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Weave: The Social Fabric Project’s Map for Rebuilding Trust in America Wins 3 Webby Anthem Awards

Interactive tool shows where trust is being rebuilt in 250,000 U.S. neighborhoods

Washington, D.C., Nov. 18, 2025 – Today, Weave: The Social Fabric Project’s Trust Map won three Webby Anthem Awards for excellence in social impact. The interactive Map measures social trust and highlights stories of everyday Americans who are bringing neighbors together to build relationships and tackle shared needs. It provides data on the strength of trusting behaviors, intentions, and spaces across 250,000 U.S. neighborhoods as a guide to help people plan events to spur deeper connection across differences.

The Trust Map won gold for best use of data, bronze for best community engagement, and a Community Voice award (chosen by popular vote) for offering opportunities to engage the local community in an important cause. As part of the interactive experience, the Map shows how many other weavers are near you and links to local weaving volunteer roles from a specialized database of more than 40,000 opportunities.

“If we’re going to build a more united nation, that work starts in our neighborhoods with each of us,” said Frederick J. Riley, executive director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute. “The Trust Map shows how local changemakers are weaving trust, creativity, and community back into the fabric of our country. This recognition affirms the power of place-based, transformative service — and the hope that grows when people can easily see, learn from, and join the weaving happening all around them.”

The Weave project was founded at the Aspen Institute by New York Times columnist and author David Brooks in 2018. It tackles the problem of broken social trust that has left Americans divided, lonely, and in social and political gridlock.

“This has been a challenging year for the impact sector, but the Winners of the 5th Annual Anthem Awards have shown their resilience and continued commitment to a better tomorrow,” said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. “This year’s winners are a source of hope, and I am excited to celebrate their work with the world today.”

The Map’s neighborhood data came from Esri, Spatial.ai, SafeGraph, and OpenStreetMaps. These groups acquire data from the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, MRI-Simmons, social media (e.g., X, Instagram, Facebook), and ground surveys, among others. Data is updated annually. Rick Snell and Matt Felton of Datastory developed the trust index and data visualization studio, Polygraph, created the interactive experience. Walmart.org provided funding.

A board of seven researchers were advisors for the Map project: David M. Bersoff,

Head of Research, Edelman Trust Institute; Dr. Jiyin Cao, Associate Professor of Management, Stony Brook University; Dr. Karen Cook, Professor of Sociology, Stanford University; Dr. Shayla C. Nunnally, Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Lee Rainie, Founding Director, Internet and Technology Research, Pew Research Center; Dr. Blaine G. Robbins, Associate Professor of Social Research & Public Policy

New York University Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Patrick Sturgis, Professor of Quantitative Social Science, London School of Economics & Political Science. 

The 5th Annual Anthem Awards received more than 2,000 submissions from 42 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.

Weave encourages journalists interested in interviewing weavers or visiting communities with weaving projects highlighted in the Map to contact us. We have photos and video images of the stories and interactive experience available on request.

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Press Contact:
Safiya Simmons, Director of Communications and Partnerships
Weave: The Social Fabric Project
The Aspen Institute
[email protected]

About the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project

Weave: The Social Fabric Project tackles the problem of broken social trust that has left Americans divided, lonely, and in social gridlock. Weave connects, supports, and invests in local leaders stepping up to weave a new, inclusive social fabric where they live. The project was founded by New York Times columnist and author David Brooks at the Aspen Institute in 2018. More at Weavers.org

About the Anthem Awards

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity,  Inclusion, & Belonging; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. This season’s sponsors and partners include AARP, Virgin Hotels NYC, The Bloom, The Social Innovation Summit, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, and TheFutureParty. The Anthem Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.

About The Webby Awards

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites & Mobile Sites, Video & Film, Advertising, Media & PR, Podcasts, Social & Games, Apps, Software & Immersive, Creators, and new this year, AI. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide last year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and partners of The Webby Awards include WP Engine, Meltwater, KPMG, NAACP, WSJ, Fast Company, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Morning Brew, The Hustle, AIGA NY, and The Publish Press.