Common Ground helps government entities, agencies, private-sector organizations, nonprofits and communities come together and work out solutions to public policy issues including: transportation, land use, public health, quality of life, natural resources, education, watershed planning and military base reuse.

In order to accomplish this work, Common Ground provides facilitation and mediation services, educates communities and organizations in order to build capacity in collaboration, and conducts and conveys research on what helps and hinders cooperative process and solutions.

Featured Courses

Introduction to Mediation, Facilitation and Community Engagement
Become a vital problem-solver in your organization or community. Build a solid foundation in the basics of conflict resolution, with specific focus on the practice of mediation, facilitation and the range of processes related to the prevention and resolution of conflict within communities.

Facilitating Group Dynamics
Learn and practice the essential facilitation skills and techniques required for successful group and team meetings and other interactions. Become a vital resource, and gain the ability to create an environment where people can do their best thinking and work.

Managing Workplace Conflict
Develop the skills to effectively and efficiently resolve these kinds of disputes by understanding the underlying causes of workplace conflict. Learn to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional workplace conflicts, and determine how to effectively manage them.

Community Involvement and Communication in Planning
Understand the theoretical background and the hands-on practice of involving stakeholders in urban planning and design decisions and natural resources policy. Practice selected communication and facilitation techniques that create mutually beneficial solutions.