Institute for the American Family

The Institute for the American Family, (IAF) is a private, nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated to understanding, achieving and maintaining public policies which create a nurturing environment for the modern family. The IAF's design sustains a forum encouraging innovative policy development.

The Institute's mission is to examine public policies affecting family. The IAF:

• Develops, supports and provides research that explores and defines the qualities, values and incentives necessary to enhance modern family life.
• Reviews existing public policy with attention to the effect of current policy on family stability, relationship enhancement, privacy and autonomy.
• Educates society's spheres of influence regarding the dynamics of modern family life.
• Examines and defines policies which further the individual and collective good for the entirety of our nation's citizenry.
• Reviews and examines tax based funding streams supporting public policies affecting family.
• Translates research into specific policy proposals.

The Institute is financed with tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations.

The Institute affirms children are the foundation of family and guarantee the continuation of society. The Institute affirms family is intended to nurture children in order that they may become conscious of their social and moral obligations and that they may mature and become men and women best equipped to master the specific skills of any calling and become respectful, competent and responsible citizens of a free society.

Utilizing an approach which recognizes each fit parent's contribution to the development of healthy children as invaluable and necessary, regardless of a parent's gender and/or residential status, the IAF seeks to craft and implement public policy supporting a domestic environment that nurtures economic and emotional stability in our society.

The Institute for the American Family envisions educated, well-reasoned and stable children maturing into educated, well-reasoned and stable adults who in turn raise educated, well-reasoned and stable children. Thus the cycle of success perpetuates itself. The modern family emerges as a stable healthy unit wherein respect, dignity and deference are afforded to the relationships between children, men and women, such being their natural birthright.

The American Family changed substantially during the last half of the 20th century. The traditional family consisting of two parents of the opposite sex and their children began to dwindle in numbers. The feminist movement, the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement, increasing divorce rates, increasing presence of women in the work force, alternative lifestyles and changes in education, economics, laws and policies created a redefined family and an environment wherein the non-traditional and traditional family were learning to live side by side.

In the 21st century the modern family, consisting of various combinations of individuals residing together, emerged. As with the traditional family of the 20th century, the modern family, in vast majority, is defined by the presence of children, many of whom may experience a multitude of living arrangements over the course of their childhood. Modern family policy must recognize changing family demographics and utilize even-handed approaches when state intervention is contemplated where children are involved.

The Institute affirms that caring individuals living together have every right to live as they choose. Public policy should not denigrate or impugn those who live in non-traditional familial arrangements. Nor should such arrangements be subjected to social or economic discrimination. Likewise, public policy should not denigrate, impugn or discriminate against modern families that choose and espouse traditional values. Mutual respect is fundamental to stability.