The JAMS Foundation and the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) unveiled the details for the new “Community Mediation Mini-Grant Program.”   The program will provide approximately $85,000 in funding to the community mediation field the first year with the potential to expand to $150,000 in future years.  The partnership’s grant recipients will not only receive funding to develop and strengthen the next generation of community mediation programing, but will also be a part of grantee working groups that will serve as incubators for innovation through structured ongoing peer contact support.

“We looked very carefully at how the Foundation could best support the community mediation field and felt that this model provided a remarkable opportunity for collaboration and growth,” said David Brandon, JAMS Foundation managing director. “With NAFCM as a partner, grantees will have a built-in support network from their peers as well as from leaders in the field.”

NAFCM Executive Director Matt Phillips stated, “The JAMS Foundation is that special type of partner that has a vision for strengthening the entire community mediation field.  This allowed us to create a groundbreaking program that goes beyond just funding and supporting services at an individual community mediation center but also creating an infrastructure to share developments and new tools with the hundreds of community mediation programs throughout the country.” 

The partnership has assembled a committee from national and regional community mediation leaders to select an emerging community mediation service as the focus area for the first year of funding which will be to enhance services for veterans and their military families, .  The first request for proposal is now available at www.nafcm.org.  Grantees comprising the first working group will be announced in August with funds awarded and group work beginning in September.      

Program developments and funding announcements will be made on the JAMS Foundation website www.jamsadr.com/jamsfoundation and the NAFCM website www.nafcm.org

JAMS Foundation. The non-profit JAMS Foundation is the largest private provider of ADR-related grants in the world. The Foundation was established in 2002 by JAMS and is funded by JAMS mediators, arbitrators and employee associates who contribute a percentage of their income. The JAMS Foundation has provided more than $5 million in grant funding since its inception. Founded in 1979, JAMS and its nearly 300 fulltime mediators and arbitrators, are responsible for resolving thousands of the world’s most important cases.

NAFCM.  In communities around the globe, programs and volunteers share their expertise to help others constructively engage, transform, and resolve conflict.  NAFCM supports these peacemakers by aggregating their wisdom, amplifying their voice, and advancing their critical work.  An active advocate for constructive conflict-assistive services, NAFCM supports the over 400 community mediation programs across the U.S. and many others internationally. 

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