Heartland Foundation recognizes that there are two worlds in which we can choose to live. One is called Behind, the other Ahead.  

In Behind, organizations rely on what's always been done, the tried and true, the voice of experience, the expert's mind. With yesterday as its benchmark, new problems are approached with the same thinking of the past. And when limits, obstacles and crises arise, people just try harder. What the world of Behind lacks in foresight, innovation, and creativity it makes up for in feelings of comfort and unquestioned security.

Heartland Foundation understands that Ahead is a very different place. We have discovered that it can only be approached with a beginner's mind and a humble attitude because no one is experienced in the future. It is not constrained by past methods, and yet, it honors the past, carries forward our values, and examines the lessons learned along the way. We see optimism where failure is nothing more than an admission that we are smarter today than we were yesterday. It requires a willingness to take a big step because we can't cross the chasm to the future in two small ones. We believe that things do not change; only we change.  

For Heartland Foundation, our choice is clear. We believe that each of us is progress, each of us is potential, each of us is possibility, but only if we Think Ahead. We see healthy, dynamic and vital communities and will build communities that are valued and valuable to young and old alike People will enthusiastically embrace our experiments because they know that we honor the tremendous gains of the past, learn from our past mistakes, and understand the power of compassion. Think Ahead will be much more than a slogan used to communicate our efforts. It will direct everything the Foundation does, from how we see new possibilities in our communities to how we nurture new empowerment in our youth and communities. We will begin with the end in mind while being conscious of what we learn along the way. We will not be a place of recovery from present day problems but one of discovery of future day possibilities.