Templeton Freedom Awards for Excellence in Promoting Liberty

The Templeton Freedom Awards is the largest international prize program that celebrates think tank contributions to the understanding of freedom.

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation launched the Templeton Freedom Awards program in 2003, thanks to a generous funding from the John Templeton Foundation. The late Sir John Templeton once explained his support of Atlas by remarking that there was much philanthropic activity addressing the symptoms of current poverty, but comparatively little devoted to the more cost-effective strategy of preventing future poverty. This is the goal of Atlas and the independent think tanks connected to its network: generating and popularizing ideas that foster peace and prosperity and that reduce poverty and conflict.

The TFA program takes inspiration from two champions of freedom and free enterprise: Atlas founder, Sir Antony Fisher, who envisioned a worldwide network of think tanks advancing the principles of a free society; and Sir John Templeton whose philanthropy reflects the same innovative, pioneering spirit he brought to international investing. 

The Templeton Freedom Awards program honors outstanding work by think tanks in eight categories.

* Solutions to Poverty – recognizing outstanding research and innovative projects addressing how sound economic and legal institutions can solve problems of poverty.    

* Ethics & Values – recognizing outstanding research and innovative projects concerning the relationship between free enterprise and the ethics, values, and character that sustain it.    

* Student Outreach – recognizing outstanding work by think tanks to improve education about freedom.    

* Social Entrepreneurship – recognizing outstanding research and innovative projects on social entrepreneurship to benefit the poor, increased cooperation among think tanks, the private sector organizations for the free society; and general building of a sound, strong, civil society.    

* Initiative in Public Relations – recognizing non-profit research institute that have demonstrated outstanding success in effectively communicating the ideas of a free society.    

* Innovative Media Award – recognizing outstanding think tank projects that use film or multimedia technologies to promote the principles of a free society.    

* Award for Special Achievement by a University-Based Center – recognizing outstanding projects and achievement by university-based centers in promoting liberty.    

* Award for Special Achievement by a Young Institute – recognizing out-standing performance by an institute that is less than five years old.  One winner will be chosen from a developed country, and another one from a more difficult part of the world.

Each year, Atlas names two winners in each category with $10,000 prizes, and celebrates their accomplishments within its Liberty Forum, which is now held annually in November.  

For information on how to apply click here.