Mission Statement

The Institute for Cultural Partnerships is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help individuals and communities successfully live, learn, and work in our increasingly diverse society. The Institute focuses on helping people understand their own culture, understand others, develop positive inter-group relations, and build strong communities.

Organizational History

The Institute for Cultural Partnerships was founded in October, 1995 as a non-profit organization based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ICP grew out of the successful work of the Pennsylvania Heritage Affairs Commission (PHAC), a former state agency with a 15-year record of providing successful inter-group relations and cultural heritage programs. The Commission was under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs (DCA); both the Commission and DCA were eliminated from state government July 1, 1996 as part of the administration's initiative to streamline the services of state government. The Institute for Cultural Partnerships was founded by the former Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Heritage Affairs Commission. Members of the ICP's initial Board were formerly PHAC commissioners, and PHAC's former program directors are today among the core program staff at ICP.

Current Challenges

ICP has emerged as a thriving private, non-profit agency now in its Seventh year of providing quality programs locally, across Pennsylvania, in the mid-Atlantic region and nationally. ICP is currently expanding its range of programs and services to the central Pennsylvania region, utilizing our particular resources and skills to improve the quality of inter-group relations to work with local communities and institutions to overcome barriers rooted in misunderstanding, prejudice, and cultural difference. As examples, ICP is working intensively with school districts in the region to assist with diversity education and conflict resolution issues, and with health care and human service providers to focus attention on workplace diversity and culturally competent delivery of services.