Northside Development Group Named a Weaver Awards Community Host
Spartanburg, SC, January 14, 2026 — Northside Development Group (NDG) has been named a Weaver Awards Community Host, joining a select national cohort of 25 trusted local organizations working to strengthen trust, belonging, and community connection across the United States.
As a Community Host, Northside Development Group will lead a four-year effort in Spartanburg to identify, support, and celebrate everyday neighbors - known as weavers - who are building relationships, nurturing belonging, and strengthening the social fabric of their communities.
Northside Development Group is one of 25 organizations nationwide selected by Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute to bring the Weaver Awards to life locally in 2026. Each Community Host was chosen for its deep roots in the community, strong storytelling capacity, operational readiness, and demonstrated commitment to building connection across difference.
What This Means for Spartanburg
Through this partnership, Northside Development Group will:
Identify and uplift the weavers already strengthening neighborhoods across Spartanburg
Award more than 20 microgrants each year to individuals and small nonprofits doing community-centered work
Share local stories that inspire others to weave connection and trust
Bring people together across backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives
Join a national network of peers working to rebuild trust and civic life
Northside Development Group will receive $225,000 in funding, along with training, tools, access to Weave resources, and ongoing support from the Weave team to implement the Weaver Awards locally.
“When loneliness, isolation, and division seem to define our national story, these Community Hosts show us another truth — that trust grows when neighbors show up for one another,” said Frederick J. Riley, Executive Director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project. “Northside Development Group is already deeply woven into the life of Spartanburg, and this work will help strengthen that fabric even further.”
“The Aspen Institute is proud to support this work and these remarkable organizations,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “Community Hosts like Northside Development Group remind us that connection, trust, and belonging grow through local leadership and shared purpose.”
About the 2026 Weaver Awards Community Hosts
In addition to Northside Development Group, the 2026 cohort of Community Hosts includes organizations across rural communities, big cities, tribal nations, immigrant communities, youth programs, faith-based initiatives, and long-standing neighborhood institutions. While their missions and contexts vary, they share a common commitment to weaving connection where they live.
Follow the Journey
Over the coming months, stories from Northside Development Group and the national cohort will be shared as the Weaver Awards launch in communities across the country.
To stay connected:
Join Weaving Us, a free online community of weavers: weaving.us
Sign up for the Weave newsletter: weavers.org/join
Follow Weave on social media for updates and stories throughout 2026 and beyond
About Weave: The Social Fabric Project
Weave: The Social Fabric Project addresses the breakdown of social trust that has left many Americans feeling divided and disconnected. Founded in 2018 by New York Times columnist and author David Brooks, Weave connects, supports, and invests in local leaders who are weaving a more inclusive social fabric in their communities. The project is housed at the Aspen Institute. Learn more at Weavers.org.
About the Weaver Awards
The Weaver Awards honor everyday neighbors who consistently show up to strengthen their communities—often without formal titles or funding. These individuals create emotional connection, lasting relationships, and a strong, inclusive social fabric. Through the Weaver Awards, the Aspen Institute celebrates the people who are helping rebuild trust in communities from the ground up.