As community hosts in partnership with Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute, the Lancaster County Community Foundation and Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund are launching a four-year effort to find, support, and celebrate everyday neighbors who are building trust, nurturing belonging, and weaving the social fabric in the community. Through this year's Weaver Awards, 20 local individuals or small organizations will be selected to receive $2,500 each to support their work fostering connection in Lancaster County. The Weaver Awards are a way the community can amplify and support the everyday people in local neighborhoods, schools, places of worship, and jobs who are weaving threads of connection through the community.

Nominations are open, and nominees must be residents of Lancaster County who are age 18 and older. While many people in Lancaster County are serving their neighbors, the Weaver Awards are intended for those whose projects also create lasting relationships and build trust as people work together to strengthen their community and weave a tighter social fabric.

People may apply for an award themselves or recommend a neighbor at http://www.weavelancastercounty.org. The application is intentionally simple, asking questions about the people involved, their project, and their community. Local nonprofit organizations with an operating budget less than $250,000 are also encouraged to apply. Nominations will close on Friday, July 24. Award winners will be announced and celebrated at a public event on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.

Investing in and catalyzing connection in the community is a focus for both the Lancaster County Community Foundation and the Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund. Following a national application process, they were together selected as one of 25 community host organizations across the U.S.