All activities and policies developed by the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy shall conform to the following fundamental principles:

• All West Virginians are best served by a vigorous multi-party government.
• All West Virginians are best served by limited government which adheres to the principle of subsidiarity — that is, policy decisions are best made by the most local level of government possible.
• All West Virginians deserve economic freedom.
• All West Virginians enjoy basic private property rights.
• All West Virginians are best served by government that adheres to strict federalism.
• All West Virginians have inalienable individual liberty and associated individual responsibilities.