The JAMS Foundation: Investing in Peaceful Solutions Worldwide

Founded in 2002, the JAMS Foundation was created as a way for JAMS—the premier provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide—to extend its commitment to resolving conflict beyond the courtroom and conference room. Today, the Foundation is one of the largest and most long-standing private funders of conflict prevention and dispute resolution initiatives in the United States and around the globe.

What makes the JAMS Foundation unique is not just the scope of its work, but how it is funded. The Foundation is supported entirely by contributions from JAMS neutrals and associates, along with a substantial annual donation from JAMS itself. To preserve neutrality and avoid any appearance of conflict, it does not accept outside donations. Over more than two decades, this internal commitment has translated into more than $14 million in grant funding dedicated to building a more constructive, collaborative approach to conflict.

Advancing Conflict Resolution at Every Level

The mission of the JAMS Foundation is straightforward but ambitious: to provide financial assistance for conflict resolution initiatives with national and international impact and to share dispute resolution expertise for the benefit of the public. In practice, that means funding programs that help people manage conflict where they live, learn and work—whether that’s a local school, a community organization or a justice system struggling with growing caseloads.

One signature example is the JAMS Foundation/ACR Initiative for Students and Youth, which supports conflict resolution education for K–12 students and the adults who work with them. These grants help schools and youth-serving organizations teach skills like communication, mediation and problem-solving so that young people can address disagreements constructively rather than through violence or exclusion. Other major initiatives launched by the Foundation focus on expanding access to mediation services, training community mediators and supporting innovative approaches to public dialogue in divided communities.

Although the specific projects vary—from restorative justice programs to community mediation centers—the common thread is a belief that while conflict is inevitable, violence and stalemate are not. With targeted grants, the JAMS Foundation helps organizations test new ideas, scale what works and build sustainable local capacity for resolving disputes.

The Weinstein JAMS International Fellows: A Global Ripple Effect

The JAMS Foundation’s impact is perhaps most visible through its primary international initiative, the Weinstein JAMS International Fellowship Program. Inaugurated in 2008 and named for JAMS neutral Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.), the program brings ADR professionals from outside the United States to study dispute resolution processes and practices in the U.S.

Each year, a select group of fellows receives funding to support individualized projects aimed at advancing ADR in their home countries. To date, the fellowship has supported more than 150 judges, lawyers, academics, mediators, government officials and community leaders from over 90 countries, creating a truly global network of ADR champions.

The fellows’ time in the U.S. is intensive and hands-on. They may be based at a JAMS Resolution Center, where they observe complex mediations and arbitrations, or they may participate in advanced training at institutions such as Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, UC Law SF’s Center for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and other leading law schools and ADR programs. Along the way, they consult with JAMS neutrals, refine their project plans and build relationships that continue long after the fellowship formally ends.

From Fellowship to Long-Term Change

What truly distinguishes the Weinstein JAMS International Fellows is what they do after they return home. Alumni of the program have gone on to establish court-connected mediation systems, promote mediation statutes and policies, create university-based ADR centers and launch nonprofit organizations focused on community peacebuilding and access to justice.

In many countries, fellows are working on the front lines of critical global challenges. Some are using mediation to support reconciliation efforts in post-conflict societies; others are designing dispute resolution mechanisms that can address disputes related to climate change, forced migration and resource scarcity. They share strategies for reducing court backlogs, developing culturally appropriate mediation models and persuading skeptical stakeholders that collaborative processes can deliver fair, durable outcomes.

Their impact is amplified through international networks such as the Weinstein International Foundation, which connects ADR leaders from around the world and helps them collaborate across borders. The result is a growing ecosystem of mediators and problem-solvers who understand both global best practices and local realities—and who are equipped to bridge the gap between the two.

A Quiet but Powerful Legacy

The work of the JAMS Foundation and the Weinstein JAMS International Fellows rarely makes headlines, yet its influence is profound. By funding innovative programs, nurturing future leaders and sharing the practical wisdom of experienced neutrals, the Foundation helps communities move from impasse to understanding, from confrontation to collaboration.

As conflict continues to shape our world—from school hallways to international borders—the need for effective, human-centered ways to resolve disputes has never been greater. Through its grants and its support of the Weinstein JAMS International Fellows, the JAMS Foundation is investing in exactly that: people and programs that turn conflict into an opportunity for dialogue, learning and lasting change.

Learn more about the JAMS Foundation here.