Atlas Network

This article is about the United States-based organization that supports think tanks. For the European police organization, see ATLAS Network.
Atlas Network
Established 1981
Mission "To strengthen the worldwide freedom movement by identifying, training, and supporting individuals with the potential to found and develop effective independent organizations"[1]
Chairman Dan Grossman[2]
President Alejandro Chafuen
Budget Revenue: $11,459,155
Expenses: $8,627,157
(FYE December 2013)[3]
Members 462[4]
Formerly called Atlas Economic Research Foundation
Location Washington, D.C., United States

The Atlas Network, formerly known as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, is a nonprofit organization based in the United States. The group aims to promote free-market economic policies across the world.[5] The stated mission of the Atlas Network is "To strengthen the worldwide freedom movement by identifying, training, and supporting individuals with the potential to found and develop effective independent organizations."[1] The Atlas Network has awarded grants of over $20 million.[6]

History

Atlas was founded in 1981 by Sir Antony Fisher. After founding the Institute of Economic Affairs in London in 1955, Fisher had helped to establish the Fraser Institute, the Manhattan Institute and the Pacific Research Institute in the 1970s. Fisher conceived of Atlas as a means to connect various think tanks via a global network through which the organizations could learn best practices from one another and "pass the best research and policy ideas from one to the other, and so avoid the need to reinvent the wheel."[7] Atlas has been described as "self replicating, a think tank that creates think tanks."[8]

According to the 2014 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania), Atlas is ranked number 57 (of 60) in the "Top Think Tanks in the United States".[9]

The president of Atlas is Alejandro Chafuen.[10] Chafuen was named the group's president in 2009 after serving as CEO since 1991.[6]

Mission

Atlas identifies, screens and offers initial financial support to individuals and groups who want to create local think tanks in various countries.[1] Atlas provides assistance to think tanks that support private-property rights, limited government, the rule of law, and market economics.[11]

Programs

Training and networking

Atlas offers financial support to enable think tank executives to participate in conferences that feature training sessions on non-profit management.[11] The Atlas Experience is an annual international conference hosted by Atlas. Atlas runs an annual Liberty Forum which brings together think tank staff from around the world.[6]

Events have featured Milton Friedman, Hernando de Soto, José María Aznar, Mart Laar, Charles Murray, Walter Williams, George Will, and Francisco Flores.[6]

Atlas directly operates two training programs, the Think Tank MBA and Think Tank Leadership Training. The Think Tank MBA is a two-week program held near Washington, DC designed for leaders of think thanks and other public organizations. Over the course of the program students develop and refine a strategic plan for their organization or program. The course includes seminars, classroom exercises, a day-long group project, and lectures from outside speakers and Atlas staff. Think Tank Leadership Training is a three-day program for individuals starting policy organizations and other intellectual entrepreneurs. The training focuses on fundraising, marketing, and program management.[12]

Atlas runs or supports four Free Enterprise Training Centers that conduct training programs for young people focused on public policy and the role think tanks play in shaping it. Atlas has partnered with the F.A. Hayek Foundation in Slovakia, the Association for Liberal Thinking in Turkey, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, and Libertad y Desarrollo in Chile to establish Free Enterprise Training Centers.[6]

Working with FreedomWorks and Representatives Paul Ryan and Mike Pence, Atlas Sound Money Project's A Guide to Sound Money was published in December 2010.[13] The project seeks to define principles of "sound money," countering the government policies Atlas considers to be inflationary.[14]

Grants

Atlas provides limited amounts of seed funding to new think tanks on a case-by-case basis. Grants are usually given for specific projects and range between $2,000 and $5,000.[15]

Outreach programs

The Atlas Global Initiative for Free Trade, Peace and Prosperity has a mission of advancing individual liberty, human rights, and limited government across linguistic and cultural barriers abroad. The program includes the publication and distribution of books, distributing articles through traditional media, organizing events, and other activities.[6]

Templeton Freedom Awards

Awarded since 2004, the Templeton Freedom Award is named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. The award annually honors his legacy by identifying and recognizing the most exceptional and innovative contributions to the understanding of free enterprise, and the public policies that encourage prosperity, innovation, and human fulfillment via free competition. The award is generously supported by Templeton Religion Trust and was presented during Atlas Network’s Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner closing ceremony Nov. 12, 2015, at New York City’s historic Capitale. The winning organization received a $100,000 prize and the five runners-up received $5,000.

Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Awards

This award has been given since 1990 in honor of Sir Antony Fisher, the late founder of Atlas. $10,000 is awarded annually to the think tank that produces the best book or other publication that improves public understanding of free society. The Fisher Awards Dinner is held in honor of the winner every April.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Our Mission". Atlas Network. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Board of Directors". Atlas Network. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "2013 IRS Form 990" (PDF). GuideStar. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Global Directory". Atlas Network. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 Peck, Jamie (2010). Constructions of Neoliberal Reason. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0191625019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ball, Stephen (2012). Global Education Inc: New Policy Networks and the Neo-liberal Imaginary. Routledge. p. 19-40. ISBN 0415684099.
  7. ↑ Steinmo, Sven (2007). Growing Apart?: America and Europe in the 21st Century. Cambridge University Press. pp. 145–149. ISBN 1139468618.
  8. ↑ Meagher, Richard (2008). Right Ideas: Discourse, Framing, and the Conservative Coalition. City University of New York. p. 94. ISBN 0549807101.
  9. ↑ James G. McGann (Director) (February 4, 2015). "2014 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report". Retrieved February 14, 2015. Other "Top Think Tank" rankings include #26 (of 80) in International Development, #8 (of 75) for Best Institutional Collaboration Involving Two or More Think Tanks, #18 (of 65) for Best Managed Think Tanks, #2 (of 55) for Best Think Tank Conference, #8 (of 60) for Best Think Tank Network, #15 (of 60) for Best Use of Social Networks, #14 (of 60) of Think Tanks with the Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program, and #13 (of 40) for Best Use of the Internet.
  10. ↑ "Programs and Operation Staff". Atlas Network. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "Fighting the war of ideas". Washington Times. June 6, 2004. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Stone, Diane (2013). Knowledge Actors and Transnational Governance: The Private-Public Policy Nexus in the Global Agora. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 40. ISBN 1137022914.
  13. ↑ "A Guide to Sound Money" (PDF). Soundmoneyproject.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Monetary and Economic Policy". C-SPAN Video Library. December 7, 2010.
  15. ↑ Wyszomierski, Sara (2010). Guide to Funding for International & Foreign Programs. University of Michigan. p. 409.

External links

Coordinates: 38°54′14″N 77°01′43″W / 38.9038°N 77.0285°W / 38.9038; -77.0285

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/29/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.