Center for Dialog & Resolution

What Center for Dialog & Resolution does

The Center for Dialog & Resolution (CDR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 in Tacoma, Washington, and the sole dispute resolution center serving Pierce County. Originally established as the Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution (PCCDR) through the American Leadership Forum in consultation with the local Bar Association and the Pierce County court system, the organization was renamed in 2015 to better reflect its service portfolio. CDR delivers three core offerings: Mediation Services (covering family, community, workplace, settlement conference, tenant/landlord, and small claims mediation), Training Programs (including Basic Mediation Training, Tough Conversations Management Skills, and Settlement Conference Panelist Training), and Facilitation Services for board retreats, strategic planning, and public meetings. A BMT Scholarship Program provides need-based financial assistance for training access. Tenant/landlord mediation is offered free of charge; other services carry fees that are not publicly disclosed.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery relies on trained human mediators and facilitators operating through appointment-based sessions at its 717 Tacoma Ave. S. headquarters, Monday through Saturday. Its multilingual website (15 languages) functions as the primary marketing and intake channel, supplemented by email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram), community partnerships, and the annual ZAZZ fundraising dinner and auction. Revenue is generated through fee-for-service mediation, training fees, foundation grants (from at least nine named funders including M.J. Murdock Trust and the Ben B. Cheney Foundation), corporate sponsorships (Amazon, Delta Dental, Verizon, Puget Sound Energy, and others), and individual donations. Court referrals from Pierce County Superior and District Courts provide a structural distribution channel for mandated mediation. With a headcount of 1-10 employees led by Executive Director Maralise Hood Quan (16 years of tenure, 2023 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize Laureate), CDR served more than 20,000 people in 2022 and reports a 96% client recommendation rate.

Name

Center for Dialog & Resolution

Legal name

Center for Dialog & Resolution

Website

https://centerforresolution.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Center for Dialog & Resolution is a Tacoma-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the only dispute resolution center serving Pierce County, offering mediation, training, and facilitation services to families, workplaces, communities, and courts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Mediation services
• Conflict resolution
• Dispute resolution
• Mediation training
• Workplace facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

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

Revenue model

1. Mediation Services Fees: Fee-for-service mediation sessions. The organization charges for most mediation services while offering free tenant/landlord conflict resolution.
2. Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded through charitable donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships. Tax identification number 91-1508442.
3. Training Fees: Revenue from Basic Mediation Training (BMT) and other training programs offered to individuals and organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Center for Dialog & Resolution is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers mediation, training, and facilitation services in Pierce County, Washington. Its mediation practice covers family, community, workplace, settlement conference, tenant/landlord, and small claims matters. It also offers conflict resolution training (including Basic Mediation Training) and professional facilitation for groups, boards, and organizations.

Product overview

Center for Dialog & Resolution offers a unified suite of conflict resolution services centered around three core offerings: Mediation Services (including family, community, workplace, settlement conference, tenant/landlord, and small claims mediation), Training Programs (including Basic Mediation Training, Tough Conversations, and organizational training), and Facilitation Services. An associated BMT Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to ensure access regardless of ability to pay. The organization serves Pierce County as the sole dispute resolution center in the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Services Voluntary conflict resolution process providing a safe, neutral space for parties to resolve disagreements, including family mediation (parenting plans, divorce, custody, elder care), community mediation (HOA issues, boundary conflicts, commercial disagreements), workplace mediation, settlement conference mediation, free tenant/landlord conflict resolution, and small claims mediation. Served Pierce County residents, families, and organizations since 1994.
• Training Programs Conflict resolution training and workshops for individuals, teams, and organizations. Includes Basic Mediation Training (BMT), Tough Conversations Management Skills, When The Public Attacks, Settlement Conference Panelist Training, Become a Mediator courses, and tailored organizational training. Designed for individuals seeking mediator certification and for workplaces/teams needing structured conflict skills development.
• Facilitation Services Professional facilitation for groups of all sizes and from any type of organization, exploring individual differences and using dialog to foster healthy environments. Services include board retreats, strategic planning sessions, and public meetings. Used by organizations such as the WA State Traumatic Brain Injury Council, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and University of Puget Sound.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of clients recommend mediation as a conflict resolution tool
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pierce County Foreclosure RoundtablecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner addressing foreclosure issues and housing stability in Pierce County.
• Pierce County Human Service CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner providing human services coordination and community support.
• Tacoma Community HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting immigrant and refugee services and community integration.
• Building ChangescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on ending family homelessness in Washington state.
• Resolution WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition supporting dispute resolution services and access to justice.
• Landlord Liaison ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner providing free tenant/landlord conflict resolution services.
• Community Partnership of Transitional ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting transitional services for individuals moving through significant life changes.
• Pierce County Superior and District CourtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourt system partner for mandated mediation services including settlement conferences and small claims mediation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: Large private alternative dispute resolution provider offering mediation, arbitration, and related services across many practice areas and geographies. Comparable as an ADR provider serving attorneys, courts, and parties in conflict, though JAMS operates as a commercial, fee-based incumbent at much larger scale than CDR's nonprofit model.
• American Arbitration Association: Established national ADR organization providing arbitration, mediation, and conflict management services across commercial, labor, and consumer matters. Overlaps with CDR on mediation delivery and court-adjacent dispute resolution but operates as a much broader, fee-based incumbent.
• National Arbitration and Mediation: National private ADR firm providing mediation and arbitration services across multiple practice areas and jurisdictions. Comparable as a provider of court-referred and privately retained mediation services but operates at greater scale and with a commercial orientation versus CDR's nonprofit community model.

Others

• National Association for Community Mediation: National membership association for community mediation centers like CDR. Provides training, standards, and advocacy for the community mediation field in which CDR operates, making it a sector enabler rather than a direct service peer.
• CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention: International nonprofit focused on conflict prevention and ADR policy, training, and standards development. Comparable as an ecosystem player supporting the broader ADR field that CDR operates in, rather than as a direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Mediate.com: Online mediation directory and resource platform connecting parties with mediators and publishing thought leadership. Comparable as an entry point into mediation services but operates as a digital marketplace rather than a regional in-person service provider like CDR.

Direct peers

• New York Peace Institute: Long-standing nonprofit community mediation center providing mediation, training, and conflict resolution services in New York. Directly comparable to CDR in mission, nonprofit structure, court-referred service delivery, and reliance on volunteer mediators and donor support.
• Resolution Washington: Statewide coalition of dispute resolution centers explicitly named as a strategic core partner of CDR. Both serve Washington communities through mediation, training, and facilitation, operating in the same community-mediation nonprofit model and sharing referral pathways and policy advocacy interests.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CenterForDialogAndResolution
• Instagraminstagram.com/centerforresolution
• Xx.com/centerfordialog
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-dialog-resolution

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Center for Dialog & Resolution