Weaver Awards will fund 6,000 neighbors to create more connected communities.
Washington, DC, February 27, 2025 –– At a time when many Americans are feeling lonely, divided, and distrustful, the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project is investing in grassroots leaders who are quietly rebuilding social connection and trust in their communities. A $22.4 million grant to Aspen from Lilly Endowment Inc. will allow Weave to partner with 75 community-based organizations and distribute Weaver Awards to 6,000 individuals and small groups. The Awards will support those who are actively weaving a strong, new social fabric where they live.
Founded in 2018 by New York Times columnist and author David Brooks, the Weave project aims to amplify the work of these local leaders by providing resources, fostering partnerships, and inspiring the next generation of weavers. Weave and the Weaver Awards program are core components of the Aspen Institute’s efforts to strengthen trust throughout society, which is a key priority of its five-year strategic plan.
This fall, nonprofits throughout the country will be able to apply to host the Weaver Awards program in their communities. $17 million will go to host organizations to make small grants to community residents and groups for projects that weave relationships as neighbors work together to tackle a community’s shared need.
The remaining funds will enable Weave to provide a range of services over four years to the host organizations, their communities, and Weaver Award recipients. The services include digital tools, leadership training, an online peer support network, expert speakers, and a platform to highlight stories and opportunities where locals are involved in “weaving” projects.
The Weaver Awards are unusual in three ways:
- Inclusive Funding: Individuals and informal groups—not just nonprofits—can apply.
- Simple Application: The process takes as little as 30 minutes.
- Community-Led Selection: Local advisory groups, made up of community members, work with Weave host organizations to choose the award recipients.
Weave host organizations will receive start-up funds to cover most costs in the first two years as they establish the program and demonstrate its value in their communities. To apply, community organizations must either partner with a grant-disbursing organization or have both grassroots programming and grant-disbursing capacity within their own organization.
The Weaver Awards were successfully piloted in Baltimore, MD, and Wilkesboro, NC, where 110 recipients have used grants for a range of projects to unite their neighbors. Examples include:
- Community-tended gardens that provide free, fresh food in grocery deserts.
- Vacant lots and underused public spaces revitalized for festivals, concerts, and gatherings.
- Community cleanups, mentorship programs, and health fairs to spur mutual aid and pride.
“Projects like these are already happening across America.” says Frederick J. Riley, executive director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project. “The Awards celebrate those weavers, give them funds to expand their work, and inspire the rest of us to join them. When neighbors work together, they build trust. When communities are strong, our nation is strong.”
“Lilly Endowment is most pleased to help enhance and expand Weave. Time and time again, we have seen that neighbors working together to address an important local need can heal fractures and correct misunderstandings in a community. Healthier relationships and improved trust can often result from making common cause,” said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment’s Chairman and CEO. “We believe Weave shows great promise to improve the civic spirit and quality of life in local communities throughout our country.”
Nonprofits interested in hosting the Weaver Awards in their communities can learn more and express early interest at WeaverAwards.org. The Aspen Institute will open applications in the fall.
###
Media Contact:
Michael Skoler, Weave: The Social Fabric Project
michael.skoler@aspeninstitute.org | (573) 256-9600
About Weave: The Social Fabric Project
Weave: The Social Fabric Project is a nationwide initiative of the Aspen Institute that supports grassroots leaders who are actively building social trust and fostering an inclusive social fabric in their communities. Weave strengthens these local “weavers” by providing access to resources, facilitating partnerships, and inspiring the next generation of weavers. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and author, founded the project in 2018 and serves as its chair.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.