The Dispute Resolution Center

What The Dispute Resolution Center does

The Dispute Resolution Center (DRC), legally Dispute Resolution Centers of Michigan Inc (EIN 38-2489201), is a Michigan-based nonprofit founded in 2003 and headquartered at 4133 Washtenaw Ave, Suite B125, Ann Arbor, with a service area covering Washtenaw and Livingston Counties. Under Executive Director Belinda Dulin (MA in Dispute Resolution, in role since 2003), DRC delivers mediation and restorative justice services using trained volunteer mediators and facilitators as its core 'technology' — neutral third-party facilitation rather than software. The product portfolio comprises (1) mediation services for small claims and court-referred cases, (2) restorative justice services including victim-offender dialogue and Peacemaking Court partnerships, (3) SCAO-approved training products — the 40-Hour General Civil Mediator Training (hybrid, MCR 2.411) and the 48-Hour Domestic Relations Mediation Training (MCR 3.216), (4) custom organizational consultations at $1,500/day for groups of 15+, (5) the Youth Circles Program (10-week cohorts, ages 10-18, in partnership with Dynastic Ministries 19), and (6) event programs — the biennial Michigan Restorative Justice Summit (300+ attendees in October 2025) and the annual Unity Walk fundraiser.

DRC's business model is a hybrid of professional services fees, training tuition, and philanthropic funding. Direct mediation services and individual trainings are offered on a sliding scale ($200-$695) to ensure accessibility; organizational training is priced at $1,500/day for groups of 15+. Major non-fee revenue sources include donations processed via Givebutter, MI RJ Summit sponsorships tiered from $1,000 (Friend of DRC) to $25,000 (Champion for Justice), and grants from the Washtenaw County New Human Services Partnership and Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: court and prosecutor referrals drive bottom-of-funnel caseload, while the website, social media, newsletter, Unity Walk, and MI RJ Summit build top-of-funnel awareness and volunteer pipeline. The organization has no software product, no API, and no AI capabilities — its platform is its trained volunteer and staff mediator corps, regulated by SCAO approval, and embedded in county-level referral infrastructure.

Name

The Dispute Resolution Center

Legal name

Dispute Resolution Centers of Michigan Inc

Website

https://thedisputeresolutioncenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Dispute Resolution Center is a Michigan nonprofit providing mediation, restorative justice, and SCAO-approved mediator training in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, serving individuals in conflict, court-referred cases, justice-impacted youth, and organizations seeking conflict management training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAFAL

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

SECONDARYEDAKAMAG

Restorative Practices, Conflict Resolution & Discipline Alternatives

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

SECONDARYBPAIAFAG

Specialty & Problem-Solving Courts (Drug, Mental Health, Veterans, Family)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

Keywords

• Community mediation services
• Restorative justice programs
• Conflict resolution training
• Mediator certification training
• Youth restorative circles

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Mediation Services: Direct mediation services for individuals and organizations in conflict, with a focus on affordability and accessibility.
2. Training Programs: Fee-for-service training programs including 40-hour General Civil Mediation Training ($200-$695 sliding scale), 48-hour Domestic Relations Mediation Training ($200-$695 sliding scale), and organizational consultations ($1500/day for groups of 15+).
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting the restorative justice youth program and general operations. MI RJ Summit sponsorship levels ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.
4. Community Partnerships: Funded through partnerships with Washtenaw County New Human Services Partnership and Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Dispute Resolution Center provides community-based mediation and restorative justice services to individuals, families, organizations, and youth in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, Michigan. Its service portfolio includes neutral third-party mediation for small claims, family, and interpersonal disputes; restorative justice facilitation for criminal and harm cases; SCAO-approved 40-hour and 48-hour mediator certification trainings; customized conflict management consultations for organizations and schools; and the Youth Circles Program for justice-impacted youth ages 10-18.

Product overview

The Dispute Resolution Center is a service organization offering mediation and restorative justice services as its core offerings. The portfolio consists of: (1) Core mediation services for small claims court cases and prosecutor referrals, facilitated by trained neutral mediators; (2) Restorative justice services guided by trained facilitators, including partnerships with the Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court; (3) Training products including the 40 Hour General Civil Mediator Training (hybrid format) and the SCAO-approved 48 Hour Domestic Relations Mediation Training; (4) Custom organizational consultations and trainings on conflict management and restorative practices; (5) Youth Circles Program in partnership with Dynastic Ministries for justice-impacted youth ages 10-18; (6) Event programs including the biennial Michigan Restorative Justice Summit and the annual Unity Walk fundraiser. The organization operates as a community resource providing accessible conflict resolution services and professional mediator training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Services Professional mediation services in which a neutral third party helps two or more parties in conflict identify and develop solutions that work for everyone. Used for small claims court matters, neighbor disputes, family conflicts, co-parenting, and prosecutor-referred cases in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties.
• Restorative Justice Services Restorative justice services guided by neutral, trained, and experienced facilitators that provide a safe space for people to address wrongdoing or harm, repair relationships, and offer a positive path forward. Includes partnership with the Washtenaw County Peacemaking Court.
• 40 Hour General Civil Mediator Training A five-day (40-hour) SCAO-approved mediator training program under MCR 2.411 that teaches conflict resolution and mediation skills leading to court roster certification eligibility in Michigan. Sliding-scale fee of $200-$695. Taught by Belinda Dulin.
• 48 Hour Domestic Relations Mediation Training An eight-day (48-hour) training approved by the State Court Administrative Office that teaches skills necessary to mediate separation, divorce, co-parenting, custody issues, and guardianship matters. Includes 8-Hour Domestic Violence Screening Training. Sliding-scale fee of $200-$695. Taught by Tiffany Stanley.
• Custom Consultation, Trainings and Facilitation for Organizations Customized consultations and trainings for organizations, businesses, schools, or large groups. Topics include Intro to Conflict Management, Advanced Conflict Management, Restorative Justice Facilitation, Building a Restorative Work Culture, and Great Meetings & Facilitator Training. $1,500 per day for groups of 15 or more.
• Youth Circles Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ attendees and 34 speakers at inaugural Michigan Restorative Justice Summit (October 2025)

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dynastic Ministries 19 Consulting Firm, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Circles Program partnership for building restorative community with youth and families. Dynastic Ministries 19 Consulting provides program facilitation and expertise in working with justice-impacted youth.
• Washtenaw County New Human Services PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder of MI RJ Summit and Youth Circles Program. Partnership making community events and youth programming possible.
• Ann Arbor Area Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder supporting the Youth Circles Program, enabling free services for justice-impacted youth.
• Washtenaw County Prosecutor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner sending individuals to DRC's Restorative Justice Program for appropriate cases as alternative to traditional prosecution.
• Washtenaw County Trial CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for mediation services in small claims and domestic relations cases. Partnership with Peacemaking Court for restorative justice initiatives.
• Association for Youth Empowerment (AYE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Walk event partner, collaborating on annual community fundraiser supporting restorative justice youth programming.
• African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County (AACHM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Walk 2026 partner, hosting Underground Railroad Tour component and co-sponsoring the event.
• Brown Chapel AME ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Walk event venue partner, hosting fellowship and celebration activities.
• United Way for Southeastern MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Walk sponsor and walk starting point location.
• Friends of Restorative Justice (FORJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent partner for Unity Walk and collaborative partner in MI RJ Summit planning committee.
• Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan (DRCWM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMI RJ Summit planning committee member and regional partner in restorative justice community.
• Detroit Justice Center - Metro Detroit Restorative Justice Network (MDRJN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMI RJ Summit planning committee member representing Detroit metro area restorative justice practitioners.
• Michigan Collaboration to End Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMI RJ Summit planning committee member focused on criminal legal reform.
• Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMI RJ Summit planning committee member focused on youth justice issues.
• A Brighter WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMI RJ Summit planning committee member.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan: Named partner on the MI RJ Summit planning committee. Operates the same community-based mediation and restorative justice model in West Michigan, serving as a direct regional counterpart to DRC.
• Detroit Justice Center: Michigan-based restorative justice and community lawyering organization. Co-plans the MI RJ Summit via the Metro Detroit Restorative Justice Network, overlapping directly on RJ programming and youth justice.

Regional players

• Community Mediation Services: Multi-state community mediation and restorative justice provider offering mediation training, facilitator certification, and direct services. Comparable model around volunteer mediators and organizational training.
• Resolution Services Center of Central Michigan: Michigan-based regional ADR center offering community mediation, training, and restorative justice services in the central part of the state. Comparable service portfolio and target market, but geographically distinct.
• Conflict Resolution Center (Twin Cities): Long-standing community mediation and restorative justice center in Minnesota. Operates a similar volunteer-driven mediation model with court referrals and organizational training, in a different geography.
• Michigan Center for Youth Justice: Michigan advocacy and program organization focused on youth justice reform. Listed as a MI RJ Summit planning partner addressing overlapping youth justice policy and programming needs in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: Large private alternative dispute resolution provider with a national roster of neutrals for mediation and arbitration. Represents the upscale, paid-mediation end of the same ADR market, contrasted with DRC's community/sliding-scale model.
• American Arbitration Association: Established national ADR organization providing arbitration, mediation, and conflict management services across case types. Operates broadly in the same dispute resolution space but at commercial scale and pricing.

Others

• National Association for Community Mediation: National membership and capacity-building organization for community mediation centers like DRC. Industry body that aggregates training standards, funding, and policy advocacy for the community mediation sector.
• International Institute for Restorative Practices: Global provider of restorative practices training, certification, and graduate education. Tiffany Stanley holds IIRP certification, and IIRP functions as an enablement/training vendor for the kind of RJ facilitation DRC delivers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DisputeResolutionCenterA2
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-dispute-resolution-center-of-michigan
• Instagraminstagram.com/thedrca2

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Dispute Resolution Center