The JAMS Foundation/ACR Initiative for Students and Youth provides grant funding for conflict prevention and dispute resolution programs for K-12 students and for adults working with youth populations in ways that directly transfer CRE skills from adults to youth.

Each year, the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and the JAMS Foundation identify a specific subject area seeking to address otherwise unresolved issues and unmet needs of both general and target youth populations, based on current research and feedback from leaders and stakeholders in the dispute resolution and education fields.

Funding contexts for selected subject areas will vary, and may include community-based organizations, alternative education settings (online education, charter schools), after-school programs, court- or juvenile justice-connected programs, as well as programs operating in traditional K-12 school districts.

Once a target subject area has been determined, a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) soliciting Initial Project Ideas will be posted on the ACR and JAMS Foundation websites and through other appropriate venues. Following ACR’s review of the Initial Project Ideas received, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full grant proposal for review by ACR’s Grant Review Committee.

All grant inquires and proposals should be directed to ACR. Grant proposals submitted in response to the Notice of Funding Availability will first be reviewed by ACR, with subsequent review and final approval by the JAMS Foundation, based on recommendations from ACR and the Foundation's own review of top-ranked proposals.

It is anticipated that for each designated subject area, 1-2 applicants will be selected each year to receive Year 1 grant funding of up to $20,000 to support their efforts to develop, refine, or expand programming in that subject area. Grant recipients may also be eligible for Year 2 funding of up to $40,000, contingent upon the satisfactory achievement of Year 1 benchmarks and goals.

The 2026 Funding Track will focus on programs that enhance conflict resolution skills at the intersection of culture and conflict. This initiative seeks to drive system-wide policy changes and promote cultural understanding in schools by implementing conflict resolution strategies that encourage students’ peaceful interactions with their peers, school personnel and their home environment.

To view the 2026 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA),click here.

2025 Funding Track - Effecting Systemic Change Through CRE and Restorative Practice

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Center for Children's Rights (Jacksonville, FL) – $20,000 to supportProject CARE, a conflict resolution education program serving middle school students in Duval County Public Schools. Project CARE collaborates with students, school staff, and district leadership to embed restorative practices into daily routines. The program aims to create a more inclusive and respectful school climate by reducing reliance on punitive discipline and embedding restorative conflict resolution into the fabric of school culture.

The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire (Savannah, GA) – $20,000 to supportResilient Schools, a project that assists Savannah-Chatham County public schools in implementing restorative practices within their discipline procedures. Serving students across the district, the initiative is designed to reduce suspensions and expulsions by promoting cooperative, nonviolent, and self-reflective behaviors that contribute to safer, more supportive learning environments.

To view the 2025 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), click here

2024 Funding Track – Preventing and De-Escalating Youth Violence

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Center for Restorative Youth Justice (Kalispell, MT) - $60,000 to support Fostering Community-Wide Conflict Resolution Through Individual Investment, integrating conflict resolution education in its community outreach and targeted programming for youth aged 14-18, and emphasizing conflict resolution skill-building to prevent and de-escalate conflict. - https://restorativeyouthjustice.org/

Creative Response to Conflict (Suffern, NY) - $60,000 to support Student Ambassadors Promoting Peace and Reducing Violence, a multi-pronged violence reduction initiative including peer mediation and restorative practice training, increased student engagement regarding more serious conflicts and a student-led public education campaign to expand the program to neighboring schools. 

To view the 2024 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

JAMS Foundation Resources

2023 Funding Track – CRE to Increase Resiliency and Coping Skills in Children Ages 5-11.

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area: 

Institute of World Affairs (Washington, DC)- $60,000 to support a conflict resolution education and training program for elementary school age children in one of the most violence-prone areas of the District, introducing them to conflict resolution skills early enough in their lives to foster positive patterns of behavior before they look to violence and conflict as a way of life.-https://iwa.org/

Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Northern New Jersey (Teaneck, NJ) –$60,000 to support the organzation’s “Be Your Best Self” program, a social-emotional learning program for children ages 5-11 designed to increase their ability to navigate peer conflict, de-escalate challenging situations, develop positive attitudes and behaviors, and to foster social cohesion and trust. -https://www.jfcsnnj.org/

To view the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2022 Funding Track – CRE in Foster Care, Youth Shelter, Youth Corrections, School/After-School Settings

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Center for Court Innovation (Syracuse, NY) - $60,000 (2 years) to support the Center’sHillbrook PeacemakingProgram, an experiential learning program for 16–17-year old youth in a secure juvenile detention center in upstate New York, providing opportunities to explore and make choices about how to handle conflict and engage with others through a framework of mutuality and collaboration.  The program including peacemaking circles, interactive workshops, personal journaling and individual coaching, empowering participants to further develop their leadership skills and become mentors to their peers.https://www.courtinnovation.org/

Magnolia Public Schools(Los Angeles, CA) - $60,000 (2 years) to support the schools’Be RAD Action StudioProject, a student-driven conflict resolution education initiative and learning community.  Students collaborate on developing and delivering an original conflict resolution curriculum, including high-quality, engaging videos that revisit and reframe conflicts, using those with lived experience of such situations as planning partners and actors. Student will provide instruction to several hundred middle-school classmates in a variety of formats, including grade-level assemblies, festive events, and Life Skills classes.https://www.magnoliapublicschools.org/

To view the 2022 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2021 Funding Track – CRE in Foster Care, Youth Shelter and Correction Settings

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Temple University, Center for Conflict Management and Media Impact (Philadelphia, PA) - $40,000 to support the Center’s Youth Conflict Specialists program, a conflict education and intervention program for homeless and systems-involved youth. The program will train youth aged 16-18 in several conflict education areas and provide them opportunities to design training innovations and conflict interventions to better meet the needs of homeless youth and families. https://klein.temple.edu/

Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire (Savannah, GA) - $40,000 to support an Ambassadors of Peace Program, a conflict resolution education and leadership program for underserved and vulnerable youth in homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and foster care. The program will provide specialized training and work with participating youth to develop and implement their own action projects for delivering conflict resolution training, education or services for their peers and in their communities. https://mediationsavannah.com/

To view the 2021 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2020 Funding Track – Using CRE to Enhance Elementary School Climate

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Harris County Department of Education-Center for Safe and Secure Schools (Houston, TX) - $40,000 to support #RollingwithRestorative, providing conflict resolution training for students, teachers, counselors and school administrators, using restorative practices to support implementation of these skills in interactions between students, parents and school personnel.

Kids First Law Center (Cedar Rapids, IA) – $40,000 to support the expansion of a restorative justice program in elementary schools with high rates of conflict-related disciplinary issues, providing full-time facilitators to lead proactive classroom circles with students, coach teachers in restorative practices and employ them to help address conflict or harm among students or between students and teachers. https://www.kidsfirstiowa.org

To view the 2020 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2019 Funding Track – Reducing Youth Bullying and Violence

The following organization was selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Creative Response to Conflict (Suffern, NY) - $40,000 to support Social Media-tors!, an innovative conflict resolution education program to train high school students to safely and effectively intervene in potentially harmful situations both in person and online, empowering students to help reduce youth bullying and violence by creating a safe school culture in their school communities and beyond.http://crc-global.org 

To view the 2019 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2018 Funding Track – Conflict Resolution Education and Services for Youth at Risk of Gang Involvement

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA) – A 2-year, $60,000 grant supporting complementary programs for students and parents to reduce family conflict and anti-social behaviors associated with separation and loss resulting from immigration and related economic challenges, by increasing parental engagement in schools and providing students with pro-social skills to address conflict constructively, creating stronger community and support systems for children, families and schools. http://chss.kennesaw.edu/ccm/children-family-programs

Little Friends for Peace (Mt. Rainier, MD) - This 2-year, $60,000 to supports a community-based initiative providing conflict resolution education and leadership skills training to elementary school students at risk of gang involvement due to recent immigration and financial challenges, including peacebuilding and peace leadership training for children, parents, teachers and community members. http://www.lffp.org

To view the 2018 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2017 Funding Track – Conflict Resolution Education for Youth Experiencing Interventions by Juvenile Justice or Social Service Agencies

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (Boston, MA) – This 2-year $60,000 grant supports the expansion of a successful program combining conflict resolution skill-building and creative arts to assist at-risk youth in dealing constructively with conflict and helping to prevent violence in their communities. Using PhotoVoice, a flexible platform incorporating participatory photography and videography, digital storytelling and improvisational drama, the project empowers adolescent youth to explore and create positive channels for addressing conflict and initiating social change. https://www.umb.edu/mopc

Supreme Court of Ohio (Columbus, OH) – A 2-year, $60,000 grant to fund The Right Track Project, an innovative conflict resolution and truancy prevention initiative for at-risk youth, families and local communities, including the development of a unique web-based mobile application and truancy mediation program intended to reduce school truancies and to divert students in grades 5-12 from involvement in the juvenile justice system. http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/JCS/disputeResolution

To view the 2017 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2016 Funding Track – Conflict Resolution Education for Structurally Disadvantaged Youth

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Nashville Conflict Resolution Center (Nashville, TN) – In collaboration with the Juvenile Court, public housing authority and other community partners, this 2-year $60,000 grant funds the development and expansion of a mediation and restorative justice program for at-risk youth involved in cases of fighting, assault, threats, harassment, bullying, vandalism and theft in an effort to reduce violence, provide non-punitive alternatives to juvenile justice and connect youth with other needed resources and community-based services. http://nashvilleconflict.org

Our Family Services (Tucson, AZ) - This 2-year, $87,000 grant will expand a pilot program providing conflict resolution education for homeless and abused youth and the direct-care helping professionals who work with them. The program employs circle processes to create safer and more constructive environments for vulnerable youth while at the same time teaching them peaceful conflict resolution skills. The curriculum and training modules developed through this grant will be made available at no cost to organizations serving structurally disadvantaged youth, including homeless youth, those in foster care, involved with juvenile justice or child welfare systems, immigrants and those in academically disenfranchised or economically impoverished communities. http://www.ourfamilyservices.org

To view 2016 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2015 Funding Track – Conflict Resolution Education in Special Education

The following organizations were selected to receive grant funding in this area:

Direction Service (Eugene, OR) - This 2-year, $90,000 grant funds the development of a series of high-quality, easily accessible and self-directed online learning modules to help students with disabilities learn and master essential communication and conflict management knowledge and skills, as well as a facilitator’s guide and tools to assist parents, mentors and teachers in supporting students’ e-learning experience. http://www.directionservice.org

SchoolTalk (Washington, DC) - This 2-year, $60,000 grant funds the development and evaluation of an interactive and test an interactive, arts-integrated conflict resolution education curriculum to help transition-aged youth with disabilities aged 14-21 address interpersonal conflicts and organizational challenges in the workplace, providing them with knowledge and skills to improve their own transition outcomes by maintaining meaningful community-based employment. http://www.schooltalkdc.org

To view the 2015 Notice of Funding Availability, click here

2014 Grants

The Foundation provided grant support for the following initiatives:

Online Peer Mediation Platform

Initiated by ACR and currently administered by the National Association of Peer Program Professionals (NAPPP), this $55,000, 2-year grant funds the development of a comprehensive online peer mediation website, enabling children aged 10-18 to learn about, practice, receive mentoring, and provide peer mediation services online.

Based on the increasing prevalence of online public education and growing preference for technology-supported communications, the online platform will be designed to serve students in a variety of settings, including conventional school peer mediation programs, charter and cyber-schools, as well as programs sponsored through community groups, recreation centers, boys and girls clubs, and other interested organizations.

The comprehensive web-based platform will include several interactive components, including a clearinghouse of peer mediation information and resources, online peer mediation training, skills assessment for trained peer mediators, and a platform for conducting online peer mediation sessions.

For additional information regarding this program, you can visit their website or review the Online Peer Mediation Platform Description of Programs.

Conflict Resolution Education for Children of Incarcerated and Returning Parents (CHIRP)

Developed by the Good Shepherd Mediation Program in Philadelphia in collaboration with state and local, prison administrators, juvenile justice advocates and child welfare organizations, this $85,000, two-year grant funds a unique program providing conflict resolution education to children of parents who are currently in prison or returning home after a period of incarceration.

Complementing GSMP’s Restorative Reentry Services for inmates and former inmates following their release from prison, this initiative focuses on providing their children with the necessary communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution skills to help them effectively navigate the many challenges they face and, where possible, to facilitate family reunification.

About JAMS

JAMS successfully resolves business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways of overcoming barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized, in-person, virtual and hybrid dispute resolution services through a combination of first class client service, the latest technology, top-notch facilities, and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.