Are You a Doer? A Helper? A Changemaker? There’s A Place For You Here In Schoharie County.
The Capital Region United Way’s 2026 Weaver Awards (mini-grants of up to $5,000) could get you started. Because in Schoharie County, we're all changemakers.
Entrepreneurs Tania Konwinski and Dasha Mattia share at laugh at SEEC’s Tacos & Trust, an event introducing the Capital Region United Way’s 2026 Weaver Awards.
If you’re looking for a place in Upstate New York where:
Doers, helpers and changemakers are embraced, encouraged, supported and funded.
And where you can build a life/career/family/future in a place that values that social fabric…
Take a look at Schoharie County, where, thanks to Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute, United Way of the Greater Capital Region will be awarding up to $5,000 in mini-grants to Weavers and grassroots organizations for community projects encompassing all of that.
>>Applications open June 15.
But first…
Darlene Patterson (Schoharie Promotional), Gail Browning (Landis Arboretum) and Bart Finegan (SEEC) chat before the Weavers’ introduction.
What's a Weaver?
The short answer: Anyone working on positive change.
The longer answer?
Weavers are trusted community members who:
United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s Claire Reid talks about the importance of building connections.
>Build meaningful relationships.
>Help neighbors solve problems
>Strengthen trust and connection.
(Sound like you? Or something you’d like to be a part of? Keep reading.)
As part of Economic Development Week 2026 and billed as Tacos & Trust (and yes, there were tacos. And margaritas. Cause…tacos) SEEC invited Schoharie County Weavers in to experience firsthand Capital Region United Way’s vision for the Aspen Institute’s 2026 Weaver Awards.
And they came:
More than a dozen Weavers who’ve made Schoharie County home, from their mid-30s into their 70s, many of whom had probably never been together in the same room before.
Entrepreneur Tania Konwinski talks about Schoharie County’s assets—and what brought her here.
What brought them here and there (first to Schoharie County and then to Tacos & Trust)?
Our unbelievable generosity. (The Joshua Project’s Pat Costello.) Our incredible artistic talent. (Jennie Mosher, Schoharie County Arts.) His motorcycle. (Wayne Stinson, Summit Neighbors. That’s part of a longer story.) A sense of community. (Paul Conroy, SEEC advisor.)
“The leaders we need are all right here,” said UWGCR’s Claire Reid, intentionally choosing that intro question.
“United Way is all about building connections across the region. Let’s build some relationships."
Pretty quickly, the Weavers did as they collaborated on answers to Reid’s next question:
What’s more important: That relationship-building or infrastructure?
One adds fuel to the other. (Chris Guldnar, CPI and the Bull’s Head Inn.) Infrastructure makes it easier to get downtown for what we’re building there. (Yvonne Baker, Schoharie Library.) Relationships depend on the right infrastructure to bring together people from every background and every stage of life. (Entrepreneur Tania Konwinski and County Public Health Director Nicole Blanchard.)
Intrigued? Maybe you’re a Weaver.
The Weaver Awards will run for five years; they’re open to individuals and non-profits with operating budgets under $250,000 in nine counties: Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie.
SEEC Tacos & Trusts attendees came from all walks of life. Some were in their 30s…others in their 70s.
What else do you need to know if you’re a Schoharie County Weaver?
>UWGCRU expects to hand out 20-25 mini-grants in ‘26.
>>Grants open June 15 and will be open for two months.
>2026 is the first year of a five-year cycle.
>The application will be simple– no grant-writers needed–just five questions.
What kind of projects and ideas is UWGCR looking for? Those that…
>>Bring people together to solve a problem. [Think community gardens that pair seniors with kids.]
>>Go beyond a one-time event.
>>Welcome everyone. [Think accessible spaces.]
>>Connect people, build relationships, and do good work in the community. [Think a vacant lot turned playground.]
>>Are local and in-person. [Think a book club that becomes a meeting place.]
Reid: “This is an ‘all of us’ kind of thing. A chance to discover what we have in common.”
And what we’re all about in Schoharie County.
Are you a Weaver? Know a Weaver?
Applications go live June 15: United Way. More info?
There’s plenty more on making your Upstate NY dreams come true too at SEEC.
