Annual Report 2016
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OUR MISSION
The present state of the world is not the proof of
philosophy’s impotence, but the proof of philosophy’s
power. It is philosophy that has brought men to this
state—it is only philosophy that can lead them out.
—Ayn Rand
A
yn Rand’s novels have inspired millions with their stirring vision of man at
his highest potential, and they have introduced a radical new philosophy—
Objectivism—that upholds reason, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism.
Philosophy, Ayn Rand held, shapes the direction of an individual’s life and
the direction of an entire culture—for better or for worse. At ARI, our
mission is to fight for the philosophic ideas that make human happiness and
human freedom possible. We challenge the prevailing ideas of irrationalism,
collectivism and statism, in order to create a culture where all individuals are
free to pursue their own happiness.
Ours is a long-term, educational mission. Whether we are supplying free
copies of Rand’s novels to millions of high school students or publishing books
on today’s most important policy debates, our focus is always on showing the
power of Objectivism’s unique philosophical framework to foster freedom,
progress and success. As Ayn Rand argued, nothing less can change the world.
Cover photo by Jay Sonata Photography
Owner of Ayn Rand photo: New York Times Co.
Credit: Getty Images
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From Our Executive Chairman
A
t ARI, we are dedicated to creating a culture of reason,
individualism and freedom. Achieving that mission requires
influencing tomorrow’s thought leaders. This year saw some of our
greatest successes to date, and our goal is to build on this momentum
in 2017.
to Barack Obama and Beyond. ARI is also proud to have supported
the publication of an important new work, A Companion to Ayn Rand,
edited by Gregory Salmieri and the late Allan Gotthelf. The book is
part of the Blackwell Companions to Philosophy series, and is the first
comprehensive scholarly treatment of Ayn Rand’s life and writings.
This year’s Objectivist summer conference had an impressive showing
with nearly 500 attendees, including the largest student population
in conference history. The theme of the conference was Objectivist
Movement 2.0, and we explored a new phase of the movement that
will put an emphasis on building a stronger, more dynamic Objectivist
community. ARI’s outreach continued at Ayn Rand Student
Conference 2016, which drew 141 students and was the largest
student Objectivist conference ever.
These are significant achievements, and I am confident we will see
even greater achievements in the year to come. We will also see
changes within ARI. In response to ARI’s growth, the Board of
Directors is expanding the leadership team by creating positions for
both a CEO and executive chairman. The CEO will be responsible
for day-to-day operations while the executive chairman will be
responsible for advocating Objectivism on a global scale. I’m thrilled
to step into the role of executive chairman and look forward to the
challenge and opportunities it will present.
Our online efforts have continued to grow, and we dramatically
increased the courses offered through the ARI Campus website. ARI
is also expanding its reach by enhancing our presence in social media,
using video to increase engagement and audience interaction, and to
reach more and more young people.
The Objectivist Academic Center, which offers free courses and
seminars to people wanting to develop a greater knowledge of
Objectivism, relaunched this year and accepted people into a threeyear undergraduate level program. This is a crucial milestone in ARI’s
goal to train new intellectuals.
Photo of
Yaron Brook
by Hechler Studio
Our efforts to develop and support tomorrow’s thought leaders
are already starting to pay off. ARI’s intellectuals produced three
significant works this year: Equal Is Unfair: America’s Misguided Fight
Against Income Inequality, which I co-authored with Don Watkins;
Steve Simpson’s Defending Free Speech; and Elan Journo and Onkar
Ghate’s Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism: From George W. Bush
2
Our 2016 accomplishments are important ones in our mission
to create a rational culture, and it is your continued support and
commitment to our mission that made them possible. However
frustrating today’s headlines may be, we can make real Ayn Rand’s
vision of a culture of reason and freedom. But to realize that vision, we
must act today.
Sincerely,
Yaron Brook
Executive Chairman
Ayn Rand Institute
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Our Mission ........................................................................... 1
From Our Executive Chairman...............................................2
2016 Highlights..................................................................... 4
Free Books to Teachers...........................................................6
Essay Contests........................................................................9
Student Conferences............................................................10
Forging Partnerships to Reach Students.............................. 13
Objectivist Academic Center............................................... 14
ARI Campus......................................................................... 15
Publishing............................................................................. 16
Media and Events.................................................................. 18
Objectivist Summer Conference.......................................... 19
International........................................................................ 20
Preserving Ayn Rand’s Legacy..............................................23
Support ARI......................................................................... 24
Thank You ............................................................................25
ARI Board of Directors and ARI Staff.................................26
2016 Financial Highlights....................................................27
79,286
2016 HIGHLIGHTS
225,000
NOVELS ORDERED
BY TEACHERS
183
TALKS
400,000
ATLAS
SHRUGGED
BOOKS
DELIVERED
SINCE 2004
1,342
NONFICTION
BOOKS ORDERED
BY TEACHERS
AynRand.org Average
Monthly Page Views
984,588
LI K E S
45,583
followers
18,920
EVENT ATTENDEES
4,553
413 ,08 4
V I E W S
AVERAGE
RADIO SHOW
LISTENERS
PER EPISODE
16 , 292
SUBSCRIBERS
4
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STUDENTS AT
AYN RAND
STUDENT
CONFERENCE
2016
Photo by Jay Sonata Photography
ARI received more than one
hundred Thank You cards
from AynRandCon attendees.
Students wanted to
express their gratitude to
donors who made the
experience possible.
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5
FREE BOOKS TO TEACHERS
INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADING MINDS
T
hrough the Free Books to Teachers program, which is dedicated to placing Ayn Rand’s works in high school
classrooms across America, ARI hears story after story of how the ideas in Rand’s works had a profound impact
on the way young people view the world. Just one reader inspired by Rand’s message could go on to make an
enormous impact on our world. This is why ARI remains dedicated to this unique program.
And it was a milestone year for the Free Books to Teachers program. This year, 2016, marked the distribution of
the 400,000th copy of Atlas Shrugged, Rand’s masterpiece. Two hundred and twenty-five thousand novels were
delivered which means, to date, ARI has provided more than 3.5 million free copies of Rand’s works to teachers for
student study.
It was also a record-breaking year for orders of Ayn Rand’s nonfiction books with requests for 1,342 copies, the works
garnering the highest interest being Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal and The Virtue of Selfishness. ARI executive chairman
Yaron Brook states: “Rand’s fiction is clearly important, but when nonfiction is being read widely as well, this is an
additional level of impact.” To achieve that impact, ARI will continue to focus on programs that raise awareness of
Rand’s nonfiction works, including her essays, many of which are now available for free on ARI Campus.
While program success can certainly be measured in the volume of books delivered, and the growing interest overall,
it’s a priority to reach top performing students—ambitious, intellectually oriented young people who will become
tomorrow’s influencers and leaders. To that end, ARI launched a new campaign targeting America’s highest ranked
schools. Teachers from sixteen different schools among the top 250 ordered more than 1,200 books as a result
of this initial effort. Lifetime distribution to this list now stands at 17,115, including books ordered from six of the
country’s top ten schools.
6
ARI conducted an independent,
third-party study that showed 62.7
percent of respondents who read
Ayn Rand in high school intend
to read something by Rand again.
Rand was ranked highest among
six well-known authors, including
George Orwell, Harper Lee, Mark
Twain, Nathaniel Hawthorne and
John Steinbeck.
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HOW ATLAS SHRUGGED
CHANGED MY LIFE
In the words of Stephanie Aldrich
I
learned from Atlas Shrugged that being human is not just about
surviving, it’s about living. We’re here in this universe that we didn’t
make or choose. We are bound by the unshakeable laws of its reality,
but we’re not at the mercy of those laws. We have minds that we can
use to shine a light on the workings of our world, make it last and make it
serve us.
I chose to devote my life and my mind to science because I want to be
part of making a better future. We can see a day when we all will be able
to pursue our individual happiness as far as we can take it. There can be
a day when we conquer even death but that can only happen if we put
forth the effort to understand the rules of the world we live in and turn
them to our advantage. Research excites me not just because I love
learning, but because every discovery I make will bring us closer to the
future I want to see.
That spark of inspiration from reading [Atlas Shrugged] all those years
ago has stuck with me ever since. I was already applying to doctoral
programs in neuroscience while I was still an undergraduate and I am
only a few years away from finishing my PhD now. It’s taken a lot of
hard work to get to this point so I’m glad that Atlas Shrugged helped spur
me to keep pushing forward.
STEPHANIE ALDRICH
Neuroscience Graduate Student
University of Pittsburgh
2014 Atlas Shrugged
Essay Contest Winner
See the rest of Stephanie’s story at AynRand.org/StephanieAldrich.
Photo by Hechler Studio
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SHOSHANA MILGRAM HAS BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE
FREE BOOKS TO TEACHERS PROGRAM SINCE ITS START IN 2003.
HERE’S WHY.
I
frequently ask my Virgina Tech college students, at the beginning of the semester,
to name their favorite books. Overwhelmingly, they indicate the usual suspects,
the books assigned for classes. They do so even when I specifically ask them not to
limit themselves to required reading. Some students, to be sure, are attempting to
conform to conventional values. But some students have discovered, among the books
they read as school assignments, inexhaustible treasures of inspiration.
When I learned about the Free Books to Teachers program, I thought that it was an
important project (reaching potential readers at a vital time in their lives), and one that
I wanted to support. Ayn Rand’s own books are the ideal first-hand promotion of her
work. The Free Books to Teachers program, by providing the novels to any teacher who
commits to teaching them, provides a clear incentive for including Ayn Rand in the
curriculum.
I have contributed financially, since the inception of the program. I generally target
areas of the country that I know personally or that I believe would especially benefit
from the opportunity.
I was fortunate to discover Ayn Rand relatively early; my daughters and son read her
books even earlier in their lives than I did. I hope that the books will reach readers who
might not have found them in their teens, or at all. For that matter, the books may also
educate teachers, who will study the books in order to include them in courses, and
who will learn from their own students the value of Ayn Rand’s writing.
Shoshana Milgram holds a PhD in comparative literature from Stanford
University. In addition to being one of the few genuine experts on Rand’s
fiction, Shoshana has written and spoken on Rand’s literature at length.
I have also chosen to include, in the books I sponsor, bookplates to honor the memory
of my son, who loved Anthem and The Fountainhead, but whose life was cut short by
cancer before he had a chance to read We the Living and Atlas Shrugged. The plates say:
“In memory of Dashiell Ari Knapp, who loved the novels of Ayn Rand.”
Photo courtesy of Shoshana Milgram
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ESSAY CONTESTS
I
first read Atlas Shrugged as a freshman in college.
And it was at that center of the power of confluence
that profoundly changed the way I saw the world.
Starting college, working my first job, starting to
manage my own finances—these things all gave me
a sense of independence and self-sufficiency. These
things all really resonated deeply with Ayn Rand’s
philosophy in Atlas Shrugged.
John Thorpe,
winner of the
2015 Atlas Shrugged
essay contest
Photo courtesy of John Thorpe
Since its inception more than
thirty years ago, ARI’s essay
contests have inspired nearly
400,000 students to explore
the ideas in Ayn Rand’s novels
by writing an essay on their
themes. This year’s Atlas
Shrugged contest winner, John
Thorpe, describes how Rand’s
“compelling portraits of human
excellence” inspired him and
continue to motivate him.
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Characters like Francisco d’Anconia, Ragnar
Danneskjöld, Hugh Akston and John Galt were not
one dimensional as some critics have claimed. Rather,
they were inspiring. They imbued my understanding
of humanity with a new brightness and depth by
giving me a clearer account of what man is capable
of, what man is made for, how beautiful man can be
when he lives according to his nature.
What Rand has done with her characters in Atlas
Shrugged is remarkably similar to Aristotle’s approach
to understanding human nature. By giving us a
clear vision of what a virtuous man looks like, Rand
offers something Aristotle would understand, a
set of practical reference points that we can take
throughout life so that when a situation comes up and
we wonder, “What’s the right thing to do here,” we
can make some progress toward an answer by starting
with a question like “What would John Galt do here?”
Rand’s compelling portraits of human excellence
will always stay with me. Something else from Atlas
Shrugged that will always stay with me is the emphasis
that Rand places on every individual’s duty to think
9
for himself or herself. As she puts it in the book,
“There is no greater, more heroic form of devotion
than the act of a man who assumes the responsibility
of thinking.” Nobody can do your thinking for you.
As a freshman in college, experiencing Rand’s
passionate declaration that every person has the
responsibility to think, to live deliberately, to choose
how to live not just to be passive material shaped by
the circumstances of other people’s choices—that
was the first time, in many ways, I ever engaged in
philosophy. That way of life founded long ago by
another great thinker who famously said,
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
John’s prize-winning essay can be viewed at
AynRand.org along with the winners of the
Anthem and The Fountainhead contests.
For the first time, ARI’s essay contest
questions referred to, and linked to,
nonfiction essays by Ayn Rand, now
available for free on ARI Campus. The
featured essays titled “How Does One
Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational
Society” and “Doesn’t Life Require
Compromise?” became the most viewed
essays on ARI Campus in 2016, receiving
5,428 views and 1,412 views respectively.
STUDENT CONFERENCES
T
o create a culture of reason, ARI
works to educate the thought leaders
of tomorrow. Student conferences
play a key role, allowing us to meet with
students face-to-face. In 2016 ARI saw
record numbers of attendees at its two
major annual events for students.
Photo by Pavel Verbovski
topic? And who but Ayn Rand could be the common inspiration for so many
young people to do so? Though the students’ experience with Rand and her
work varied significantly, every student came to the event because some aspect
of Rand’s writings or philosophy intrigued them. And the content was carefully
developed to be of value to those at all levels of familiarity with Objectivism.
Objectivist Summer Conference 2016 in
Bellevue, Washington, boasted the highest
student attendance in OCON history. With
1 in 4 OCON 2016 attendees
111 student participants, there was an increase
was a student.
of 42 percent over last year’s total. Students
enjoyed exclusive programming throughout the week, including small group
discussions with conference speakers and Objectivist Academic Center alumni,
student meals and receptions, and orientation activities lead by STRIVE (STudents
for Reason, Individualism, Value pursuit, and Enterprise), with whom ARI has
partnered to cultivate an Objectivist student movement.
The students spent the weekend hearing leading experts on Ayn Rand’s
philosophy discuss the nature of free will and its implications for their life and for
a range of current controversies. Talks included ARI senior fellow Onkar Ghate
on the Objectivist theory of free will, and clinical psychologist Gena Gorlin and
philosopher Gregory Salmieri on the connection of free will to happiness—each
offering insights from contemporary psychology and Rand’s ethics, respectively.
And there were talks by Facebook engineering manager Brian Amerige and
professor of cognitive science Dale Stevens on building a fulfilling career.
Building on OCON’s momentum, ARI hosted Ayn Rand Student Conference
2016 (#AynRandCon) in collaboration with STRIVE the weekend of November
4–6 in Atlanta, Georgia. ARI chose a rich philosophical theme, free will, and
marketed the conference extensively to its broad student network—from former
essay contest entrants to OCON student attendees to Objectivist Academic
Center graduates. The result? The largest student Objectivism conference in ARI
history, with more than 140 students in attendance (including twenty students
who traveled from outside the United States). At OCON and the fall conference,
the audience was a mix of newcomers to ARI and students who had participated in
one or more of its programs.
As with the 2015 fall student conference cohosted by ARI and STRIVE
(#STRIVECon), the 2016 fall conference was made possible principally by support
from the Michael and Andrea Leven Family Foundation, as well as other major
supporters. Because of these contributions, all students received scholarships
covering most of their travel costs.
Though these contributions enabled the participation of more than 140 students,
more than 200 had applied to attend. Budget restrictions were a main factor in
preventing attendance from being even greater. If you would like to contribute to
next year’s conference to ensure we can meet this growing demand from students,
please email [email protected].
The nature of the theme speaks to the kind of students who attended and to
the power of Ayn Rand’s thought. Who but the active-minded and intellectually
ambitious would spend a weekend discussing such a profoundly philosophical
10
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AYN RAND STUDENT CONFERENCE 2016
Photos on this page
by Jay Sonata Photography
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11
Photos on this page and next by Pavel Verbovski
STUDENTS AT OBJECTIVIST SUMMER CONFERENCE 2016
Photos on pages 12 and 13 by Pavel Verbovski
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I
gniting a student movement and nurturing its growth requires more than
a once- or twice-a-year effort at major conferences. It demands constant
contact and relationship-building with organizations that reach students
interested in Rand’s ideas, and with student clubs—both Objectivist and
non-Objectivist—who can help ARI extend its reach on college campuses.
ARI saw significant successes in this area this year, including our work with
STRIVE (See “Student Conferences”), a new seasonal internship program
in partnership with the Charles Koch Institute, and a number of important
talks for the Federalist Society. The Federalist Society events are a
valuable case study in how these partnerships help further our mission.
FORGING PARTNERSHIPS TO REACH STUDENTS
The two months I spent interning at the Ayn Rand Institute were invaluable. I learned
much more of the philosophy than I’d known going in, had the opportunity to work with
and learn from the Institute’s experts, and was able to refine my sense of what I want to
do with the ideas I have and the years of my life I have left. I would do it again, and I’d
recommend it for both those who know much about and agree with Objectivism, as well
as those who know less and have serious doubts. It will surprise and challenge both groups.
—Christopher Machold, 2016 ARI summer intern, Cornell College
Since 2015 ARI has made a concerted effort to connect with students
through the Federalist Society, a libertarian/conservative law organization,
which comprises a vast network of current and former law students
and supports student chapters at two hundred law schools. That effort
continued in 2016 with Objectivist speakers such as Steve Simpson and
Tara Smith participating in talks and debates at more than a dozen law
schools through Federalist Society chapters, including premier institutions
such as Duke University, University of Chicago and Yale law schools.
“For the Friends I Make at OCON,
Exceptional Is the Norm” by Grant Parker
The culmination of this relationship was an invitation for ARI’s executive
chairman Yaron Brook to speak on the opening panel of the 2016
Federalist Society Student Symposium, an annual conference drawing
500 law students. This year’s event took place at the University of
Virginia School of Law. On the eve of the publication of his and Don
Watkins’s book Equal Is Unfair, Brook was the last of four panelists to
speak on the relationship between capitalism and inequality. The clarity
and uniqueness of his remarks stood out from those that came before,
and the students were captivated and energized by the comments. Many
of the questions from the audience were directed at Brook, and a number
of chapters that were in attendance have brought Brook or another ARI
speaker to their campus as a direct result of the talk.
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Grant Parker is a founding member
of STRIVE and a former campus
club leader at the University of Illinois
Urbana Champaign. He is also a
participant in the Objectivist Academic
Center and a graduate of the 2016
ARI internship program.
13
I’m always having personal breakthroughs at
OCON. Part of the reason they happen might
be rooted in the saying “iron sharpens iron.”
At OCON I’m surrounded by people living
Objectivism, people who pull no punches in life
or in conversation. With examples and feedback
like that, I’m able to gain valuable insights into
my strengths and my flaws, into where I’m at and
where I can go, insights that it would take me
years to reach on my own.
The great part about OCON is meeting people
who live Objectivism. They aren’t just people I
look up to from afar: they’re also my friends—
inspiring, excited, ambitious and admirable.
One is currently building an exosuit (think “Iron
Man”), and has future plans to dramatically
extend the human life span. One is out touring
with a rock band. One founded and ran a
startup that led the field in dive gear innovation
for nearly a decade. For the friends I make at
OCON, exceptional is the norm.
OBJECTIVIST ACADEMIC CENTER
TRAINING TOMORROW’S OBJECTIVIST INTELLECTUALS
A
yn Rand wrote that “the need for intellectual leadership was never as great as
now. . . . To support a culture, nothing less than a new philosophical foundation
will do.” To build toward a rational culture, ARI must grow the leadership of the
Objectivist movement by training and supporting new Objectivist intellectuals who will
speak, write, teach and influence.
A handful of advanced students, mostly graduate students in philosophy or psychology,
are paired with OAC faculty advisers, tenured professors in their field who can offer
detailed guidance and mentoring. And under the auspices of the OAC, Gregory
Salmieri has taught an ongoing seminar on advanced topics in philosophy.
For a few years, due to the demands of other programs, the OAC scaled back its core
program. This fall it has relaunched with a new three-year program, targeting students
interested in careers in academia, public policy or business. Interest was strong in sixtyfive applicants, forty-five of whom were accepted into the new program, with other
advanced students participating in an in-depth course on thinking methodology based
on recorded classes taught by Leonard Peikoff.
ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center (OAC) offers advanced training in philosophical
thinking, writing and speaking to promising students interested in a career as a
professional intellectual or as an intellectual professional. This program requires a high
level of investment, particularly by ARI’s intellectual staff, who must devote years to
teaching and mentoring these students.
OAC SUCCESS STORIES
DALE STEVENS
DON WATKINS
• Participated in the OAC four-year program
•Completed the four-year OAC Program in 2009
•Extensive mentoring from Edwin A. Locke through
the OAC Adviser program
•Participated in advanced seminars and other
offerings by ARI such as mentoring and career
training
•Now an adviser in the same program, mentoring a
post-doctoral fellow
•As an ARI fellow, received extensive training from
ARI senior intellectuals, especially Yaron Brook and
Onkar Ghate
•Speaker at Ayn Rand Student Conference 2016
•Conducted post-doctoral research at Harvard and
at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) •Co-author with Yaron Brook of Equal Is Unfair:
America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality
and Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas
Can End Big Government; author of Rooseveltcare:
How Social Security Is Sabotaging the Land of
Self-Reliance
•Assistant professor of psychology at York
University, where he leads the Cognition and Aging
Neuroscience Lab
14
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ARI CAMPUS
11,133
REGISTERED USERS ENGAGED
WITH COURSES AND LESSONS
21
COURSES OR LECTURES
AVAILABLE ON TOPICS
FROM PHILOSOPHY TO
POLITICS TO EDUCATION
230+
HOURS
OF COURSE CONTENT
AVAILABLE
173
LESSONS AVAILABLE
FOR DEEPER STUDY
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A
COURSES ON OBJECTIVISM
RI Campus, the Institute’s comprehensive online
resource for learning about Ayn Rand’s ideas, lets
people take video and audio courses on Objectivism
and Ayn Rand’s ideas, on demand, from anywhere
in the world. With the launch of the new website in
December 2015, unique site visitors skyrocketed from
20,116 over a six-month period to 78,699. Teachers are
one of the fastest-growing audiences as they look to
the site to support classroom instruction of Ayn Rand’s
novels Anthem and The Fountainhead.
On the courses in general:
They were understandable, enjoyable and a
manageable length.
It was a nice variety. It made the students feel like they
were taking part in a college course.
Be sure to enroll at ARI Campus to view
these recently released courses:
WHAT OTHER TEACHERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT ARI CAMPUS:
On the Anthem course:
I liked that I could pick and choose certain clips to
show the students, it was especially helpful to show
them Ayn Rand’s background. Understanding
her experience with socialism helped the students
understand what she was trying to show through
Equality’s world. I watched a lot so I could gain more
background knowledge—the clips were very helpful.
OBJECTIVISM
THROUGH
INDUCTION
by Leonard Peikoff
BEING SELFISH,
BEING HAPPY
by Tara Smith
HOW TEACHERS ARE USING ARI CAMPUS
FOR CLASSROOM
VIEWING
FOR CLASSROOM
TRAINING
ASSIGNED AS
HOMEWORK
15
PUBLISHING
FIGHTING FOR IDEAS THEN, NOW AND TOMORROW
A
RI regards books as crucial to the task of propelling Objectivism forward as a
philosophical movement. By applying Ayn Rand’s ideas to today’s cultural events
and trends, and by providing serious scholars with access to accurate presentations of Ayn
Rand’s ideas, books provide the in-depth framework necessary to change minds. In pursuit
of this book-centric strategy, ARI intellectuals published or contributed to four important
volumes and several articles in 2016, injecting Rand’s unique philosophical perspective into
current academic and political discourse.
Equal Is Unfair: America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality
by Don Watkins and Yaron Brook
Challenging the notion that economic inequality is a social problem
requiring government action, ARI fellow Don Watkins and executive
chairman Yaron Brook published Equal Is Unfair: America’s Misguided
Fight Against Income Inequality. The real threat to the American
Dream, the authors argue, isn’t the “gap” between rich and poor
but the belief that inequality is morally wrong. Instead of punishing
success through such measures as tax hikes, income redistribution
and higher minimum wages, the authors argue, we need to celebrate
unequal achievement while protecting everyone’s right to keep and
enjoy the wealth they earn.
Following the book launch, the authors went on a book tour, speaking forty-plus times and
appearing on national media outlets such as the Rubin Report and CSPAN.
Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, had this to say about the book:
Incisive, well-written, much-needed and a powerful antidote
to the pernicious “wisdom” about income inequality. The real
problem is not free markets but arbitrary government power.
An impressive achievement.
16
A Companion to Ayn Rand (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy)
edited by Allan Gotthelf and Gregory Salmieri
With the publication in 2016 of A Companion to Ayn Rand,
scholars for the first time have access to a comprehensive
treatment of Ayn Rand’s life and writings—her novels, her
philosophical essays and her analyses of current events. Edited
by Gregory Salmieri and the late Allan Gotthelf, the Companion
is the newest volume in the prestigious Blackwell Companions
to Philosophy series and contains chapters authored by several
ARI and affiliated intellectuals:
ARI senior fellow Onkar Ghate contributed two essays: “A
Being of Self-Made Soul,” which explains why and in what sense
Rand’s philosophy holds that “man is, for good or evil, the author of his own soul,” and
“A Free Mind and a Free Market Are Corollaries: Rand’s Philosophical Perspective on
Capitalism,” which discusses why a proper moral-philosophical perspective is necessary
to defend laissez-faire capitalism and to ground the specialized science of economics.
ARI board member and Anthem Foundation scholar Tara Smith contributed
“Objective Law,” explaining how Rand’s political philosophy identifies a proper moral
standard for measuring legal objectivity.
Long-time ARI board member Harry Binswanger contributed “The Objectivist
Esthetics: Art and the Needs of a Conceptual Consciousness,” focusing especially on
Rand’s answers to the fundamental question: what is the nature and function of art?
Other contributors include Ayn Rand scholars Jason G. Rheins, Shoshana Milgram,
Adam Mossoff, Darryl Wright and Tore Boeckmann. Editor Gregory Salmieri is
supported by a fellowship from the Anthem Foundation, and editor Allan Gotthelf was
an Anthem Foundation Distinguished Fellow for Research and Teaching in Philosophy
at the time of his death. Many of the other contributing authors have also received
support from ARI and Anthem. The book also includes original research in unpublished
material from the Ayn Rand Archives.
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Defending Free Speech
edited by Steve Simpson
Responding to widespread and insidious attacks on freedom of
speech, ARI director of Legal Studies Steve Simpson edited a
collection of essays, Defending Free Speech, described by one reviewer
as “both a warning and a call to action.” With essays by Leonard
Peikoff, Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo, Simpson and others, this book
highlights the threats from such diverse sources as Islamic totalitarians
who terrorize critics into self-censorship, colleges that mandate
“safe spaces” and trigger warnings, and government attorneys who
threaten prosecution for climate change heresy.
Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism: From George W. Bush to Barack Obama
by Onkar Ghate and Elan Journo
On the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, ARI senior fellow
Onkar Ghate and director of Policy Research Elan Journo edited
and published Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism: From George
W. Bush to Barack Obama and Beyond, analyzing the irrational ideas
that permeate—and subvert—American foreign policy. This book
shows why the failure to heed ARI’s repeated warnings has left Islamic
totalitarianism “undefeated, emboldened, and on the march: from
Paris and San Bernardino to Brussels and Orlando.”
“The Place of Religion in the Quest for a Free Society”
At the Mont Pelerin Society’s 2016 general meeting, Yaron Brook presented an invited
paper, co-authored with Onkar Ghate, “The Place of Religion in the Quest for a Free
Society,” expounding upon the deep philosophical tension between religion and liberty and
bringing Ayn Rand’s perspective to the Society’s global network of government officials,
Nobel Prize recipients, journalists, economic and financial experts, and legal scholars
concerned about the future of classical liberal principles.
“Ayn Rand: A New Concept of Egoism”
ARI instructor Aaron Smith published “Ayn Rand: A New Concept of Egoism” in De
Filosoof (The Philosopher), the quarterly magazine of the Department of Philosophy and
Religious Studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, introducing Rand’s morality
of selfishness to European philosophers.
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17
“The Gene Revolution”
Defending genetic engineering against morally and scientifically unfounded attacks,
ARI research associate Amanda Maxham published a white paper, “The Gene
Revolution,” under the auspices of the Center for the Protection of Intellectual
Property at George Mason University, arguing that biotechnology has made our lives
safer, longer and happier.
Ayn Rand fans just starting their journey through
the worlds of Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas
Shrugged now have something new to add to their
bookshelves. Penguin Random House, a global
publishing company responsible for bringing Rand’s
novels to hundreds of thousands of people, recently
unveiled new covers.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
PAGE HEADING
MEDIA
AND EVENTS
LEFT
I
n pursuit of its mission to advance Ayn Rand’s philosophy, ARI’s intellectuals speak
at venues all over the world, reaching thousands in person and many more on social
media. In selecting cultural-political topics, ARI chooses those most likely to advance a
culture of reason, egoism and freedom—topics such as economic inequality, objective
law, free speech, educational freedom, America’s self-crippling foreign policy and the
morality of laissez-faire capitalism. In 2016 ARI gave numerous talks featuring our
intellectuals, including Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo, Amanda Maxham, Steve Simpson,
Carl Svanberg and Don Watkins, as well as affiliates and associates such as Andrew
Bernstein, Harry Binswanger and Tara Smith.
EMBRACING NEW CHANNELS
I
n ARI’s continued effort to promote ideas to young people not only face-to-face
but also online, we further enhanced our social media presence by stepping into new
channels, such as Snapchat.
ARI is also leveraging the power of live video to communicate its message and build
an authentic, more intimate, relationship with fans and followers. Platforms like
Facebook Live have allowed ARI experts to interact with audiences in real-time
and address questions that may otherwise go unanswered. Despite conducting only
preliminary experimentation with Facebook Live, video views exceed 25,000. For
2017 we’re planning to develop a robust, multifaceted strategy that will build on this
exposure in the social media channels young people most frequently visit.
Here are some highlights of the year:
MONT PELERIN 2016: The Mont Pelerin Society, established in 1947 by Friedrich
Hayek and other scholars concerned about the future of classical liberal principles,
counts among its members high government officials, Nobel Prize recipients, journalists,
economic experts and legal scholars from around the world. At the society’s 2016
general meeting, ARI hosted a well-attended breakfast session at which Yaron Brook
briefed attendees on ARI’s progress in the battle for freedom, and Ghate, Binswanger
and Smith argued in some introductory remarks that there is a fundamental tension
between religion and liberty. Later, Brook presented a paper co-authored with Ghate,
“The Place of Religion in the Quest for a Free Society,” expounding upon the
philosophical nature of that tension.
Follow us in your preferred social media space and hear the latest from ARI and have
an opportunity to engage with experts on Rand’s philosophy.
25,000
2016 SPEAKER SERIES: Throughout 2016, ARI invited the public to a series of talks
at or near ARI headquarters in Irvine, California, showcasing our distinct approach to
issues such as objectivity in judicial review, President Obama’s Middle East policy, the
inequality debate and the destructive philosophic agenda of the organic food movement.
At each event, ARI’s intellectuals extract the philosophical meaning and significance of
the issue at hand.
FACEBOOK LIVE
VIDEO
VIEWS
BUILDING A FUTURE OF REASON AND CAPITALISM: In March ARI
organized a one-day event called “Building a Future of Reason and Capitalism” in
Bellevue, Washington. This gathering allowed us to connect with the Objectivist
community in Seattle and offered supporters a behind-the-scenes view of how ARI
intellectuals are pursuing their mission of advancing Ayn Rand’s ideas in the culture.
Snapchat has been a popular promotional vehicle at live events,
including this year’s Objectivist summer conference and Ayn Rand
Student Conference 2016. While lighter in tone than more traditional
promotional outlets, Snapchat is proving to be a powerful tool in
engaging younger audiences in the Objectivist movement.
FREEDOMFEST 2016: In July Yaron Brook and Don Watkins spoke at FreedomFest,
the world’s largest gathering of people interested in free-market ideas. Brook and
Watkins spoke to more than five hundred people about their book Equal Is Unfair:
America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality, and the event was live streamed
to thousands. Afterwards the authors signed copies of their book for attendees.
18
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OBJECTIVIST SUMMER CONFERENCE
EXPANDING OUR REACH
A
ARI senior fellow Onkar Ghate presenting the featured
talk “Objectivist Movement 2.0”
wareness of Ayn Rand has never been higher.
As people grow increasingly dissatisfied with
the direction of the culture, they are looking for
alternatives. For many, Rand’s works are a refreshing
departure from the prevailing ideology. Reaching these
people and educating them further about Rand’s ideas
and their power is behind everything we do at ARI.
This was the premise on which Objectivist Movement
2.0 was established. This new phase of the movement
puts a greater focus on fostering a strong and dynamic
Objectivist community—one that is welcoming,
intellectually challenging, encouraging and self-critical.
Objectivist Movement 2.0 was the theme at this year’s
Objectivist summer conference, which took place in
Bellevue, Washington, July 1–7.
ARI’s biggest group of speakers at an Objectivist summer
conference to date
OCON volunteers Christo Hattingh and Sara Jenevein
In his general session talk, ARI senior fellow Onkar
Ghate spoke of the need for a relentless focus on the
positive impact of Objectivism, aimed at fostering the
growth of two important communities: a community
of intellectuals familiar with Objectivism and eager to
discuss and apply those ideas in their particular fields
of study—and a wider community of productive, happy
individuals who can fairly attribute their success in life
to the Objectivist philosophy. Disavowing the notion
that ARI can change the world by itself, Ghate invited
dialog among Objectivists on how to achieve our
common goals.
ARI invited others to share their thoughts on the
movement over the weeklong event. Attendees
explored the question of how to translate increasing
Photos on this page by Pavel Verbovski
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19
interest in Ayn Rand into a movement that’s large
enough to spark a revolution toward a rational culture.
ARI executive chairman Yaron Brook offered
up suggestions in his talk “What Can One Do?”
which highlighted how a single individual can effect
philosophical change in the culture. The talk can be
viewed in its entirety on ARI’s YouTube channel.
Here are some highlights:
•Study Objectivism, and really learn it, so that
you have the knowledge to influence others of its
personal value and the value it can bring to the world.
•Live the best life you can live. Be a model in whatever
it is that you do so that people look at you and ask,
“what is your secret?” Your own success is the most
powerful tool in the fight for rational ideas.
•Speak up and take a stand. Present Objectivism as a
positive solution to our irrational culture. Find all the
different ways in which you can express yourself—
from conversations with friends and colleagues to
social media posts to letters to news outlets.
Among the conference’s many highlights were Harry
Binswanger’s course “The Foundations of Knowledge,”
the multipart course “Spiritual Fuel: Appreciating
Various Forms of Art,” Gregory Salmieri’s talk “How
to Be Objective About Objectivism,” and Tara Smith’s
two-part lecture “Being Happy, Being Selfish.”
Register for OCON 2017 to join the discussion
and help in the fight for a rational culture:
ObjectivistConferences.com.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR
THE FUTURE
INTERNATIONAL
A GLOBAL INTEREST IN OBJECTIVISM
I
In the words of Polish student Tomek Kołodziejczuk
Photo courtesy of
Tomek Kołodziejczuk
n 2016 ARI experts participated in sixty-four international speaking events, attracting 8,149
attendees. This year’s Objectivist summer conference boasted the highest number of
attendees from outside North America to date. This is also the first year ARI has had an
international winner in two of its three esssay contests.
Yet ARI’s impact abroad is best told by those who passionately participate in activism to
increase awareness and understanding of Objectivism.
Ayumi Wakizaka, a native of Japan, discovered The Fountainhead while
studying and working in Washington, D.C. For her, Ayn Rand’s ideas
represented the essence of what she had observed made America,
America: the spirit of individualism.
While pursuing her Master’s degree in foreign service at Georgetown, she
went on to read Atlas Shrugged, which not only altered her political view but
also her choice of career. She chose to join a global corporation, General
Electric, with a very optimistic vision of private enterprise and capitalism,
similar to the world of Rearden Steel and Taggart Transcontinental.
In 2000 Ayumi became the first to translate the works of Ayn Rand into
Japanese for publication. In 2001 she quit her job to fully dedicate herself
to this mission. She spent four years translating Atlas Shrugged, taking one
full month drafting Galt’s speech into Japanese. Atlas Shrugged, or Kata wo Sukumeru Atorasu, was
published in 2004. Its paperback version was also made available in three volumes in 2014.
In 2010 Ayumi began translating We the Living into Japanese; Warera Ikirumono, was published in
2012. At the same time, her company bought the distribution rights for Noi Vivi, the 1942 Italian
movie based on the novel, and produced a Japanese version of the DVD in 2013.
Ayumi first attended OCON in 2015. The following year, she helped organize a series of lectures for
ARI’s executive chairman, Yaron Brook, which prompted the founding of the the first Objectivist
study group in Japan. Ayumi’s future plans include establishing the Ayn Rand Center Japan, with
the support of Carl Barney and his Objectivist Venture Fund, to further promote Ayn Rand’s
works and ideas in Japan.
Photo of Ayumi Wakizaka by Pavel Verbovski
20
W
hen I first read Ayn Rand’s novels, she put into print
ideas that always were somehow in me. I felt compelled
to spread those ideas in the world around me. A few years
later, and after a great deal of hard work, we have a community
of Polish Objectivists, a robust website, fan page, YouTube
channel, discussion group and are widely recognized in the local
liberty scene in Poland.
I also attended OCON this year and gained so much
knowledge and inspiration. I made connections that will
definitely help drive my efforts in Central Europe.
Over the past two years, Yaron Brook, ARI’s executive
chairman, has given four lectures here, organized by the
Independent Student Association, European Students for
Liberty (ESFL) Poland and the Freedom & Entrepreneurship
Foundation, which are recognized as strong and smart
organizations. Young people from various conservative and liberal
groups are joining our small “collective.” The impact is visible,
which makes me proud,hopeful. But this is just the beginning.
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Ayn Rand Center Israel
INTERNATIONAL
Photo courtesy of Boaz Arad
Boaz Arad (at left), founder of Ayn Rand Center Israel, with
Carl Barney and Yaron Brook
T
he Ayn Rand Center Israel (ARCI) was established
by Boaz Arad in October 2012 and underwritten and
sponsored by Carl Barney of the Objectivist Venture Fund
with continuing assistance and support from ARI.
ARCI is engaged in translating Ayn Rand’s nonfiction works
into Hebrew for Israeli readers. It also addresses the Arabicspeaking public in Israel and the Middle East with a selection of
Arabic translations of the philosophical writings of Rand.​
ARCI holds a scholarship program with the Department
of Comparative Literature at Bar-Ilan University with the
assistance of Shoshana Milgram, a world-class authority
on the works of Ayn Rand. In 2015 the program produced
three academic works on Rand’s books and philosophy. It
also promotes writers, public speakers and filmmakers with
media-appearance training that has led to more than five
hundred media appearances since 2013 and the release of
the best Israeli documentary on the state of freedom in
Israel (Occupy TLV).
Another major project for 2016 was establishing the Ayn Rand
Atlas Award, which is a unique prize for the greatest valuecreating Israeli technology company. The project managed
to bring about a cooperative effort uniting Deloitte, Inc. and
TheMarker, which is the leading financial news service in Israel.
The award was celebrated at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange with
wide media coverage and 218 VIPs in attendance.
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The map marks the locations in which ARI held international events in 2016.
64
INTERNATIONAL
SPEAKING EVENTS
21
8,149
ATTENDEES
My Mission to Promote Objectivism
by Maja Vrtaric
H
aving been inspired by The Fountainhead and its leading character, Howard Roark, my
personal relationship with Objectivism had “officially” begun. The Fountainhead helped me to
systematize my values and, more importantly, name my beliefs—Objectivism. Heroes in Rand’s
novels are not pure fiction. They exist in the real world and highlight the importance of man’s
existence on Earth.
After reading The Fountainhead, I started looking for others who would describe themselves as the
heroes of their lives, for those who could help me increase awareness of Rand’s ideas in Serbia.
That’s how I found the Ayn Rand Institute. ARI recognized my efforts and supported me in my
mission to promote Objectivism.
I have since organized with the Serbian Libertarian Club. We’ve worked together to educate
twenty high profile students about Objectivist ideas. The program consisted of eight sessions,
including basic lectures, creative sessions such as the viewing of The Fountainhead movie from
1949, as well as debates and discussions on various topics.
I also continue to discuss Rand’s ideas with young people in Serbia. I share the value of a
philosophy based on reason, argue its premises and justify its principles. Most importantly, I
encourage students to achieve their own personal happiness through peaceful means, led by their
own interest, by doing their jobs as well as they can.
In 2016 I launched my own organization, the Balkan Objectivist Center. The broader goal of the
organization is to practice an already tested model of education and promotion in Serbia and the
rest of the Balkan countries. We are working to increase the presence of Objectivism in these
transition countries and to spread the ideas far beyond the borders of this region with the help of
an Objectivist Venture Fund grant.
Photo courtesy of Maja Vrtaric
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PRESERVINGPAGE
AYN HEADING
RAND’S LEGACY
RIGHT
THE AYN RAND
ARCHIVES
The Ayn Rand Archives table display at the Los Angeles Archives Bazaar, held every October at the
University of Southern California.
F
or more than twenty years, the Ayn Rand Archives has been reaching
out to researchers interested in learning more about Ayn Rand and
Objectivism. Here is a glimpse of what we worked on in 2016.
many people who participated in Objectivism’s early years are entering
their seventh or eighth decade, it’s critical for us to capture these
memories within the next few years. We were grateful to conclude our
interviews with longtime Objectivist Dina Federman, who passed away
in May.
We participated in the Los Angeles as Subject Archives Bazaar at the
University of Southern California. Our focus as members of this group
is the time Ayn Rand spent in Los Angeles at both the beginning of her
career and after she’d gained national success with The Fountainhead.
We also began work on a Herculean transcription project: editing the
text of the Ayn Rand Papers collection, which was generated via optical
character recognition (OCR) in 2015. (The Ayn Rand Papers collection
contains personal correspondence, business records, research notes
and other items in her files at the time of her death.) Because OCR
technology is good but by no means perfect, every page of generated text
requires review and sometimes extensive error correction. In addition, only
typed text can go through the OCR process. Approximately 15 percent
of the Ayn Rand Papers is entirely handwritten, mostly by Ayn Rand
herself, and those pages must be transcribed from scratch. With more
than 90,000 images in the collection, this project will take several years to
complete. All of this effort will eventually culminate in a searchable online
collection that will offer easy and instant access to scholars and Ayn Rand
fans around the world.
The Archives has put another book collection online: our reference
library (AynRand.org/reference). We previously had no online catalog
of our material, but via this site we are now capable of loaning material
to other libraries—which will widen our use among the nation’s scholars.
This new collection joins our previous collection, the Ayn Rand Legacy
Library (AynRand.org/Legacy), a representation of all the books she
owned at the time of her death.
Our oral history project, The History of the Objectivist Movement
and Institutions, continued to gain momentum. This project captures
little-known historical details that may not be recorded elsewhere. Since
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23
SUPPORT ARI
PAGE HEADING LEFT
Elan Journo, Steve Simpson, Onkar Ghate and Yaron Brook during Q&A at Ayn Rand Student Conference 2016. Photo by Jay Sonata Photography
T
Contribute now at AynRand.org/donate.
he Ayn Rand Institute fights for your values—in the classroom, in the
media and around the world. We fight to change the world.
To give a gift by mail, please make your check payable to ARI and
send to:
This is no easy task. Changing prevailing thought is a difficult battle, but
one that we at ARI are eager to engage in—since our happiness and
prosperity depend upon it.
Ayn Rand Institute
2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250
Irvine, California 92606
Your support makes our work possible. Your contributions power our
programs and allow us to educate, mentor and influence tomorrow’s
leaders and future intellectuals. With your help, we will usher in a future of
rationality and freedom.
From all of us at ARI, thank you!
24
Back to Table of Contents
TO OUR VALUED CONTRIBUTORS
THANK
YOU!
Back to Table of Contents
25
ARI BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ARI STAFF
Carl Barney
CEO of LePort Schools, Chairman and
former CEO of Independence University,
Stevens-Henager College, CollegeAmerica
and California College San Diego
Yaron Brook
CEO and Executive Chairman,
Ayn Rand Institute
Arline Mann
ARI Board Chair
Retired attorney and former managing
director and associate general counsel of
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Harry Binswanger
Arturo Gamboa
Larry Salzman
Tim Blum
Peter LePort
Tara Smith
Philosophy professor and associate of
the late Ayn Rand
Executive Vice President, HSA Commercial
Real Estate in Chicago
David Antonacci, Marketing Programs Specialist
Anthony Baumann, Objectivist Academic Center Coordinator
Robert Begley, Development Specialist
Lauren Benjamin, Senior Administrative Assistant
Tom Bowden, Analyst
Jeff Britting, Archives Curator
Niv Brook, Technical Media Coordinator
Yaron Brook, CEO and Executive Chairman
Colin Campbell, Editing Assistant
Mark Chapman, Vice President of Development
Kathy Cross, Gift and Estate Planning Manager
Marilee Dahl, Development Account Manager
Angela Dietrich, Executive Liaison Officer
Steven Dougherty, Content Development Manager
Jason Eriksen, Web Developer
Simon Federman, Marketing Communications Specialist
Onkar Ghate, Chief Content Officer
David Gulbraa, Donor Services Specialist
Investor, entrepreneur, owner and
shareholder of numerous businesses,
such as hotels, agriculture, retail and
real estate developments
Active surgeon and founder of LePort
Schools, a nationwide group of private
schools enrolling children from three
months of age to eighth-graders
Lew Hendrickson, HR/Legal Specialist
Jason Hoskin, Regional Campus Club Associate
Ayesha Ilyas, Web Developer
Jeff Janicke, Business Operations Coordinator
Elan Journo, Fellow and Director of Policy Research
Krissy Keys, College Progams Specialist
Rachel Knapp, Director of Business Operations
Duane Knight, Director of Development
Chris Locke, Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Keith Lockitch, Fellow and Vice President of Educational Programs
Anthony Loy, Student Outreach Coordinator
Dustin Maenpa, Video/Digital Editor
Stewart Margolis, Teacher Outreach Coordinator
Amanda Maxham, Writer and Research Associate
Jennifer Miguel, Social Media Strategist
Donna Montrezza, Copy Editor
Matthew Morgen, High School Programs Manager
Rikki Nedelkow, Marketing Manager
26
Attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation
(PLF) and adjunct professor at Chapman
University’s Fowler School of Law
Professor of philosophy, University of
Texas at Austin
Jenny Nguyen, Receptionist/Bookkeeping Assistant
Vidhi Patel, Web Developer
Michael Paxton, Multimedia Producer
Richard E. Ralston, Publishing Manager
Lucy Rose, eLearning Programs Manager
Patrick Ryan, Marketing Analyst
Jeff Scialabba, College Programs Manager
Anu Seppala, Director of Cultural Outreach
Steve Simpson, Director of Legal Studies
Aaron Smith, Instructor
Stacy Smith, Customer Service Coordinator
Carl Svanberg, Research Associate
Tsvet Tsonevski, College Programs Coordinator
Annie Vinther Sanz, General Manager, ARI Europe
Don Watkins, Fellow
Alex Wigger, ARI Campus Assistant
Jenniffer Woodson, Archivist
Lin Zinser, Director of Communications
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THE AYN RAND INSTITUTE: THE CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF OBJECTIVISM
2016 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS*
(IN THOUSANDS)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
As of September 30, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables, current
Investments and other assets
Total Current Assets
LONG-TERM ASSETS
Investments
Receivables, long-term
Property and equipment, net
457(b) plan
Interest in trust and other assets
Total Long-Term Assets
TOTAL ASSETS
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable
Accrued compensation and related
Accrued liabilities
Note payable to affiliate
Planned giving, current
Total Current Liabilities
$
$
413
835
371
1,619
REVENUES
Contributions
Program revenues
Investment returns and other revenues
TOTAL REVENUES
2,537
121
63
838
775
4,334
5,953
EXPENSES
Educational programs
Outreach
Other
Total Program Expenses
Fundraising
Management and general
TOTAL EXPENSES
Change in Net Assets
$
Long-Term Liabilities
Planned giving, long-term
457(b) plan
Loan payable
Total Long-Term Liabilities
Unrestricted net assets
Temporarily restricted net assets
Total Net Assets
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
Year Ended September 30, 2016
272
488
207
199
187
1,353
7,836
359
(66)
8,129
3,490
2,934
999
7,423
1,219
513
9,155
$
(1,026)
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Year Ended September 30, 2016
2,749
838
5
3,592
$
$
Net Operating Activities
(1,278)
2,286
1,008
5,953
$
(235)
Net Investing Activities
622
Net Financing Activities
(156)
Net Increase (decrease) in cash
Cash — Beginning of year
Cash — End of year
$
231
182
413
* The financial statements reflected represent preliminary figures only. Full statements will be available in 2017 at AynRand.org/donate.
Back to Table of Contents
27
Photo by Pavel Verbovski
Tara Smith and attendees during Q&A session following Smith’s talk “Being Selfish, Being Happy” at Objectivist Summer Conference 2016
Back to Table of Contents
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PROMOTING REASON, PURPOSE AND SELF-ESTEEM SINCE 1985
SUPPORT OUR FIGHT FOR A RATIONAL CULTURE. AYNRAND.ORG/DONATE