COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

What COMMUNITY DIALOGUE does

Community Dialogue is a Northern Ireland-based charity founded in 1997, during the peace process that followed the IRA ceasefire, to deliver structured consensus-building dialogue facilitation, workshops, and training on peacebuilding and social justice issues. The organization serves diverse communities, marginalized groups (including BAME populations), and government and policymaker audiences across Northern Ireland, operating from its headquarters in St Columbs Park House, Derry/Londonderry. Its core service is a facilitation methodology in which skilled practitioners create safe spaces for individuals from different political, social, and religious backgrounds to engage in meaningful conversations, share experiences, and explore common ground on divisive issues.

The organization's programme portfolio includes the Unified Voice And Vision Project (engaging 2,300 participants across 230 dialogues), the Citizen's Forum on Housing (producing 70 recommendations), the Practitioners Forum (policy consultations on the Draft Programme for Government), and the 'Bridging Divides' reconciliation programme commencing January 2025. The organization does not charge fees for its services; instead, it is funded through grants from charitable foundations (Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland) and government bodies (Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Section). Services are delivered directly via facilitated dialogues and workshops; the organization has no proprietary technology platform, app, or AI capability.

In response to a changing funding environment, Community Dialogue established the Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative (DPC) in 2024 as a cooperative of peacebuilding practitioners intended to sustain the organization's mission. The charity maintains an ongoing relationship with the Peace Summit Partnership, contributing to policy submissions including to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Agreement.

Name

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

Legal name

Community Dialogue

Website

https://communitydialogue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northern Ireland charity founded in 1997 that delivers structured dialogue facilitation, workshops, and training on peacebuilding and social justice, serving diverse communities, marginalized groups, and policymakers across the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Peacebuilding and Dialogue Facilitation Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Peacebuilding dialogue facilitation
• Consensus building services
• Community reconciliation programs
• Civic engagement training
• Social justice workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

L'Derry / Derry / Londonderry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Community Dialogue receives funding from charitable foundations including Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland to support their consensus and capacity-building dialogues across Northern Ireland.
2. Government Funding: The organization receives support from government sources including the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Section for peacebuilding and dialogue programs.
3. Community Foundation Grants: Funding from Community Foundation for Northern Ireland's Social Justice Small Grants Programme supports specific dialogue programs with marginalized communities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Dialogue is a Northern Ireland charity that delivers structured dialogue facilitation, workshops, and training to build consensus on divisive social issues. Its work focuses on peacebuilding, social justice, sectarianism, housing, and civic participation, engaging divided and marginalized communities through programs such as Consensus Building Dialogue, Citizen's Forum on Housing, Bridging Divides, and the Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative.

Product overview

Community Dialogue operates as a service organization offering consensus-building dialogue facilitation rather than a technology product. Its core offerings include the Consensus Building Dialogue methodology (structured dialogues and workshops creating safe spaces for cross-community engagement), the Practitioners Forum (policy consultation events), Citizen's Forums on issues like housing, and specialized reconciliation programs. The organization also operates the Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative (DPC), a peacebuilding cooperative launched to sustain the legacy of Community Dialogue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consensus Building Dialogue Structured dialogue engagement work that brings divided stakeholders together to build consensus on contentious social issues; delivered for communities, government, and civil-society partners in Northern Ireland.
• Practitioners Forum A forum convened for dialogue practitioners, supporting shared learning and professional development across the dialogue and peacebuilding field.
• Citizen's Forum on Housing A citizen forum engaging communities in structured dialogue on housing-related issues in Northern Ireland.
• Unified Voice And Vision Project A project that brings together diverse voices to develop a unified vision on shared social issues, delivered as part of Community Dialogue's engagement portfolio.
• Bridging Divides A program focused on bridging divides across divided communities, applying Community Dialogue's consensus-building methodology to address polarization.
• Constructive Dialogues Within and Between Marginalized Communities A program delivering constructive dialogues within and between marginalized communities, focused on inclusion and voice.
• Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative (DPC) A co-operative for dialogue practitioners, supporting the practice community convened around Community Dialogue's methodology.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,300 diverse participants engaged through Civic Innovation project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 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 core and supporting.

• Peace Summit PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Dialogue participates in the Peace Summit Partnership, making submissions to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Agreement on matters related to Northern Ireland's peace process.
• John and Pat Hume FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with the John and Pat Hume Foundation in Peace Summit Partnership discussions on the evolving peacebuilding process.
• YANI (Young Adults NICRA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with YANI as part of the Peace Summit Partnership working group.
• StrongerTogetherNI PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership conducting research on BAME health inequalities in Belfast, including ACSONI, POLCA, Belfast Intercultural Romanian Association, on behalf of Belfast City Council and health organizations.
• Holywell TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Holywell Trust's Thirty Project - a mini-citizens' assembly on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years on.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• International Alert: UK-based peacebuilding charity working on conflict resolution and social cohesion globally. Comparable as a peer NGO in the dialogue and peacebuilding space, with overlap in policy advocacy and grassroots engagement methodologies.
• Healing Through Remembering: Northern Ireland organization working on dealing with the legacy of the conflict through dialogue and storytelling. Direct peer in the post-conflict peacebuilding space, with comparable approach to reconciliation and community engagement.
• Corrymeela Community: Northern Ireland's longest-established peace and reconciliation organization, operating cross-community residential programmes and dialogue initiatives. Directly comparable to Community Dialogue in mission, regional focus, and facilitation methodology serving divided communities.
• Conciliation Resources: International peacebuilding NGO working on conflict transformation through dialogue and mediation in divided societies. Directly comparable in methodology (Track II dialogue, convening parties) and in mission, though operating at greater geographic scale.
• Peace Direct: Charity supporting local peacebuilders in conflict-affected countries. Comparable as a UK-registered peacebuilding NGO with similar funding model (grants, foundations) and mission of empowering local actors to resolve conflict through dialogue.
• Co-operation Ireland: All-island organization promoting practical cooperation and dialogue between communities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Closely comparable in cross-community engagement model, political education focus, and geographic scope.
• Holywell Trust: Derry/Londonderry-based peacebuilding charity running the Thirty Project (mini-citizens' assembly on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement) and Good Relations programmes. Direct regional peer working with similar constituency on consensus-building and civic dialogue.
• Mediation Northern Ireland: Regional provider of community mediation and conflict resolution services across Northern Ireland. Direct peer in the community dialogue and dispute resolution sector, with overlapping facilitation methodology and target audiences.

Regional players

• The Ireland Funds: Philanthropic organization funding peace and reconciliation projects across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Comparable as a peer in the NI peace sector grant ecosystem, and a potential funder/partner rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Nesta: UK innovation foundation that has funded civic participation and deliberative democracy initiatives (e.g., through the Connected Communities and Voice programmes). Comparable in funding civic innovation and citizen engagement work, and a peer in the broader civic dialogue ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intent/post?text=Community+Dialogue
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://communitydialogue.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-dialogue

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 COMMUNITY DIALOGUE