Dorian & Antony Fisher Venture Grants
For Investments in the Future of Liberty
Through the Dorian & Antony Fisher Venture Grants Atlas will award up to $100,000 to promising young think tanks around the world.
The grants are made possible by the generosity of the late Dorian Fisher – the wife of Antony Fisher, who was instrumental in his founding of Atlas in 1981 – and the many current Atlas donors who are inspired by the Fisher legacy.
Dorian and Antony believed that independent think tanks can produce enormous leverage for changing the climate of ideas in a country. They saw that investments in emerging think tanks could be extremely cost-effective, especially when complemented with mentoring to further improve those think tanks’ prospects for long-term success.
For this reason, Atlas has created the Dorian and Antony Fisher Venture Grants program, which will provide grantees with funding over a period of three years, during which time Atlas will be in frequent contact, to help develop plans and to monitor performance. One part of the grant will be structured as a matching program, providing strong incentive for think tanks to develop a base of local supporters. Information on eligibility and how to apply is listed below.
In the first year, over 180 different think tanks applied for this honor. The inaugural class of Fisher Venture Grantees were presented at the Atlas Liberty Forum in Atlanta, April 25-27, 2007.
“I have just seen details of The Dorian and Antony Fisher Venture Grants on the website and wanted to congratulate Atlas on such an appropriate, inspirational and well thought out programme. I know that both Dorian and Dad would approve 110% and I very much look forward to seeing the results from it over the next few years.” -Linda Whetstone, the elder daughter of Antony Fisher
Eligibility for 2010 Fisher Venture Grants
As this program focuses on helping think tanks that are no more than eight years old, we will only accept applications from think tanks founded after January 1, 2002. There are no geographic restrictions on who may apply.
Selection Criteria
Fisher Venture grants are given to think tanks that represent “great investments” for the future of liberty. That is, they will be given to early-stage institutes that can have an important impact on the climate of ideas (high returns), and that have a demonstrated track record and commitment to good practices (suggesting a tolerable level of risk). Atlas will enlist members of its board of advisors in the selection of winners of Venture Grants.
To Apply
Please check back for the application form and deadline.
Structure of Fisher Venture Grants
$20,000 in year one; up to $30,000 in year two; and up to $50,000 in year three. (To receive the full grant, grantees must raise an additional $20,000 and $30,000 from new donors in the second and third years of the grant term).
If you have any questions about the Fisher Venture Grants, please contact Yiqiao Xu at 202-449-8449.
Recipients of the Fisher Venture Grants: 2009 press release; 2008 press release.
