Those who receive the Awards will get $5,000 grants for their work building community relationships to help students succeed. They will be honored at a county Weaver Awards community celebration on August 12, 2023. They will access support, resources, and skills training as part of an online group of people who are weaving a strong Wilkes in many ways. We’ll also work with media groups to have your weaving story shared so you can inspire others to join the people weaving a strong Wilkes.
Any project that brings people together and builds relationships to support student success is eligible. It might be a mentoring or tutoring program. Maybe folks are creating internships that connect local organizations with student talent. Or it might be a program focused on visiting and helping parents to be more supportive parents. Teachers might have a plan to get parents more involved in schools or create ways for families to learn together at the library. Weaving relationships that support young people comes in many forms. If you see a connection between your idea and student happiness and success, you should apply.
The awards are for individuals and small groups doing a project that supports student success in some way. They aren’t for an organization, though people who work for an organization can apply as long as their organization has a budget under $250,000. To get an award, you have to live and work in Wilkes County and be 18 or older.
Very little paperwork is involved. The application is online and can be done in as little as 20 minutes. Then, you will ask at least one community member to fill out a recommendation form (just 5-10 minutes long) for you, showing that you are known and involved in your community. You will say how you intend to use the award, but you don’t need a formal budget. And when you get an award, you don’t have reports to file. You check in every two months with someone on the staff of the Aspen Institute’s Weave project who is there to help you remove obstacles and succeed.
No. Any person or group can get the award. You don’t have to be a formal organization. Weaver Awards are meant for those who typically don’t have the time, experience, or resources to apply for more traditional grants.
Anyone who applies or is just interested, can join the Weave Wilkes online community, where they get invitations to gatherings, support from others weavers, and learn about other resources and grants that may be available. Join now, even before you apply, at: https://community.weavers.org/g/weave-wilkesboro
Completed applications with recommendations have to be submitted by June 20, 2023 through the Weaver Awards website. You can apply or recommend someone at WeaverAwards.com/Wilkes.
Absolutely! You can find the recommendation form on our website. The person you are recommending has to fill out the application form, and they can do it after you recommend them. When someone is recommended, we contact then and encourage then to fill out their part of the application.
Send an email to weaverawards@aspeninstitute.org and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
A group of Wilkes County community advisors will review and select individuals or groups to receive the Weaver Awards. In the meantime, join our online Weave Community and its Weave Wilkes local group to stay connected, get invited to Weaver Awards events, hear about other funding opportunities and meet weavers in Wilkes like you.
Spread the word by sharing this FAQ sheet or the website home page at WeaverAwards.org/Wilkes And tell people to apply using your social accounts. We make that easy with a social toolkit with graphics and suggested language.
Contact Weave at weaverawards@aspeninstitute.org and we’ll be happy to answer them!