$2,500 - $5,000 awards for folks connecting west side of Salt Lake County

University Neighborhood Partners is partnering with the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric to recognize 20 individuals, groups, and organizations located in the Westside of Salt Lake County who are building trust, belonging, and connection!

The Weaver Awards are designed to celebrate and support weavers - everyday neighbors who are building relationships, strengthening belonging, and weaving trust into the social fabric of their communities.

Does this sound like you or someone you know? Nominate or apply now!

What is weaving?

Weaving is the practice of building meaningful relationships that set the conditions for social trust to grow in communities.

It begins with a simple commitment: to see one another as equal in dignity, even when experiences and viewpoints differ.

Weaving invites people to:

• Discover what they have in common
• Learn how their differences can make the community stronger
• Work side by side toward common good.

Weaving can be formal or informal, and it is characterized by four qualities:

• Local: It brings together people who share the same neighborhood, town, or region
• Mutual: It celebrates everyone’s contributions and creates opportunities for everyone to both give and receive
• Welcoming: It invites people to join as they are
• Continuous: It builds relationships that deepen over time through ongoing engagement

What are the Weaver Awards?

The Weaver Awards are part of a constellation of activities designed to celebrate and support weavers - everyday neighbors who are building relationships, strengthening belonging, and weaving trust into the social fabric of their communities. The $2,500 - $5,000 award range is designated for neighbors working together and is easy to apply for, as it requires only simple reporting and can go to individuals or small organizations.

Why are we launching the Weaver Awards in West Salt Lake County?

The Weaver Awards celebrate the residents, organizations, and community groups who are already creating stronger, more connected neighborhoods across west side Salt Lake County. By investing in these local weavers, UNP is advancing its mission to bring together the University of Utah and west side communities in mutual learning, action, and benefit.

What will you get if you become a Weaver Awardee?

Depending on the individual or group/organization applying, each Weaver Awardee will receive a financial award of $2,500-$5,000 to celebrate and recognize their contributions to their community. In addition, each awardee will receive:

• Local and National Recognition: Awardees will be recognized both locally and nationally by the Aspen Institute alongside weavers from across the country.
• Learning Resources and Tools: Awardees will access learning resources and opportunities
• 1:1 Support: Awardees will 1:1 support to implement their community-based activities
• Networks and Connections: Awardees will access a network of other local weavers and participate in regular meetings and networking events.

Who is eligible?

For someone to be considered for an Award they need to:

• Be 18 or older
• Live and serve in the west side of Salt Lake County
• Have a project that helps connect neighbors and fosters relationships between them
• The project is open to anyone in the community
• The project addresses a shared need in the community
• If the project is part of an organization, the organization must have an annual budget below $250,000
• Have a community recommendation from a community member who lives in the area you serve.

What makes a good candidate for a Weaver Award?

Weaving is characterized by four qualities:

• Local: It brings together people who share the same neighborhood, town, or region
• Mutual: It celebrates everyone’s contributions and creates opportunities for everyone to both give and receive
• Welcoming: It invites people to join as they are
• Continuous: It builds relationships that deepen over time through ongoing engagement

UNP is looking for people and groups/organizations with projects or initiatives that reflect these qualities. We are looking for folks who get neighbors together to tackle a shared issue in their community. The project must also welcome anyone who wants to join it and foster relationships between participants.

For examples of past weavers and their projects, click here.

How can you use the funds?

UNP believes that weavers know best how to use the funds to connect their communities. However, we do have a few restrictions:

Funds may not be used for:

• Regranting funds
• Large sums for items that are not for community use (i.e. building supplies for private use)
• Purchasing items that would be donated to individual people (i.e. wheelchairs)
• Tuition or certification fees

You can see a sample budget, as an example, here.

Who selects the Weaver Awardees?

A local advisory group, made up mainly of local community advocates, will choose the Awardees. These are people who know the spirit of the community and its neighborhoods. They care about weaving a strong social fabric and they know what it takes to do so.

FAQ

What are the Weaver Awards?

The Weaver Awards recognize 20 people from the west side of Salt Lake County who are leading efforts in their communities to address local needs with $2,500 - $5,000 awards.

Who can get a Weaver Award?

The awards are for individuals and small groups doing a project that brings people together, foster relationships with one another, and addresses a shared need in the community. The Awards are not intended for large organizations, though people who work for an organization can apply as long as their organization has an annual budget under $250,000. To get an award, you have to live and work in the west side of Salt Lake County and be 18 or older. You don’t have to be part of a nonprofit organization. To receive an award from UNP, applicants must also be able to attend Weaver-related events and workshops throughout the fiscal year and complete an end-of-year measure of impact.

How do I nominate someone for a Weaver Award?

Nominating someone is quick and easy! Simply answer three short questions, a process that takes as little as 15 minutes. Beginning August 1, 2026, you can access the nomination form on this page.

To submit a nomination, you must be 18 years of age or older and live, work, or attend school on the west side of Salt Lake County. You may not nominate someone if you are a staff member of the nominee's organization or an immediate family member of the individual being nominated.

After you submit your nomination, the nominee will receive an email inviting them to complete the Weaver Award application. We encourage you to let them know you've nominated them so they can watch for our email and complete the application.

How long does it take to complete the application process?

The application has two parts, the nomination by a neighbor and the application by the aspiring Awardee. Each part can be completed in as little as 30 minutes and you can even submit video recordings instead of a written application.

Do you have to be attached to a nonprofit to get an Award?

No. Anyone can get the Award. You don’t have to have a formal organization. Weaver Awards are meant for those who don’t have the time, experience, or resources to apply for traditional awards.

How do you apply and what's the deadline?

Completed applications with nominations have to be submitted by September 27th through the UNP Weaver Awards application website. You can apply or recommend someone via invite.

If I'm submitting a video application, can I submit only one video?

No, you need to submit a video for each question that requires a video response. It’s the best way to ensure the judges properly evaluate your answers. Please make sure you respect the guidelines of time limits. We limit each video response to 2 minutes.

University Neighborhood Partners

UNP is launching the Weaver Awards because we believe that the greatest strength of west side Salt Lake County lies in the people, relationships, and community leaders who work every day to create more connected, resilient, and thriving neighborhoods. For more than two decades, UNP has partnered with residents, community organizations, and the University of Utah to cultivate spaces where knowledge is co-created, relationships are strengthened, and community-driven solutions can flourish.

The Weaver Awards provide an opportunity to recognize and invest in the individuals, organizations, and informal community groups that are already weaving together the social fabric of our neighborhoods. By providing flexible funding and celebrating community leadership, these awards will help strengthen local leadership, deepen trust, and expand opportunities for neighbors to build meaningful, lasting connections.

Launching the Weaver Awards aligns closely with UNP's mission of bringing together the University of Utah and west side people and resources in mutual learning, action, and benefit. The Weaver Awards represent another way that UNP invests in community-defined strengths, supports local leadership, and fosters a lasting culture of belonging where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of their community.

About Weave: The Social Fabric Project

Weave: The Social Fabric Project is an initiative of the Aspen Institute dedicated to strengthening trust, connection, and belonging in communities across the United States. Weave supports everyday weavers—neighbors who show up for others, bridge divides, and build community. Through storytelling, online learning, community-building programs, and the Weaver Awards, Weave works to repair America’s social fabric from the ground up and lift up the people who are already leading this work in their neighborhoods. Learn more at weavers.org.

Contact Us

We welcome your questions! If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the Weaver Awards, please contact us at 801-587-7329 or email development@utah.edu