Training in collaboration and conflict resolution specifically for federal agency employees.
The USU School of Social Sciences and Heravi Peace Institute are excited to host the 2026 Federal Collaboration Certificate Course (FCCC). The FCCC is offered by the Environmental Dispute Resolution (EDR) Program in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Interior Office of Employee Development.
In this seven-session intensive online course for federal agency employees, participants will learn how to effectively and productively navigate conflict and collaborate to co-create and implement mutually beneficial, effective solutions. Participants will learn the “art and science” of collaborative problem-solving through lectures, case studies, peer-to-peer sharing, discussion, and simulation exercises.
The course will also provide a unique opportunity for participants to interact and network with colleagues at other federal agencies and to learn from one another’s experiences with collaboration in the federal context.
Course Benefits & Outcomes
FCCC participants will:
- Acquire skills for effectively navigating conflict and participating in, convening, and facilitating collaborative efforts.
- Learn how to assess whether a situation is ready for a collaborative approach.
- Build a cross-agency network of federal employees who can offer peer mentoring and support.
- Become a member of the EDR Program’s Collaborative Leadership Network, offering continued education, coaching, and peer-to-peer support
- Receive 8 non-academic continuing education units (CEUs) from Utah State University if they attend all course sessions, complete all assignments, and demonstrate sufficient mastery of the material.
Non-Federal Professionals
This course is similar to, but separate from, the Collaboration Certificate Course (CCC), which is targeted toward professionals from any type of employer who are working on environmental, natural resource, and public policy issues in the Mountain West. The FCCC is hosted in partnership with federal agencies, is only open to federal agency employees, and includes additional learning support.
Course Dates
Each day of online training will take place between 10am-5pm MT and involves ~4-hrs total on Zoom; the rest of online training days will be dedicated to course-related work and preparation.
| Session | Dates | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | Sept. 16, 2026 | Introductions, course expectations, and core skills |
| Session 2 | Sept. 23, 2026 Sept. 24, 2026 |
Introduction to collaboration and key concepts |
| Session 3 | Oct. 7, 2026 Oct 8, 2026 |
Interest-based negotiation and other key skills for collaborative problem solving |
| Session 4 | Oct. 21, 2026 Oct. 22, 2026 |
Assessing opportunities for collaboration |
| Session 5 | Nov. 4, 2026 Nov. 5, 2026 |
Formal collaborative processes and collaborative process design |
| Session 6 | Dec. 2, 2026 Dec. 3, 2026 |
Facilitation skills, adaptive leadership |
| Session 7 | Dec. 16, 2026 | Facilitation exercise and wrap-up |
Course Instructors
Danya Rumore, Director of the EDR Program, is the primary instructor for this course. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy and Planning and has over 15 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, consensus building, and collaborative process design in the context of environmental, natural resource, and public policy issues.
Emily Gaines-Crockett, Associate Director of the EDR Program, is the co-instructor and course coordinator. Emily is a mediator with a master’s degree in Environmental Science.
Eligibility
This course is designed for individuals who are:
- Mid- to upper-career level federal agency employees working on environmental, natural resource, and/or public policy issues (although individuals working on other types of issues will be considered)
- Positioned to benefit from the course (e.g., individuals who do not have extensive prior training in ADR, conflict resolution, etc.)
- Positioned to spread the skills learned in this course to others within or outside of their agency
- Able to attend all sessions as scheduled
Course enrollment will be capped at 36 participants; 10 seats are reserved for BLM employees and 26 seats are currently available for employees of other federal agencies.
The EDR Program invites federal agencies to partner on the FCCC by pre-purchasing/reserving 5 or more seats for their personnel. These pre-purchase commitments should be finalized by May 15, 2026.
Course Fee & Application Information
Please read the following application information carefully. Note that BLM employees have a different application process than non-BLM employees. We anticipate a large volume of applications this year, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply early!
BLM Employees
The BLM HQ Division of Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA is proud to sponsor tuition for up to 10 BLM employees who will be admitted.
Early registrations are encouraged. All participants registering through DOI Talent will be placed on a waiting list and rostered on a rolling first-come, first-served basis until the 10 available seats are filled. Participants will only be admitted if they meet course eligibility criteria. Registration will close on September 1, 2026.
Contact Tessa Teems with registration questions.
Employees of Federal Agencies Other Than BLM
Up to 26 individuals from non-BLM federal agencies will be admitted.
Tuition for non-BLM participants is $2,500/person; a link to the online payment portal will be sent once an applicant is accepted.
Early applications are encouraged. Applications will be reviewed starting May 15, 2026. Acceptances will be made on a rolling first-come, first-served basis until the 26 available seats are filled. Participants will only be admitted if they meet the above eligibility criteria. After May 15, applicants will be notified of acceptance decisions within 2-3 weeks of application submission. Once the course is filled, any additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
Contact Danya Rumore with application questions.
Contact
For more information about the Federal Collaboration Certificate Course, contact Danya Rumore.