Coeur d’Alene, ID, January 22, 2026 — Innovia Foundation has been selected as one of 25
Community Host organizations nationwide for the 2026 Weaver Awards, an initiative of
Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute. This partnership reflects
Innovia’s ongoing commitment to working with local community members, donors, and
partners to strengthen connection and belonging across Eastern Washington and North
Idaho.
As the community foundation for the region, Innovia will bring this national program home
to Coeur d’Alene, working alongside community partners to celebrate the people and
organizations that make Kootenai County a place of trust and collaboration.
“Innovia is excited to serve as a Community Host for the Weaver Awards in Coeur
d’Alene, creating new opportunities to increase connection and belonging in our region,”
says Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation. “Through the Weaver Awards, we
envision a future that includes stronger social connections, increased civic engagement,
and people working together across differences. This is a true reflection of our
commitment to make more possible in every community we serve.”
The Weaver Awards celebrate “weavers”—everyday neighbors who are building
relationships, strengthening belonging, and weaving trust into the social fabric of their
communities. Over the next four years, Innovia will work with local partners to promote a
culture of weaving in Coeur d’Alene by:
- Identifying local weavers and sharing their stories with the community
- Launching a local Weaver Awards program, distributing 20+ microgrants each year
for four years to individuals and small nonprofits - Convening gatherings that bring people together and help them learn the skills of
weaving - Joining a national network of local leaders rebuilding trust in communities across the
U.S.
Recognition of Community Leadership
“Bringing the Weaver Awards to Kootenai County offers the opportunity to recognize and
strengthen everyday connectors who are quietly rebuilding relationships across cultural,
political, and social divides,” says Innovia Foundation Board President Ryan Nipp. “These
nontraditional leaders are the ones crafting trust—not through top-down directives, but
through neighbor-to-neighbor acts of care, listening, and collaboration.”
Former Innovia Board President Rick Rasmussen sees the program’s potential to bring
new investments, possibilities, and opportunities to strengthen trust and belonging in the
community. “Innovia’s long-standing reputation as an organization that brings people
together makes them an ideal Community Host,” says Rasmussen. “The foundation’s
participation in the Weaver Awards initiative will drive positive impact in Kootenai
County—strengthening relationships locally and building trust.”
National Partnership, Local Impact
Each Community Host receives $225,000 in startup funding, along with training, tools,
technical assistance, and ongoing support from Weave. This partnership represents a
four-year commitment to the community, signaling Weave’s belief in the strength,
creativity, and leadership already alive in Kootenai County. The first cycle of Weaver
Awards launches in fall 2026.
“While loneliness, isolation, and division seem to define our national story, these 25
Community Hosts show us another truth—that trust grows when neighbors show up for
one another, build relationships, and work together,” said Frederick J. Riley, Executive
Director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute. “Each organization is
already deeply woven into the life of its community, and by going even deeper, they’re
proving that a culture of belonging isn’t just possible—it’s already taking hold, block by
block.”
About Weave
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.
About Innovia Foundation
As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, we partner with
people who want to improve their communities and make the world better. We work
together to identify and respond to our region’s greatest opportunities, help those in need,
and leave a lasting impact. Our mission is to ignite generosity that transforms lives and
communities. We envision vibrant and sustainable communities where every person has
the opportunity to thrive. Each year, Innovia Foundation invests $14 million into our
communities through grants and scholarships
