We believe that:

• Collaborative community partnerships assure our relevance.
• Mutual respect between researchers and practitioners creates opportunities for improvement of both scholarship and nonprofit practice.
• Inclusiveness will result in outcomes that are creative, relevant and enriching.
• The nonprofit, business and government sectors each have strengths that should be studied, understood and replicated; similarly, improved practice is made possible by acknowledging weaknesses.
• Innovation through entrepreneurial approaches can create new forms of social enterprise that can improve the human condition in ways not previously considered.
• Activities, services, and products of the Center should be of the highest quality; outcomes should be disseminated and replicated whenever possible.
• Stewardship of public and private investments in our work promotes accountability and sustainability.