APASA endeavors to:

• Create greater awareness of Amish and plain Anabaptist research, teaching, and service work in academic, applied, and public contexts

• Advance theoretical, analytical, and applied knowledge by providing venues for discussion of research, teaching, and service 

• Provide outlets for the dissemination of knowledge, resources, and scholarship

• Offer mentorship to service providers and scholars new to the Amish and plain Anabaptists

• Promote partnerships between and among scholars and service provider

• Cultivate respect for the dignity of plain Anabaptist individuals and their collective peoplehood through our work, not causing undue grievances, nor exploiting the culture for ideological, material, institutional, or personal gain

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Organizational Status
Encompassing both an educational and scientific mission, APASA is a registered non-profit under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Structure
Guided by a constitution and by-laws statement, a five-member board directs APASA. Several subcommittees, each with its own charter statement, operate under the board’s jurisdiction, including the scholarship committee, the communications committee, and the JAPAS editorial board. The editorial board further operates in partnership with the University of Akron’s IdeaExchange publishing platform.