The Atlas Society

The Atlas Society (also called The Objectivist Center, formerly the Institute for Objectivist Studies) is a nonprofit educational organization that supports and aims to further develop the principles, ideas, and philosophy of author Ayn Rand. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Website: www.atlassociety.org
CEO:

Jennifer Grossman

CEO’s Salary:

$165,000 2

Location: Kingwood, TX View on map
Tax ID: 13-3554791
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $1,744,496 Revenue: $3,629,858 Expenses: $2,769,697

Contents

    The Atlas Society supports founder David Kelley’s open Objectivist movement through its scholarly research, publications, digital channel, website, and social media. The Atlas Society hosts conferences, has its opinion pieces published in mainstream media outlets, and trains young intellectuals through its Atlas University. 1

    History

    In 1990, David Kelley founded the Institute for Objectivist Studies, which was later renamed The Atlas Society, after the Ayn Rand Institute ended its association with him. 3 Kelley promoted an open Objectivist movement that was to be intellectually tolerant and characterized by a benevolent and rational sense of life, achievement, individualism, and freedom. As some Objectivists have not agreed with this approach, The Atlas Society continues to provide resources that explain and support Kelley’s vision of a more benevolent approach to Objectivism. 1

    Funding

    The Atlas Society is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While the Atlas Society does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation ($100,000 in 2016), 4 the Copses Family Foundation ($50,000 in 2017), 5 and the Brigham Family Foundation ($10,000 in 2016). 6

    People

    Jennifer Grossman is the CEO of the Atlas Society. Grossman formerly worked as the director of education at the Cato Institute and as a speechwriter for former President George H. W. Bush. 7

    James (Jay) Lapeyre is the chair of the board of the Atlas Society and the former chair of the Business Council of New Orleans. 8

    John Aglialoro is the CEO of Atlas Productions Ltd. and owns the movie rights to Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. 9

    Cliff Asness is a trustee of the American Enterprise Institute and the Manhattan Institute. 10

    Baron Bond is a trustee of the Reason Foundation. 11

    David Kelley is the founder and chief intellectual officer of the Atlas Society. 12

    Other trustees include Franklin Brooks, Peter Copses, and Daniel Leever. 13

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $1,744,496 $3,629,858 $2,769,697 View
    2023 $884,419 $2,960,978 $2,569,474 View
    2022 $576,618 $2,370,539 $2,173,542 View
    2021 $393,291 $1,965,364 $1,960,723 View
    2020 $393,821 $1,775,717 $1,499,563 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2011, 2010

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 5

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Jennifer GrossmanCEO$173,402
    Carolyn GinoCORP. SECRET$121,372

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $4,685,785
    • Number of Grants: 153
    • Number of Funders: 58

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $667,5002023 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $325,0502024 Greater HorizonsArts & Culture
    $230,5002022 Vanguard CharitableFor recipient's exempt purpose
    $150,0002023 Asness Family FoundationGeneral Support
    $150,0002023 The Peter & Judy Copses FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $145,4502024 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $100,9002022 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES
    $100,0002022 The Peter & Judy Copses FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $100,0002022 Asness Family FoundationGeneral Operating Support
    $100,0002021 The Peter & Judy Copses FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $65,1502023 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $60,0002022 The Bond Foundation IncTO FURTHER THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION
    $60,0002021 The Bond Foundation IncTO FURTHER THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION
    $58,0002024 Brigham Family FoundationAnthem AI Animated Project
    $55,0002020 The Bond Foundation IncTO FURTHER THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION
    $50,0002023 The Peter & Judy Copses FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $50,0002022 The Peter & Judy Copses FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $50,0002021 The Copses Family FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $50,0002020 The Copses Family FoundationSUPPORT THE ATLAS SOCIETY
    $50,0002020 The Copses Family FoundationTO PROMOTE OPEN OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, INDIVIDUALISM, AND FREEDOM
    $45,0002021 Leever Family FoundationTO SUPPORT THE ATLAS SOCIETY WHICH STRIVES TO SUPPORT OBJECTIVISM TO GUIDE LIFE AND CELEBRATE THE REMARKABLE POTENTIAL AND POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
    $45,0002020 Leever Family FoundationTO SUPPORT THE ATLAS SOCIETY WHICH STRIVES TO SUPPORT OBJECTIVISM TO GUIDE LIFE AND CELEBRATE THE REMARKABLE POTENTIAL AND POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
    $35,0002024 Leever Family FoundationTo invest in the next generation of young men and women by providing merit-based scholarships that help them to pursue their dreams and goals in life with focus on competitive skiing, outdoor recreation, education, music, and the arts.
    $35,0002023 Ta FoundationTO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO EMBRACE REASON, ACHIEVEMENT, BENEVOLENCE, AND ETHICAL SELF-INTEREST AS THE MORAL FOUNDATION FOR POLITICAL LIBERTY, PERSONAL HAPPINESS AND A FLOURISHING SOCIETY.
    $35,0002022 Leever Family FoundationTO SUPPORT THE ATLAS SOCIETY WHICH STRIVES TO SUPPORT OBJECTIVISM TO GUIDE LIFE AND CELEBRATE THE REMARKABLE POTENTIAL AND POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Who is The Atlas Society?” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 23, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/about.
    2. The Objectivist Center Ltd DBA The Atlas Society, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    3. Kelley, David. “Introduction to The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand.” The Atlas Society, June 24, 2010. Accessed May 23, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/post/introduction-to-the-contested-legacy-of-ayn-rand.
    4. Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV, Line 3a.
    5. Copses Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3a.
    6. Brigham Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV, Line 3a.
    7. “Jennifer A. Grossman.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/jennifer-a-grossman.
    8. “James M. Lapeyre, Jr., MBA, JD.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/james-m-lapeyre-jr-mba-jd-chairman.
    9. “John Aglialoro.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/john-aglialoro.
    10. “Clifford S. Asness, PhD.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/clifford-s-asness-phd.
    11. “Baron Bond, JD.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/baron-bond-jd.
    12. “David Kelley, Ph.D.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/staff-trustees-and-authors/david-kelley-phd.
    13. “Trustees.” The Atlas Society, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.atlassociety.org/about/trustees.