IFA's work culture gives equal importance to independent initiative and collective action. Staff are given the freedom to take important decisions as well as encouraged to work as a mutually supportive team. Interacting closely with one another within and across functional areas, and also with the trustees, helps staff to gain a larger perspective on the functioning of the institution as a whole.

Programme staff, for instance, while holding independent charge for different areas of grant making, take all major programme and grant decisions collectively, and share responsibility for reviewing proposals, and monitoring and evaluating grants, across programmes. This has the added advantage of enabling them to come quickly to grips with the varied arts fields, communities and environments in which IFA works.