named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
CMMI Fellows Program
Annual fellowship for scholars and practitioners to advance projects using a communication perspective, culminating in a publishable paper and webinar presentation; includes collaboration with Columbia University
CosmoKidz
Training package for educators and adolescents focused on empathy, compassion, conflict management, and cosmopolitan communication; adapted for use in diverse cultural contexts including Afghanistan
Teen Fellows Program
Program for young people aged 17–23 to engage with communication theory and social change, focusing on leadership, community service, and personal development
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Professional Development and Standards in Marketing and Communications 1 activity
- Advocates for improved communication practices across sectorsPromotes enhanced personal and public communication through publications, sponsored projects, presentations, and professional networks. Focus areas include equitable facilitation in youth organizations and advancing cosmopolitan communication as a means of social transformation.
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Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
- Develops and distributes educational communication tools for childrenCreates and provides free, age-specific conversational activities and scenarios designed to support social-emotional development, decision-making, environmental awareness, and collaborative skills in children ages 4–11. These include the Cosmo series and multilingual resources used in relationship-centered learning environments.
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Educator Conferences & Professional Development Events 1 activity
- Hosts professional learning and networking eventsOrganizes conferences, symposia, webinars, and Learning Exchange events that bring together practitioners, scholars, and community members to explore communication practices, relational design, and systems thinking. Events include the Co-Creating Social Worlds Symposium and sessions at the RSD Conference.
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Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Offers fellowships and capacity-building programs for CMM practitionersAdministers annual fellowship programs for emerging and established practitioners, including collaborations with Columbia University, requiring participants to lead discussions, produce publishable work, and deliver webinar presentations. Supports global networking and skill development among CMM professionals.
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Published Narrative Projects 1 activity
- Operates CMMi Press publishing programEstablished and manages CMMi Press to publish books, working papers, and narrative-based works that promote the Coordinated Management of Meaning framework and its application to personal, organizational, and societal transformation. Titles include "Making Better Social Worlds," "Justice in the Making," and field guides for practical use.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Conducts research on the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) frameworkEngages in ongoing scholarly and applied research on the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) as a communication framework for understanding and transforming social worlds, including long-term collaborative projects, case studies, and action research initiatives. Publishes findings through books, working papers, and research manuals to advance theoretical and practical applications of CMM.
- Implements community engagement and demonstration projectsLeads participatory community engagement initiatives using CMM-based methods, including strategic planning processes involving interviews, focus groups, surveys, and facilitated discussions with hundreds of residents and city employees. Runs long-term demonstration programs such as CosmoKidz and Cosmopolis to model improved communication practices for social innovation.
- Produces multimedia content on CMM theory and practiceDevelops and shares podcasts, webinars, and digital collections that explain key concepts of the Coordinated Management of Meaning, including heuristic models for daily communication and an archive of foundational writings by W. Barnett Pearce.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$43K
Contributions & grants$39K91%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$82K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$82K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +67.7%
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Barnett Pearce Partner — Co-founder of CMM theory and collaborator on foundational works.
- CMMI Teen Fellows Partner — International team of teen fellows developing mental health-focused interactive comic book content for CosmoTeenz program.
- City of Milpitas Partner — Collaborated on the development of the city's first strategic plan through community and staff engagement.
- City of Santa Clara Partner — Partnered on a community engagement process related to Levi’s Stadium.
- Columbia University Partner — Collaborates on a joint graduate student fellowship program in communication and social transformation.
- Columbia University Partner — Joint partnership on the CMMI Fellows program
- Fielding University Partner — Co-hosted a panel dialogue with CMM Institute's 2020 Fellows as part of Fielding University's Alumni Conference.
- Fitchburg University Partner — Hosts the digital Coordinated Management of Meaning Collection featuring the papers of W. Barnett Pearce.
- George Mason University, School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution Partner — Engages in the AC4-CMMI Graduate Fellows program with a focus on community resilience
- Kevin Barge Partner — Collaborator in CMM research and co-author of key publications.
- Lew Edwards Group Partner — Partnered on the Levi’s Stadium engagement by combining qualitative input with a separate quantitative survey.
- Oregon State University Partner — Collaborates through the AC4-CMMI Graduate Fellows program on post-conflict transformation research
- Robyn Penman Partner — Commissioning editor for CMMi Press, responsible for evaluating publishing ideas and manuscripts.
- Santa Clara Stadium Authority Partner — Collaborated on collecting and presenting community input for policy decisions about Levi’s Stadium.
- School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University Partner — Collaborates with CMM Institute through the AC4-CMMI Graduate Fellows program
- Substack Network — Hosts the CMM Institute's newsletter and communications platform.
- Taos Institute Partner — Co-sponsors the Co-Creating Social Worlds Symposium.
- Teachers College, Columbia University Partner — Hosts AC4-CMMI Graduate Fellows and collaborates on research and educational initiatives
- UK Association for Family Therapy Partner — Cocultivates professional learning through joint conferences and Learning Exchanges.
- Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Partner — Participates in the AC4-CMMI Graduate Fellows program with research on linguistic practices and political understanding
- Vernon Cronen Partner — Co-developer of CMM theory and contributor to theoretical foundations.
- W. Barnett Pearce Government — Honored through a Festschrift publication supported by the institute.
- like-minded institutions Partner — Collaborates with institutions that share a commitment to improving social conditions.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Communication as Constitutive of Social Realitymethodology: communication-as-constitutiveBy treating communication as the foundational process through which social worlds are created and sustained, this approach produces more intentional and just social outcomes because it positions human interaction as the mechanism of social construction rather than a mere exchange of information.
- Developmental Communication Education for Prosocial Societiesmethodology: developmental-communication-educationBy teaching relationship-centered communication from early childhood through adolescence, this strategy cultivates cooperative social behaviors because developmental engagement with collaborative interaction normalizes compassion and mutual care as foundational social practices.
- Radical Relationality as an Ethical Foundation for Social Changemethodology: radical_relationalityBy centering mutual responsibility and relational ethics in communication practices, this strategy fosters social change because it redefines justice as emerging from ongoing, accountable relationships rather than individual actions or institutional policies.