Promise Partnership Utah, United Way of Salt Lake, Community Development Credit Union, and Homium. As of the latest disclosure, the program's funding pool is fully committed and prospective applicants are routed to counselors and loan officers for waitlist notification, indicating demand exceeds currently deployed capital. The website carries a 2025 copyright; no revenue, headcount, or completed funding round figures are disclosed.

Name

Utah Dream Fund

Legal name

Utah Dream Fund

Website

https://utahdreamfund.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Utah Dream Fund is a Utah-based nonprofit offering Shared Appreciation Mortgage down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers earning up to 140% of Area Median Income, distributed through Guild Mortgage loan officers statewide and within Promise Partnership Utah communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Finance

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

Closed-End Home Equity Loans (Second Mortgages) (FSALAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Down payment assistance
• Shared appreciation mortgages
• First-time homebuyer programs
• Affordable housing financing
• Nonprofit mortgage programs

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Shared Appreciation Repayments: Utah Dream Fund generates revenue when borrowers sell, refinance, or after 30 years. The repayment amount is the greater of the original principal loan amount or the pro-rata shared appreciation percentage of the home's value increase. This creates a sustainable funding cycle where home price appreciation directly funds future homebuyers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Utah Dream Fund provides shared appreciation down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers in Utah through Homium's Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM) platform. The SAM is a second-lien loan that allows buyers to purchase a home with as little as 3% down, eliminates monthly principal or interest payments, and defers repayment until the home is sold, refinanced, or after 30 years. Repayment equals the greater of the original principal or a pro-rata share of home appreciation, with appreciation gains reinvested into funding additional Utah homebuyers.

Product overview

Utah Dream Fund offers a unified homeownership financing program built around Shared Appreciation Mortgages (SAMs), a no-monthly-payment second-lien loan product developed in partnership with Homium. The core offering is the Statewide Program, which provides down payment assistance to Utah residents earning up to 140% AMI. An additional Millcreek/South Salt Lake Subprogram extends the same SAM product within specific Promise Communities, coordinating with wraparound social services. All products function as a single integrated financing solution rather than separate modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM) Down Payment Assistance

Quantifiable outcome

• As little as 3% down payment requirement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• HomiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationUtah Dream Fund partners with Homium to offer Shared Appreciation Mortgages (SAMs) — a fair, transparent second-lien loan that adds a silent partner to the traditional mortgage stack. Homium's platform enables the shared appreciation model where no monthly payments are required and repayments are deferred until home sale, refinance, or after 30 years.
• Guild MortgagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUDF is proud to partner with Guild Mortgage to support Utah homebuyers. Guild Mortgage provides dedicated loan officers across Utah who originate the SAM program. The loan product is a brokered product that is a subordinate lien to a Guild Mortgage first mortgage.
• Promise Partnership UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromise Partnership Utah is a cross-sector network of communities, businesses, schools, colleges, organizations and individuals committed to working together to improve education, health and economic mobility. By partnering with Utah Dream Fund and Homium, they remove barriers to financial stability, education, and homeownership.
• United Way of Salt LakemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Salt Lake supports the Promise Partnership and aligns efforts with Utah Dream Fund in South Salt Lake and Millcreek Promise Communities to coordinate education, workforce, health, and stability services for homeowners.
• Community Development Credit Union (CDCU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDCU expands affordable housing access through community development, financial education, and homeownership programs. They are listed as a partner in the initiative to ensure every homebuyer has access to fair financing, education, and support.
• United Way Salt Lake Impact OrganizationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobilizes individuals and communities to action to support basic needs and education, so 100% of kids and families are thriving. Listed as a partner in the homeownership ecosystem.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Point (Point Digital Finance): Point offers shared equity home financing — homeowners receive cash in exchange for a share of future appreciation, with no monthly payments and no interest. Direct functional analog to UDF/Homium SAMs, with the differentiating factor being that Point is a for-profit fintech rather than a nonprofit fund.
• Hometap: Hometap provides shared equity home financing to homeowners, taking a share of home value in exchange for cash today, with no monthly payments. Directly parallel to UDF's SAM product structure, though Hometap is commercial and offers larger checks against the home's equity for refinancing or home equity release purposes.
• Unison: Unison is a for-profit shared equity / shared appreciation home investment firm. It is the most direct product analog to Utah Dream Fund's SAM model — both offer down payment assistance in exchange for a share of future home appreciation rather than monthly payments. Comparable on product architecture, deal structure, and target segment (owner-occupier first/second-home buyers), though Unison is venture-backed and commercial rather than nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks America (network): A national network of nearly 250 nonprofit housing counseling and development organizations providing homebuyer education, down payment assistance, and community development financing. Adjacent to UDF's mission of helping working-class families achieve sustainable homeownership, with a much broader service portfolio and national footprint.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Habitat for Humanity provides affordable homeownership opportunities to low-income families through volunteer-built homes, low/no-interest mortgages, and down payment assistance. Compares to UDF on the affordable-ownership mission and nonprofit distribution model, though Habitat focuses on supply-side construction rather than second-lien DPA.

Emerging players

• Unlock (UK): Unlock provides shared appreciation / shared equity home-purchase finance in the UK, allowing buyers to fund a portion of their home purchase in exchange for a share of future value. Comparable to UDF's underlying mechanism; relevant as a peer showing international demand for the shared appreciation structure.

Regional players

• Utah Housing Corporation: Utah's state housing finance agency, which administers down payment assistance, first-mortgage, and other affordable housing programs for Utah residents. Operating in the exact same geography and serving an overlapping low-to-moderate income buyer segment, though through traditional first-lien DPA grants and tax-exempt bonds rather than SAMs.

Others

• Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund network: U.S. Treasury-certified CDFIs provide affordable mortgages and down payment assistance in underserved communities, often partnering with state housing finance agencies and lenders. Community Development Credit Union (CDCU) is one such partner on UDF's initiative. The broader CDFI network serves a comparable mission via conventional lending rather than SAM second-liens.
• Homium: Homium is the technology platform powering UDF's Shared Appreciation Mortgage product. Functions as UDF's technology and SAM-architecture partner — comparable to a fintech infrastructure vendor rather than a true market peer, but central to UDF's value proposition.
• Guild Mortgage (as distribution partner): Guild Mortgage is UDF's primary loan-origination partner and is mentioned explicitly as powering the program. A large retail residential mortgage lender providing first-lien financing that pairs with UDF's second-lien SAM. Functions as a critical distribution and origination partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Utah Dream Fund