RVA Weaver Awards Offer $2,500–$5,000

PlanRVA opened applications on June 1 for the RVA Weaver Awards, a new micro-grant program aimed at residents and small organizations doing neighborhood-level community work across the Richmond region. The awards are open in the City of Richmond, the Town of Ashland, and counties including Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover, according to the program page. PlanRVA says the grants are meant for people “building trust, connection and weaving the people in their community,” with awards ranging from $2,500 to $5,000. The application period runs through August 23, and the agency says no grant-writing experience is required. ### Who can apply for the money? The RVA Weaver Awards are open to people 18 or older who live and serve in the Richmond region, as well as some small organizations, according to the awards site. PlanRVA lists eligible places as the Town of Ashland, Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan and the City of Richmond. The program page describes “weavers” as residents with sustained, hyper-local impact who bring neighbors together, build belonging and respond to shared needs. (engage.planrva.org) The awards site says the program is designed for people who may not have the time, experience or resources to pursue traditional grants. PlanRVA describes the process as a “low lift” application, and Axios Richmond reported the form is available in English and Spanish. ### How much money is available, and how many people will get it? The awards page says individual grants will range from $2,500 to $5,000. (engage.planrva.org) Axios Richmond reported the program will provide at least 20 micro-grants annually to local community builders. In addition to funding, the application site says awardees will receive local and national recognition, access to learning resources, one-on-one support and networking opportunities with other weavers. The Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project is named on the awards materials as a national partner. PlanRVA says the evaluation rubric for applications was set by that national partner and that awardees across the country are reviewed against the same model. ### What kinds of projects fit the program? PlanRVA says the program is focused less on formal institutions and more on people already doing connective work in neighborhoods. (axios.com) The awards page says weavers are people neighbors count on, including those who reach out to residents who may feel isolated or unseen and those who build on local strengths and expertise. The program materials frame “weaving” as the practice of building meaningful relationships that help social trust grow in communities. (engage.planrva.org) That definition appears on the application platform used for the Richmond awards, which says the goal is to recognize and support people whose work is deeply local and personal. ### Who will decide which applicants receive awards? A local Richmond regional advisory group made up mainly of community advocates will select more than 20 awardees, according to the application site. (engage.planrva.org) PlanRVA says those reviewers will be people who know the region’s neighborhoods and care about “weaving a strong social fabric,” and that the final list of review partners will be shared later in the summer. (awards.weavers.org) Kristin Hott, PlanRVA’s community engagement coordinator, is listed as the contact for immediate questions on the awards page. The site also offers live and on-demand information sessions for applicants and nominators. ### What happens next, and where do residents go? June 17 is the date of a PlanRVA “Join or Die” documentary screening that the agency says will spotlight the RVA Weaver Awards after the June 1 launch. (awards.weavers.org) The application and nomination window remains open until August 23, with selections scheduled for October and a recognition event planned for November 2026, according to the awards page. Residents can apply or nominate through Engage PlanRVA. (engage.planrva.org)