TO ILLUSTRATE THE LOGISTICAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES RELEVANT TO EFFECTIVE INITIATIVES IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, CASE STUDIES ARE PRESENTED BASED ON BACKGROUND AND OUTCOME DATA FROM SEVERAL FORD FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED EFFORTS TO RESOLVE SOME SERIOUS LOCAL CONFLICTS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: (1) COMMUNITY DISPUTES INVOLVING BLACKS, HISPANICS, AND JEWS IN NEW YORK CITY AND MOHAWK INDIANS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK; (2) INMATE GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY INSTITUTIONS; AND (3) ENVIRONMENTAL ARGUMENTS OVER THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A FLOOD-CONTROL DAM EAST OF SEATTLE, WASH. THE USE OF COURT DIVERSION PROGRAMS AS A FORM OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS ALSO EXAMINED, ALONG WITH THE TRAINING OF FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED MEDIATORS, RANGING FROM A POLICE LIEUTENANT IN NEW YORK, A PRISON GUARD IN OHIO, AND A LAW STUDENT AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY TO A JUNIOR LEAGUE MEMBER IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., A PUBLIC HOUSING OFFICIAL IN AKRON, OHIO, AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIAL IN WASHINGTON STATE. FINALLY, PROSPECTS FOR BROADER FORD FOUNDATION CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROGRAMS ARE NOTED. FUTURE FOUNDATION SUPPORT WILL FOCUS ON THREE MAIN OBJECTIVES: (1) STRENGTHENING THE DISPUTE-PROCESSING CAPACITY OF EXISTING RESOLUTION SYSTEMS, BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL; (2) FINDING BETTER WAYS OF HANDLING DISPUTES OUTSIDE FORMAL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING MEDIATION CENTERS TO DEAL WITH EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY DISPUTES, MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SUITS, AND LANDLORD-TENANT CONFLICTS; AND (3) SYSTEMATIC REFORMS, SUCH AS THE SIMPLIFICATION OF DIVORCE AND ADOPTION PROCEDURES AND THE SUBSTITUTION OF WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION PRINCIPLES FOR COMMON LAW TORT IN PRODUCT LIABILITY CASES. (KBL)