ABOUT CDR

Over 45 Years of
Building Consensus

Our Organization

At the heart of our work are the communities impacted by decisions.
We pride ourselves on our strategic and people-oriented approach to problem-solving.

CDR Associates (CDR) brings together diverse stakeholders to build lasting partnerships and develop practical solutions to real-world challenges. We specialize in inclusive, interest-based facilitation, partner engagement, and collaborative process design—and we equip organizations with these same skills through custom-designed training programs. Learn more about our services.

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Our team has developed specializations in the built environment and natural resources. Across four main practice areas, we bring deep process knowledge in the areas of transportation and mobility, land management, disaster resilience, and water resources. Much of our work is interdisciplinary and connects expertise across challenges, including climate change, community resilience, economic pressures, and Tribal sovereignty. Learn more about our expertise.

For over 45 years, the CDR team has strengthened projects and programs design for clients and communities across the world. From Colorado to the coasts and to countries abroad, we serve a variety of public, private, and non-profit clients. Our public clients represent local municipalities, regional organizations, special districts, state governments, and federal agencies. We contract directly with clients and, when a project calls for technical expertise, partner with other firms as prime contractors or sub-contractors. Contact us to discuss how we can support your organization and projects.

CDR is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Our Values

Collaboration

We lead with collaboration in every aspect of our work. The CDR approach to collaboration goes beyond mere cooperation: we build consensus, foster relationships, and identify goals that benefit everybody. We encourage clients, partners, and communities to communicate honestly and co-create a process that works for everyone involved.

Integrity

We advocate for equitable, fair, and transparent processes. Our team meets people where they are—where they live, work, and play—to bring a variety of perspectives to the table and amplify voices that historically have been excluded. We make sure that the people affected by the process are the ones at the table, that decision-makers have access to technical expertise to make informed decisions, and that everyone involved is committed to finding a way that works.

Resilience

We steward innovative strategies to solve our communities’ and planet’s most pressing challenges. Our team works to mitigate human impact on public lands, meet local and regional mobility needs, and nurture our watersheds and the communities that rely on them. We proactively support those who are responding to the challenges of a changing climate and prepare our region to withstand uncertainties.

Excellence

We prioritize durable solutions and action-oriented guidance. By communicating expectations, establishing parameters, and creating metrics, we deliver high-quality plans that can actually be implemented. We deliver long-lasting solutions to shared problems. That’s why we consistently earn the trust of the clients, partners, and communities we work with.

Our History

CDR was founded in Boulder, CO, in September 1978 as a non-profit organization then known as "Common Ground" and, later, "Denver Conciliation Services." (If you're curious, "CDR" stands for "Collaborative Decision Resources," but we almost never use the full name!)

Our original mission was to help individuals and organizations resolve conflicts outside of formal court settings—and to train other professionals to offer similar services. The central idea behind our founding was that it is better to solve differences amicably and collaboratively than it is to resort to costly litigation that damages relationships.

As leaders in conflict resolution and negotiation, CDR's founding partners supported countless conflict resolution efforts. Our work ranged from familiar, small-scale disputes (e.g., frustration with a neighbor's barking dog) to national-scale conflicts in the Global South (e.g., mediation systems for restoring property rights after civil war). Much of this work addressed conflict after it had already arisen—a downstream approach to rescue relationships and systems in peril.

Over time, we've expanded our focus to help prevent conflict before it threatens the success of a project, team, or relationship—an upstream approach that incorporates collaboration into a process early and often. In particular, we developed expertise in facilitating multi-party programs and projects managed by public agencies or community-serving groups and have built a portfolio of work in the built and natural environment sectors.

Publications

CDR's benefit to communities and organizations has been amplified through our training programs, which have strengthened thousands of participants' skills in mediation, facilitation, engagement, and collaborative problem solving. Our legacy extends even further through publications and educational materials from CDR staff and alumni, including: