The Turkish Cultural Foundation was established on January 1, 2000. The Foundation's main goals can be summarized as:

1. Promoting and preserving Turkish culture and heritage worldwide, through original programs and cooperation with like minded organizations.
2. Supporting education, particularly in the area of humanities, for disadvantaged students in Turkey.
3. Supporting research, documentation and publication in the humanities related to Turkey.
4. Supporting the preservation of Turkish cultural heritage abroad.
5. Helping to build cultural bridges between Turkey and other countries to support a better understanding and appreciation of Turkish cultural heritage.

The Foundation is a US tax-exempt public charitable organization supported entirely by private donations, with offices in Boston, Detroit, Istanbul, Sonoma and Washington DC.

ATA-Houston contributes to the society by organizing, sponsoring and hosting cultural and social events such as Turkish classes, seminars, picnics, music nights, concerts, and many other activities, which help build a bridge between the two cultures.