We're ordinary people working together for the common good

The Central Valley is a richly diverse region. Despite our wide-ranging ethnic, religious, cultural, and occupational differences, we have many needs in common—things like:

• A healthy, clean environment
• Accessible housing
• Quality education
• Safe transportation
• Well-paying, dignified jobs
• Reliable infrastructure
• Quality healthcare

We focus on constructive, nonpartisan, community-defined issues that strengthen families and local institutions.

What We Do

We strengthen people and institutions so communities can act together effectively.

We do this by:

• Identifying and developing local leaders

• Training members to strengthen their institutions and address shared challenges

• Convening community assemblies that foster broad civic participation

• Coaching leaders to build inclusive, relational, and sustainable organizations

Our structure strengthens local democracy

Central Valley IAF is a nonprofit Broad-Based Organization (BBO) made up of member institutions — congregations, unions, and civic groups — working together to strengthen civic leadership and address shared needs locally.

Through grassroots organizing in affiliation with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)—which is the oldest and largest grassroots organizing network in the world—we are building a sustainable "People's Organization" that can:

1. Strengthen our member institutions and local democracy by finding and training effective civic leaders
   
   
2. Negotiate for the common interests of our members and Central Valley families
   

The IAF is a decentralized, nonpartisan, non-profit organization.

Get involved

To learn more about our local efforts and how you can participate, click here.