Mediation Center of Dutchess County

What Mediation Center of Dutchess County does

Mediation Center of Dutchess County (MCDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York. It provides no- or low-cost dispute resolution services to individuals, families, organizations, and communities throughout Dutchess County. Core service lines include community mediation, family mediation, court-referred mediation, group mediation, and restorative justice services that combine proactive Circle practices with responsive processes (such as Circles of Support and Community Conferences) for accountability and harm repair. The organization also runs a Restorative Justice Initiative that extends into schools, businesses, and community organizations, alongside fee-supported training programs (a 30-hour NY State OCA-certified Initial Mediation Training and experiential Restorative Practices Education).

The operating model is volunteer-driven: trained volunteers facilitate more than 97% of mediation cases, supported by a small paid staff of approximately seven (Executive Director, Directors of Mediation and Restorative Programs, Communications/Outreach Manager, Finance Manager consultant, and Program Assistant). Service delivery relies on a self-service website intake, court referrals, and community/school partnerships, with most services offered free or on a sliding scale.

MCDC's revenue is not publicly disclosed and is assembled from multiple non-commercial streams: foundation grants (including Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and Dyson Foundation), NY State Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Unified Court System funding, Dutchess County Agency Partner Grant support, individual donations, and sliding-scale fees. The organization is a member of the New York statewide network of Community Dispute Resolution Centers, and its training programs are certified by the NY State Office of Court Administration, positioning it as a structurally embedded piece of Dutchess County's alternative dispute resolution infrastructure.

Name

Mediation Center of Dutchess County

Legal name

Mediation Center of Dutchess County

Website

https://dutchessmediation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mediation Center of Dutchess County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 that provides free or low-cost mediation and restorative justice services to individuals, families, organizations, and communities throughout Dutchess County, New York, delivered largely through trained volunteer mediators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mediation Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAM

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAEAFAL

Resident Conduct, Mediation & Community Standards Support (Residential)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Dormitory, Housing & Residential Life Support Services

SECONDARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

Keywords

• Community mediation services
• Restorative justice practices
• Family dispute resolution
• Court-referred mediation
• Volunteer mediation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Poughkeepsie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Operating support from local foundations including Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and Dyson Foundation. In late 2022, received combined $40,000 in operating support.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and community partners as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with EIN 14-1762932.
3. Government/ Court Funding: Free community mediation services funded by the New York State Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Unified Court System.
4. Sliding Scale Fees: Most mediations are free or offered on a sliding scale fee, made possible by the Unified Court System, donations, and grants from charitable foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Mediation Center of Dutchess County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides facilitated conflict resolution and restorative justice services to individuals, families, groups, schools, and community organizations throughout Dutchess County, New York. Services include family mediation, community mediation, group mediation, and court-referred mediation, supported by a 30-hour volunteer mediator training program certified by the NY State Office of Court Administration. Volunteers facilitate more than 97% of cases, with services offered free or on a sliding-scale fee basis funded by foundations, donations, and state court system support.

Product overview

The Mediation Center of Dutchess County operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing dispute resolution services through a portfolio of interconnected programs. Core offerings include mediation services (family, community, groups, and court referrals) and restorative justice services, supported by training programs (30-hour Initial Mediation Training and Restorative Practices Education) and a Volunteer Mediator Program. The Restorative Justice Initiative extends organizational culture transformation and restorative practices implementation to schools, businesses, and community organizations. Services are primarily delivered through trained volunteers who facilitate over 97% of cases, with free or low-cost options made possible through foundation grants and court system support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Volunteers facilitate more than 97% of mediation cases each year, guiding thousands of individuals through conflict resolution
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cornell Cooperative Extension Green Teen ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2022Partnership created 'The Teens are Alright' mini-documentary featuring Circle practice training for 15 Beacon High School students. Filmed by Lex Catania with funding from Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.
• Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a member of the New York statewide network of Community Dispute Resolution Centers, MCDC provides dispute resolution services as part of the statewide CDRCP program administered by the NY State Office of Court Administration.
• New York State Office of Court AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertifies MCDC's mediation training programs and provides funding for community mediation services through the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution. MCDC follows Office of Court Administration requirements for volunteer mediators.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Center for Community Alternatives: New York-based nonprofit providing restorative justice, mediation, and community-based alternatives to incarceration — directly comparable mission and methodology to MCDC.
• Community Dispute Resolution Centers Program (NY State CDRC): The statewide NY network of community mediation centers of which MCDC is a member; operates an identical model of court-referred mediation, volunteer facilitators, and state funding across multiple New York counties.
• Community Mediation Services of Rochester: Another NY-based community mediation center operating a near-identical model of court-referred mediation, volunteer panels, and family/community dispute resolution.
• Resolution Systems Center: Nonprofit providing mediation and restorative justice training, court-referred services, and volunteer programs — directly comparable services and beneficiary populations.

Emerging players

• The Possibility Project: Nonprofit using restorative and community-building practices with youth and families; overlaps with MCDC's Restorative Justice Initiative and youth Circle work.

Regional players

• Common Ground (Mediate Wisconsin): Regional community mediation center with comparable court-referred and family mediation services; illustrates how the same model is replicated in other state court systems outside New York.

Broad incumbents

• JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services): Large private ADR provider offering mediation and arbitration services; serves as the dominant paid alternative for court-annexed mediation, framing the broader competitive context for community mediation centers.
• National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM): National membership body that recognized MCDC's volunteer in 2023; sets standards and provides training/credentialing infrastructure for community mediation centers nationwide.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mediationcenter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Mediation Center of Dutchess County