On its website YAF states that it is "committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values."
YAF sponsors conservative speakers - including [[John Stossel]], [[Ann Coulter]] and [[David Horowitz]] - to visit university campauses. It also " distributes books and studies, holds conferences and seminars, and provides students with scholarship assistance."However, YAF does not actually pay for speakers.
Recently, YAF has been one of the major supporters of the [[intellectual diversity|intellectual diversity movement]] that has infiltrated discussion on college and university campuses across the country.