Atlas Network
Atlas Network is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 1981 that connects nearly 500 independent free-market think tanks and civil society organizations across more than 90 countries through training, grants, consulting, and events under its Coach, Compete, Celebrate model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Atlas Network does
Atlas Network is a U.S. nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by Sir Antony Fisher (originally as Atlas Economic Research Foundation) and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It functions as the hub of the worldwide freedom movement, connecting a network of nearly 500 independent, nonpartisan think tanks and civil society organizations across more than 90 countries that promote individual liberty and free enterprise. The organization operates a "Coach, Compete, Celebrate" model that delivers professional development, grants, process consulting, networking, and mentorship to partner organizations.
Core programmatic products include the Atlas Network Academy (training), Grants & Awards (deploying more than $10 million annually through the Templeton Freedom Award, Smart Bets grants, regional Liberty Awards, and the Leveraging Indices program), Consulting Services, and Networking & Mentorship across five continents. The organization publishes Freedom's Champion Magazine, produces the Atlas Network podcast with Michael Carnuccio, hosts Freedom Worldwide Webinars, and runs the annual Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner in New York City plus Regional Liberty Forums in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Two regional operating centers have been established: the Center for Latin America (launched November 2018) and the Center for U.S. and Canada (operational from February 2021, co-directed by Niels Veldhuis of the Fraser Institute and John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute).
Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic giving — donations from individuals, family foundations, and institutional supporters such as the John Templeton Foundation, the Smith Family Foundation, and the George M. Yeager endowment (which funds the Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty held by EVP Dr. Tom G. Palmer). The pricing surface is nominal: digital subscriptions to Freedom's Champion are free, while print subscription requires a donation of $25 or more. There are no technology products, APIs, or software applications; the underlying "platform" is the relational network infrastructure of partner organizations, donors, and event programming, supported by a staff of 11–50 employees under a leadership team of CEO Brad Lips, President Matt Warner, and EVP Dr. Tom G. Palmer.
Atlas Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Atlas Network
- Legal name
- Atlas Network
- Website
- https://atlasnetwork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Atlas Network is a U.S. nonprofit founded in 1981 that connects nearly 500 independent free-market think tanks and civil society organizations across more than 90 countries through training, grants, consulting, and events under its Coach, Compete, Celebrate model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Atlas Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Atlas Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Atlas Network is funded primarily by donors who contribute to support freedom movement projects globally. It deploys more than $10 million annually into projects designed by independent locally-led partners. Revenue is generated through charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and other supporters.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free digital subscription to Freedom's Champion magazine |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Atlas Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Atlas Network is a nonprofit hub that connects a global network of more than 450 free-market organizations in over 90 countries to advance individual liberty and free enterprise. It provides partner think tanks and civil society organizations with professional development training, grants and awards totaling over $10 million annually, process consulting, and networking and mentorship events held on five continents. Revenue is generated primarily through charitable donations and foundation grants.
Product overview
Atlas Network is a non-profit organization serving as the hub of the worldwide freedom movement, connecting hundreds of independent nonpartisan organizations. The organization operates through a 'Coach, Compete, Celebrate' model providing a suite of programs including Atlas Network Academy (professional training), Grants & Awards (over $10 million annually including Templeton Freedom Award and Smart Bets grants), Consulting Services, and Networking & Mentorship. It publishes Freedom's Champion Magazine and produces podcasts and webinars. The organization hosts major events including Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner in New York City and Regional Liberty Forums across four continents. Atlas Network also administers the Carlos Alberto Montaner Young Journalism Prize and operates regional centers for Latin America, Africa, U.S. and Canada, supporting think tanks and civil society organizations promoting individual liberty and free enterprise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Atlas Network Academy Premier professional development training program for leaders and staff of freedom-promoting think tanks and civil society organizations worldwide.
- Grants & Awards Program Annual grant-making program putting more than $10 million into projects designed by independent locally-led partners, encompassing the Templeton Freedom Award, Smart Bets grants, and regional Liberty Awards.
- Process Consulting Services Process consulting service helping partner organization teams clarify their vision, align on strategy, and build momentum for lasting operational and programmatic change.
- Networking & Mentorship Worldwide community-building and mentorship service for think tank leaders and staff, delivered through professional development events held on five continents each year.
- Templeton Freedom Award Prestigious recognition program celebrating exemplary achievements to expand liberty worldwide, expanded to a $1.23 million prize program with regional Liberty Awards across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
- Smart Bets Grant Competitive grant program for bold, high-impact organizations primed to shift policy and transform lives; each selected partner receives a $25,000 grant and a $10,000 matching grant for the following year.
- Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner Premier annual gathering in New York City celebrating the worldwide freedom movement's biggest wins and boldest leaders, hosting donors, partners, and thought leaders.
- Regional Liberty Forums Locally-themed annual conferences held in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia that unite Atlas Network partners, experts, and supporters to advance liberty in their regions.
- Freedom's Champion Magazine Flagship publication spotlighting the people, ideas, and victories shaping the freedom movement; available with a free digital subscription or a print subscription with a donation of $25 or more.
- Freedom Worldwide Webinars Series of exclusive online events hosted by Dr. Tom G. Palmer spotlighting liberty champions from around the world, many working under extraordinary challenges to defend human dignity and expand freedom.
- Atlas Network with Michael Carnuccio Podcast Behind-the-scenes podcast featuring the voices and visionaries building freer societies, hosted by Michael Carnuccio.
- Carlos Alberto Montaner Young Journalism Prize Joint Atlas Network and Cátedra Vargas Llosa initiative recognizing and promoting the values of liberty in Ibero-American journalism among young journalists; endowed with US$10,000.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10 million USD invested annually in projects from partner organizations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Atlas Network
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Atlas Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Atlas Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Cátedra Vargas LlosacoreAtlas Network and Cátedra Vargas Llosa co-organize the Carlos Alberto Montaner Young Journalism Prize (formerly the Atlas Network-Cátedra Vargas Llosa Young Journalism Prize), a joint initiative inaugurated in 2021 to foster excellence, journalistic rigor, and the defense of freedom in Ibero-American journalism. The prize is endowed with US$10,000 and is awarded annually to young journalists promoting liberty values.
- Fraser InstitutecoreNiels Veldhuis, President of the Fraser Institute, serves as co-director of Atlas Network's Center for U.S. and Canada for a one-year term beginning February 1, 2021, alongside John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute. The Center seeks to increase connectivity, innovation, and impact for U.S. and Canadian-based think tanks. The Fraser Institute produces the widely celebrated Economic Freedom of the World Report.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Atlas Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA): The UK's leading free-market think tank, founded by Sir Antony Fisher in 1955 (the same founder of Atlas Network). It is the original model for Atlas's global network and remains a partner organization with overlapping mission, donor base, and influence style.
- Fraser Institute: Canada's top-ranked think tank and producer of the Economic Freedom of the World Report. Fraser Institute's president Niels Veldhuis served as co-director of Atlas Network's Center for U.S. and Canada, indicating deep operational overlap in mission and network participation.
- Foundation for Economic Education (FEE): A nonprofit dedicated to free-market economic education and ideological movement-building since 1946. Operates a content/publishing model with global audience reach, comparable to Atlas Network's magazine, podcast, and educational programs.
- Liberty Fund: A private educational foundation promoting the study of liberty through books, online library, and conferences. Shares Atlas Network's mission of advancing liberty through educational infrastructure and movement-building activities.
Broad incumbents
- Heritage Foundation: One of the most influential U.S. conservative think tanks, producing the Index of Economic Freedom referenced in Atlas Network's Leveraging Indices grant program. Operates with a much larger budget and U.S. policy focus but shares the free-market ideological alignment.
- Cato Institute: A major U.S. libertarian think tank aligned with Atlas Network's individual liberty and free-enterprise mission. Cato operates a much broader research portfolio and direct policy advocacy, making it a more direct policy player rather than a network coordinator.
- American Enterprise Institute (AEI): A large U.S.-based think tank conducting economic, social, and foreign policy research with a free-market orientation. Operates as a research powerhouse rather than network coordinator, but shares the ideological and donor ecosystem with Atlas Network.
Regional players
- Mercatus Center at George Mason University: A major U.S.-based academic center for market-oriented policy research. Strong ideological alignment with Atlas Network's mission, though it operates as an academic policy center rather than a global network facilitator for civil society organizations.
- Manhattan Institute: A U.S. policy research organization focused on free-market solutions and opportunity expansion. Shares ideological alignment and donor ecosystem with Atlas Network's U.S. and Canada-focused partners, though more concentrated on domestic policy research.
Emerging players
- Acton Institute: A think tank integrating liberty with moral and religious frameworks. Operates smaller than Atlas Network but shares the movement-building mission of advancing ideas of freedom through education, research, and grants to aligned organizations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Atlas Network social profiles
Digital presenceAtlas Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Atlas Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Atlas Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Atlas Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Atlas Network
What does Atlas Network do?
Atlas Network is a nonprofit hub that connects a global network of more than 450 free-market organizations in over 90 countries to advance individual liberty and free enterprise. It provides partner think tanks and civil society organizations with professional development training, grants and awards totaling over $10 million annually, process consulting, and networking and mentorship events held on five continents. Revenue is generated primarily through charitable donations and foundation grants.
Is Atlas Network a public or private company?
Atlas Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Atlas Network founded?
Atlas Network was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Atlas Network based?
Atlas Network is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Atlas Network make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Atlas Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Fraser Institute, Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) and Liberty Fund. Broad incumbents are Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute and American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Regional players are Mercatus Center at George Mason University and Manhattan Institute. Acton Institute is listed as an emerging player.
Does Atlas Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Atlas Network.