Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder

Weaver Awards Expand Nationally Through 25 New Community Host Organizations

Local partners across the U.S. will lead a national effort to strengthen trust, belonging, and community connection.

Washington, DC, January 14, 2026– We are thrilled to introduce the 25 Community Hosts that are partnering with Weave to bring the Weaver Awards to their communities in 2026.

These trusted, local organizations will lead a four-year effort to find, support, and celebrate the everyday neighbors who are building trust, nurturing belonging, and weaving the social fabric in their communities. 
Introducing the 2026 Weaver Awards Community Hosts

Alamo Colleges Foundation, Inc.  — Texas 

American Public Square — Missouri

Central Louisiana Community Foundation — Louisiana 

Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council — Oregon

Central Valley Community Foundation — California

Chicago Cares — Illinois

Communities Foundation of Oklahoma – Handle with Care Fiscal Sponsorship Fund — Oklahoma

Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque — Iowa

Community Foundation of Greater Flint — Michigan

Neighborhood Connections — Ohio

Health by Design — Indiana

Innovia Foundation — Washington

Lancaster County Community Foundation — Pennsylvania

Lincoln Community Foundation — Nebraska

NeighborWorks Green Bay — Wisconsin

Northside Development Group — South Carolina

PlanRVA — Virginia

The Neighboring Movement — Kansas

The Central Baltimore Partnership, Inc. — Maryland

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut — Connecticut 

United Way Greater Capital Region — New York

University Neighborhood Partners – University of Utah — Utah

University of Denver — Colorado

West Central Initiative — Minnesota

West Virginia Community Development Hub –– West Virginia

“When loneliness, isolation, and division seem to define our national story, these 25 Community Hosts show us another truth — that trust grows when neighbors show up for one another, build relationships, and work together,” said Frederick J. Riley, Executive Director of Weave:  The Social Fabric Project. “Each organization is already deeply woven into the life of its community, and by going even deeper, they’re proving that a culture of belonging isn’t just possible — it’s already taking hold, block by block.”

“The Aspen Institute is proud to support this work and these 25 remarkable organizations,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “These Community Hosts remind us that connection, trust, and community can be built through local leadership and shared purpose. Their work reflects the best of what civic life can be.”

This year’s 25 selected Hosts stood out because they demonstrated a strong commitment to building a culture of weaving, exceptional storytelling, operational readiness, thoughtful strategies for activating the Weaver Awards locally, and genuine excitement about learning and growing alongside a national cohort.

As part of this partnership, Community Hosts will:

  • Identify and uplift the weavers in their neighborhoods
  • Award more than 20 microgrants to individuals and small nonprofits each year
  • Share stories that inspire others to weave
  • Bring people together across backgrounds
  • Join a national network of peers working to rebuild trust

Each Host will receive $225,000 in funding, training, tools, access to Weave resources, and the full support of the Weave team as they bring the Awards to life.

These 25 organizations reflect a powerful diversity across geography, focus area, and community identity. They include groups rooted in rural towns, big cities, tribal nations, immigrant communities, youth programs, faith traditions, mutual aid networks, and long-standing neighborhood institutions. Their missions and contexts vary, but they share a clear common thread: each is deeply committed to weaving connection where they live.

Follow the Journey

Over the coming months, we’ll share stories from this new cohort as they prepare to launch the Weaver Awards in their communities. If you want to follow along or get involved, here are three ways to stay connected:

1. Join Weaving Us
A free online community of weavers across the country.
weaving.us 

2. Sign Up for the Weave Newsletter
Get local stories, updates, and opportunities in your inbox.
https://www.weavers.org/join

 3. Follow Weave on Social
We’ll be highlighting each Host and sharing stories from their communities throughout 2026 and beyond.

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

About the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric

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 Weaver Awards

We all know neighbors who show up, again and again, to make our community better. They seem to know everyone. They inspire us to support each other. They see a need and fill it. They often don’t have big titles or receive grants for their work. We count on them and yet we rarely celebrate how important they are to us.The Aspen Institute in Washington, DC created the Weaver Awards to honor neighbors who are serving their communities and creating emotional connection, lasting relationships, and a strong, inclusive social fabric. These weavers are showing us the way to heal the divides in our country and help us build trust in each other from the ground up.


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


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