Helping Foundations Navigate Conflict and Stay Focused on Mission.

Foundation-Grantee Relationships

Alternative dispute resolution can play an important role in foundation-grantee relationships. If a dispute or serious misunderstanding arises between a foundation and grantee, it can undermine the relationship, impede the funded work, and endanger the foundation’s investment. Prompt, cooperative resolution of disputes and misunderstandings preserves relationships, supports continued charitable work on the ground, and helps to safeguard a foundation’s grant dollars.

Dispute resolution doesn’t have to be formal or adversarial—on the contrary, a process rooted in mutual trust and shared interests is likely to bear fruit. A neutral facilitator can help those involved address concerns early, clarify expectations, improve communication, and identify areas of agreement before differences become entrenched. Where a dispute has become more developed, mediation can provide a structured but collaborative process for identifying the issues, understanding competing interests, and exploring practical paths forward. In either setting, the goal is not simply to resolve a disagreement, but to preserve the ability to work together effectively in support of the charitable work.

Similarly, a well-crafted dispute resolution provision need not read like a traditional contract clause or suggest an adversarial process. It can focus instead on early dispute resolution in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. Language that avoids unnecessary legalese—and establishes a process for addressing concerns before they escalate—can be a helpful addition to a grant or gift letter. It represents a proactive and collaborative approach to dispute resolution—one that supports the relationship, the project, and responsible stewardship of the foundation’s grant dollars.

Internal Conflict

Foundations can also experience internal conflict or division. Differences may arise over strategic priorities, governance, grantmaking decisions, roles and responsibilities, leadership transitions, allocation of resources, or the best way to advance the organization’s mission. Even where colleagues share the same fundamental goals, disagreements about how to achieve them can strain relationships, slow decision-making, and make it harder for a foundation to move forward.

JAMS Pathways can provide neutral support to help foundation boards, leaders, and teams address disputes constructively and restore alignment—so they can stay focused on their mission. We can also design dispute resolution systems to help foundations address future disagreements early and at the lowest appropriate level, before they become more disruptive or costly.

Meeting Facilitation

A foundation may also benefit from meeting facilitation, where a JAMS Pathways neutral structures and guides critical conversations to make them easier, more focused, and more productive. Meeting facilitation typically involves both pre-meeting planning and preparation as well as post-meeting reporting and analysis, but it often proves most valuable during the meeting itself: the facilitator creates space for participants to hear one another, test assumptions, identify shared interests, and work constructively through differences.

The facilitator’s role is to keep the meeting focused, encourage participation, manage tension constructively, and help the group move toward alignment and resolution. Meeting facilitation can be particularly valuable when the stakes are high, the issues are complex, or existing dynamics make it difficult for participants to have a productive conversation on their own.

 Disclaimer:
This page is for general information purposes. JAMS makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or completeness. Interested persons should conduct their own research regarding information on this website before deciding to use JAMS, including investigation and research of JAMS neutrals.