Community Boards operates the longest running nonprofit conflict resolution center in the United States. We have an excellent reputation for supplying high quality programs in the community for over forty years.
We offer a range of affordable conflict resolution programs and services to residents, businesses, schools and communities throughout San Francisco. Our mediation services are offered in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and English through our corps of 450+ highly skilled volunteer Community Mediators.
In 2016, Community Boards was in the first group to be designated a Legacy Business in San Francisco as recognition for our 40+ years of public service.
We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization registered as Community Board Program, Inc. (EIN: 94-2382967)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Community Boards cares for all our clients and trainees, regardless of immigration status. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure that every client and trainee feel safe and welcome in our organization. Our core value is to deliver safe, quality and equitable mediation and training services, without regard to a person's ethnicity or citizenship. We can only do so if all of the people we serve are able to seek our services without fear. We do not collect information about immigration status or report undocumented individuals.
Our mission is to empower communities and individuals with the strength, skills, and resources needed to express and resolve conflicts peacefully and appropriately for their culture and environment.
To accomplish our mission, we provide and promote peaceful, collaborative conflict resolution. We serve diverse communities and offer mediation, conflict coaching, facilitation, training, referrals and restorative justice services. We build more peaceful, respectful, healthy, and just communities.
Community Boards holds all communications with those seeking assistance in strict confidence, and does not disclose confidential communications unless given permission to do so. The only exception to this privilege of confidentiality is where there appears to be imminent risk of serious harm.
Community Boards' mediators are neutral and impartial. Community Boards and our mediators do not engage in any situation which could create a conflict of interest and maintain no personal stake in the outcome of any dispute. Community Boards promotes a fair process but does not advocate for individuals.
The use of the Community Boards is voluntary. The focus is on alternative methods to resolving problems other than formal institutional procedures. Community Boards does not participate in any formal adjudicative or administrative procedure related to concerns brought to our attention, and has no decision-making authority and maintains no official records.
Community Boards is independent in structure, function and appearance to the highest degree possible within the organizations we work with.
We are guided by the following commitments:
To provide accessible, fair and inclusive problem solving and conflict resolution services
To respect the many forms of communication and problem solving utilized by and appropriate to diverse people and communities
To maintain an organizational orientation to self-assessment, ongoing learning and internal practices consistent with our purposes and values
To enhance people's capacities as involved, aware and effective residents of their communities.
Sunshine Ordinance (Administrative Code Section 12L)
San Francisco requires nonprofits that receive at least $250,000 in City funds allow public attendance to at least two meetings annually and a packet of financial information concerning the nonprofit organization. Community Boards convenes these two meetings at different times throughout the year. If you would like to be placed our notification list for when these meetings are scheduled or if you would like the packet of financial information, please contact Darlene Weide, Executive Director, (415) 920-3820, x105.
Highlights from Our Record of 43 Years of Public Service
Founded in 1976 with the mission to provide the general public with an empowering, effective, and accessible methodology for resolving a wide range of personal, residential, neighborhood, consumer, and public disputes.
Developed a unique panel mediation model of three mediators working collaboratively to create a safe and confidential conflict resolution process for all San Franciscans.
Created a rewarding — both personally and professionally — avenue for concerned citizens to volunteer their time, energy, and skills in helping others.
Trained 19,000+ San Francisco residents as mediators since its founding.
Assisted 55,000+ San Francisco residents in resolving their conflicts peacefully.
Maintains an ongoing, active pool of 450+ volunteer Community Mediators.
Serves annually 2,000+ San Francisco residents, nonprofits, and businesses a year and offers its mediation services in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Partners and collaborates with a broad array of social service organizations, public agencies, and community nonprofits including the SF Police Department, the SF Unified School District, the SF Superior Court, SF Rent Board, SF Planning Department, housing/tenant rights organizations, assisted living residences, and arts and cultural organizations among others.
Introduced its Conflict Manager Program, a peer mediation model, that is now one of the oldest programs in the United States and is found in 3,000+ schools nationwide
Designs and delivers trainings to the panelists of the SF District Attorney's Neighborhood Courts Program.
Added to San Francisco's Legacy Business Registry in 2016 in recognition of its public service.
Location & Business Hours
Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 2040
Monday – Thursday | 10:00am – 6:00pm
(415) 920-3820 | Messages after hours: (415) 920-3820 x100
General email: Learn_More@communityboards.org
Online support: CommunityBoards.org/start-a-mediation/
Please join or subscribe to our social media. Help us stretch our "grassroots" into today's virtual communities. You can help us spread the word to as many people and neighborhoods in San Francisco and the Bay Area as possible.
Facebook: Company Page
YouTube: CommunityBoardsSF
Yelp: Non-Profit | Community Service
LinkedIn: Training | Mediation | Facilitation