The work of the Industrial Areas Foundation flows directly from a commitment to the values embodied in our Abrahamic religious traditions and our democratic political traditions. From these roots, IAF nurtures the growth of varied organizations and relationships that equip families and communities to participate with power in the public decisions that impact their lives.

The measure of IAF's success is the extent to which its organizations contribute to human flourishing in communities where human development is often devalued and human dignity trampled. These successes, when they occur, take the form of imaginative responses to seemingly intractable problems, new relationships overcoming racial, religious and socio-economic divisions and immediate, concrete victories that change communities for the better and inspire hope in the future.

IAF invests heavily in the identification, training and connecting of leaders whose capacities and skills may be further developed with careful mentoring and challenge.