Environmental Conflict Resolution

Environmental conflict resolution (ECR), a practice area within the broader conflict resolution field, addresses contentious disputes and controversies related to the use and management of natural resources, development and growth, individual and community health, and a range of additional and related concerns.  Through a present set of grants, the Conflict Resolution Program is supporting the development of ECR-related case information software and case data sets for evaluation research, creating models to assess longer-term economic and environmental costs and benefits associated with ECR, comparing ECR methodologies and their impacts, and developing new instruments for individual and institutional practitioners to measure near- and longer-term results.  We have a particular interest in ensuring that advances in knowledge building reach and find application in the hands of practitioners.  In 2004, we envision little new support in this area but will continue to learn from present grantees and encourage the dissemination of knowledge among grantees and within the larger ECR field.  For more information, click on the paragraph title above.

Deliberative Democracy

The Conflict Resolution Program has made a modest number of recent grants to better understand and assess the emerging area of participatory governance or "deliberative democracy," which we define as those efforts seeking to strengthen the participation of ordinary citizens in local, state, and national governance.  In 2004, we will continue to explore (through our grants made to date) participatory and deliberative approaches to public policymaking at the municipal level, mapping relevant approachs and assessing their effectiveness at impacting policy and creating a more informed and effective citizenry.  The Foundation may also support one or two initiatives that apply deliberative democracy approaches at the state level as well, with a primary emphasis on California.    For more information, click on the paragraph title above.

State-level Consensus Building

The Foundation has supported consensus building and collaborative problem solving within states and state governments for a number of years, with an emphasis on the support of organizations in and outside of state government that address multiparty controversies and improve the problem solving capacity of their respective states.  Outcomes have included collaboratively developed rules, agreements, and policies in a wide range of public policy areas; time and cost savings; the resolution of public controversies; and more effective, responsive, and transparent state governance.  The Foundation does not anticipate making grants to new organizations in this area, but may make final grants to selected grantees that compose an essential infrastructure supporting state consensus-building practices.  For more information, click on the paragraph title above.