Dispute Settlement Center, Inc.
Your resource for mediation and conflict resolution
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Conflict Resolution for Individuals and Groups
Dispute Settlement Center offers 1) mediation of interpersonal disputes involving neighbors, friends, business associates, co-workers, etc; 2) divorce/family mediation; 3) training in mediation and conflict resolution (including custom-tailored trainings for the workplace); 4) mediation and facilitation of group disputes and assistance with team collaboration and consensus-building; 5) Restorative Practices training and consultation for youth and adults. Services are free, available on a sliding scale, or have a negotiable fee. Our mission is to promote collaboration, face-to-face problem solving, and healthy resolution of conflict so that we may live, work, and play better together.
Youth Programs
We believe young people can learn healthy conflict resolution skills. Our programs reach young people in schools through mediation and Restorative Practices (RP) training. We have helped several school districts and charter schools use Restorative Practices to build connections in their school communities and in response to infractions. Through school/youth mediation we help students and first-time juvenile offenders take accountability for their actions.
Where we work
Awards
Bridge Builders Award 2008
University/Community MLK Jr. Planning Committee
External reviews

Photos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. Provide access to affordable mediation services to divorcing couples, families with eldercare disputes, businesses, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
2. Support the development of a restorative justice approach to infractions in local school systems and juvenile services, and with certain adult misdemeanors and felonies.
3. Provide high quality training in communication, conflict resolution, mediation, and meeting facilitation to individuals and groups who need it.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
All ages and demographics, through referrals from court system, schools, other nonprofits, and self-referrals.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Paper surveys, Case management notes,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We have made a lot of adaptions in response to client needs during pandemic conditions, including developing short training segments delivered virtually. An example was "How to Facilitate Virtual Meetings" which filled up in done day.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
During the pandemic, it has helped us figure out how to best deliver trainings and mediation. We've learned that short segments (rather than day-long sessions we used to have in person) better serve the clients.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Dispute Settlement Center, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 10/29/2021
Mia Burroughs
Richard Igou
Rick Igou
Attorney Mediator
Erin Haygood
Attorney
Celisa Lehew
Assistant Police Chief
Mia Burroughs
Ipas
Shelley Kennedy
Girls on the Run
Moira Downey
Duke University Libraries
Erica Bluford
Law Student
Fran Muse
UNC Student Legal Services
Annie O'Leary
Isabela Ferraz
USDOE
Matt Epstein
mediator
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: