The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution

What The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution does

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution is a private non-profit organization founded in 1986 by Associate Professor and Director Marvin E. Johnson. It is headquartered in Greenbelt, Maryland, and operates with a small staff (1-10 employees). The Center's mission is to promote and provide education and comprehensive approaches to dispute resolution that serve the needs of a culturally diverse society, with an emphasis on the practical application of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) principles rather than theoretical work.

The Center's core offerings are four programs: a Certificate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution providing transferable dispute resolution skills through mini-lectures, role plays, case studies and Socratic dialogues; a 40-hour Mediation Training program that meets Maryland Rule 17-106 requirements; an Annual Conference (37th edition scheduled June 25-26, 2026, virtual); and the Practical Dispute Resolution publication, a practice-oriented forum for the dispute resolution community. Distribution is primarily direct-to-participant via scheduled training cohorts, registration PDF forms on its website, and an annual conference.

Revenue is generated through training and conference fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The Center began as a self-sustaining entity of Bowie State University, ended that fifteen-year affiliation in September 2000, and now maintains core institutional partnerships with Salisbury State University's Center for Conflict Resolution, the Cooperative Consortium for Dispute Resolution (CCDR), and the University of the District of Columbia, plus a linkage with the Mediators of Color Alliance Network. It holds a GSA Contract Holder designation supporting federal procurement access.

Name

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution

Legal name

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution

Website

https://natlctr4adr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution is a Maryland-based non-profit founded in 1986 that provides ADR education, 40-hour mediation training, certificate programs, an annual conference, and a practitioner publication, serving public/private sector professionals and ADR practitioners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dispute Resolution Training and Professional Education

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Dispute resolution training
• Mediation training programs
• ADR professional certification
• Conflict resolution education
• Alternative dispute resolution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenbelt

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution is a non-profit organization that provides education and professional development in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Its core offerings include a Certificate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution, a 40-hour Mediation Training program that meets Maryland Rule 17-106 requirements, an Annual Conference featuring industry, government, and academic experts, and the Practical Dispute Resolution publication. The Center focuses on the practical application of ADR principles for culturally diverse workplace, community, school, and family settings.

Product overview

The Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution offers a portfolio of dispute resolution education and professional development programs. The core offerings include the Certificate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution (providing comprehensive education and training in ADR processes), Mediation Training (a 40-hour program meeting Maryland Rule 17-106 requirements), the Annual Conference (featuring industry and academic experts), and the Practical Dispute Resolution publication (a forum for practical dispute resolution articles). The Center focuses primarily on the practical application of ADR principles for culturally diverse society needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certificate Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution Comprehensive education and training program providing candidates with transferable dispute resolution skills, knowledge, and understanding for constructive resolution of disputes in workplace, community, schools, family, and beyond. Delivered via mini-lectures, role plays, case studies, written analysis, and Socratic dialogues.
• Mediation Training A 40-hour training program designed to teach participants to apply sound mediation practices and principles while managing and resolving disputes, meeting the requirements of Maryland Rule 17-106. Participants learn a full range of effective mediation skills, techniques, and strategies through lectures, exercises, role plays, group discussions, and videos. Scheduled sessions include July 20-24, 2026 and November 16-20, 2026 cohorts.
• Annual Conference Annual conference providing public and private sector professionals with the latest information on alternative dispute resolution, featuring industry, government, and academic experts with opportunities for attendees to participate in smaller sessions. The 37th Annual Conference (Virtual) is scheduled for June 25-26, 2026.
• Practical Dispute Resolution A practice-oriented publication featuring articles, reviews, and summaries that inform the dispute resolution community of practical issues, developments, and concerns in the field. Subscription information is managed by the Cooperative Consortium for Dispute Resolution (CCDR).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bowie State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1986The Center began as a self-sustaining entity of Bowie State University and was the first and only Dispute Resolution Center at a Historically Black College or University. The fifteen-year relationship ended in September 2000.
• Mediators of Color Alliance NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinked partner organization providing resources for mediators of color. The Center maintains a connection to this alliance network as part of its commitment to developing cultural diversity within the dispute resolution field.
• Salisbury State University Center for Conflict ResolutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated partner since September 2000 as part of new affiliations initiated by the Center. Represents one of three new institutional partnerships following the end of the Center's relationship with Bowie State University.
• Cooperative Consortium for Dispute Resolution (CCDR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated partner since September 2000. Manages the Practical Dispute Resolution publication subscription information. Part of the new affiliations network that replaced the Bowie State University relationship.
• University of the District of ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated partner since September 2000 as part of the new institutional network. One of three key partnerships formed when the Center ended its fifteen-year relationship with Bowie State University.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mediate.com: Online ADR community and training resource serving mediators with courses, articles, and listings. Comparable to the Center as a competing channel for ADR practitioner training and continuing education, though delivered digitally rather than through in-person cohorts.
• Association for Conflict Resolution: Professional membership association for ADR practitioners that offers training, certification pathways, and annual conferences. Directly comparable to the Center in mission, training focus, and conference-driven member engagement model.
• National Association for Community Mediation: Membership association representing community mediation centers and providing training, standards, and program support. Comparable to the Center in mission and in serving practitioner and community segments with training and standards work.
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution: Non-profit organization providing ADR training, panel services, and policy work in dispute resolution. Comparable to the Center as a non-profit ADR training and policy organization with comparable practitioner-focused programming.

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: Major private provider of ADR services including mediation, arbitration, and ADR training programs. Comparable as a leading ADR training and service organization, though JAMS operates as a private commercial entity with a national panel of neutrals rather than a non-profit.
• American Arbitration Association: Largest U.S. provider of alternative dispute resolution services including arbitration, mediation, and ADR training. Comparable to the Center as a national ADR services and training organization, but operates at significantly larger scale with a broader service portfolio.

Others

• Cornell University Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution: University-based program offering ADR training, certificates, and research. Comparable as a provider of practitioner training in mediation and conflict resolution, with an academic rather than non-profit community-based orientation.
• Pepperdine University Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution: Academic dispute resolution program offering certificates, mediation training, and degree programs at a major university. Comparable as a competing provider of ADR certificate and mediation training, but anchored to a university with degree-granting authority and a deeper faculty bench.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100000115266561&v=wall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-alternative-dispute-resolution-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution