The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism
The Ayn Rand Institute is a public charity based in Santa Ana, California. It promotes understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, through educational programs, publications, conferences, and outreach.
The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism at a glance
In short: The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism reported $379K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $379,499 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- Total assets
- $94,923,201
- +29.2% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $28,798,106
- Net investment income (2025)
- $1,003,300
- Expenses (2025)
- $11,837,489
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism
- How to Apply
-
The 2014 Atlas Venture Fund announcement invited online grant proposals. The available information does not establish a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6 Hutton Centre Drive 600, Santa Ana, CA 92707
Phone: (949) 222-6550
Website: https://aynrand.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1 grant of 2 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing describes outreach expansion in Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, as well as speakers addressing audiences around the world. It also lists conferences held in Europe, the United States, Latin America, Australia, and Israel. These descriptions concern the organization’s outreach and events; the available information does not specify a geographic focus for its grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2022) to $534K (2023). In 2025 it reported $379K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
*2024: Covers 15 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| We the Living Restoration Project Lake Wylie, SC | Help restore and promote the we the living: the 80th anniversory edition movie/film | $110,000 |
| Austin Shakespeare Festival Austin, TX | Produce a performance of scenes from ayn rand's screenplay | $20,368 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $94,923,201 | $28,798,106 | $11,837,489 | $379,499 | Total only | $1,003,300 |
| 2024* | $73,471,338 | $57,258,358 | $13,146,021 | $459,407 | Total only | $348,680 |
| 2023 | $31,368,502 | $15,481,178 | $10,716,591 | $534,260 | Total only | $111,913 |
| 2022 | $27,956,120 | $18,535,113 | $10,298,695 | $130,368 | 2 | $35 |
| 2021 | $18,617,463 | $17,696,652 | $8,023,821 | — | — | $289,458 |
| 2020 | $9,561,611 | $8,056,053 | $6,897,462 | $199,671 | Total only | $7,341 |
| 2019 | $6,646,518 | $6,986,678 | $7,777,659 | $239,245 | Total only | $31,401 |
*2024: Covers 15 months (fiscal year-end changed).
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to foster awareness, understanding, and acceptance of Objectivism and to promote a culture guided by reason, rational self-interest, individualism, and laissez-faire capitalism.
Its programs emphasize education and policy debates. The organization’s 2025 filing describes educational activities such as book distribution, essay contests, courses, and professional development, along with conferences and global outreach. In 2014, the Atlas Venture Fund was announced to support individuals and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations seeking to promote Objectivist ideas through projects that would complement, rather than duplicate or conflict with, the Institute’s work.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data reports zero grants for each of 2023, 2024, and 2025; it does not provide grant totals or typical award sizes for those years. The organization’s 2025 filing describes scholarship assistance for eligible participants in its educational programs and annual monitoring of local outreach grants. It does not provide award totals or recipient details. Scholarship assistance to program participants is distinct from grants to outside applicants.
The Atlas Venture Fund was announced in 2014 with a $1 million donation to start it. The announcement said it would award grants or loans to individuals and invited proposals from individual Objectivists and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. This is a historical announcement, not evidence of a current application cycle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing:
- Yaron Brook — Chairman of the Board
- Tal Tsfany — President & CEO, Board Member
- Onkar Ghate — Chief Philosophical Officer
- Carla Silk — Chief Operating Officer
- Geraldine Yumping — Controller
- Jeri Eagan — Member
- Larry Salzman — Member
- Robert Mayhew — Member
- Tara Smith — Member
- Loren Corle — Member
The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism is led by Tal Tsfany, President, CEO & Board Member since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 11 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tal Tsfany
President, CEO & Board Member
President & CEO → President, CEO & Member, 2022
President, CEO & Member → President, CEO & Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$168K (2019) → $818K (2025)
Yaron Brook
Chairman of the Board
Executive Chair → Chariman of the Board, 2020
Chariman of the Board → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$219K (2024) → $0 (2025)
Benjamin Bayer
Director of Content
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$101K (2023) → $110K (2025)
Jeffrey P. Scialabba
Director of Aru Operations
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$102K (2023) → $122K (2025)
Matthew Morgen
Director of Donor Relations
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$116K (2025)
Carla Silk
Chief Operating Officer
Director of Content & D → Vice President of Fundraising, 2020
Vice President of Fundraising → Chief Operating Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$138K (2019) → $314K (2025)
Keith Lockitch
Vice President of Executive Director & Senior Fellow
Vice President of Executive Director Program → Vice President of Executive Director & Senior Fellow, 2020
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$137K (2019) → $155K (2025)
Onkar Ghate
Chief Phil. Officer
Content Officer → Member & Chief Phil. Officer, 2020
Member & Chief Phil. Officer → Chief Phil. Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$135K (2019) → $242K (2025)
Tara Smith
Member
Director → Member, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$14K (2024) → $0 (2025)
Elan Journo
Vice President of Content & Senior Fellow
Director & Senior Fellow → Vice President of Content & Senior Fellow, 2022
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$118K (2020) → $213K (2025)
Geraldine Yumping
Controller
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$5K (2023) → $171K (2025)
Donald Watkins
Vice President of Marketin
On filings since 2024
45 hrs/week
$153K (2024) → $181K (2025)
Vinny Freire
It & Engineering Senior Manager
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$116K (2025)
Larry Salzman
Member
Director → Member, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Mayhew
Member
President & Director → Member, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Loren Corle
Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeri Eagan
Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: John Allison (2019–2024) — Member
- Former: Aaron Fried (2023–2024) — Senior Director of Growth
- Former: Anu Seppala (2019–2023) — Director Cultural Outreach
- Former: Harry Binswanger (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Jim Brown (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Judy Lu (2022–2023) — Controller
- Former: Rachael T. Taaffe (2023) — Director of Marketing
- Former: Maria Torre (2019–2022) — Controller
- Former: Tim Blum (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: Krissy Keys (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Angela Dietrich (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Arturo Gamboa (2019) — Director
- Former: Carl Barney (2019) — Director
- Former: Chris Locke (2019) — Vice President of Marketing
- Former: Jason Bateman (2019) — Director of Development
- Former: Lance Arenson (2019) — Controller
- Former: Lars Seier Christensen (2019) — Director
- Former: Peter Leport (2019) — Director
- Former: Steve Simpson (2019) — Director Legal Studies
- Former: Valerie Usher (2019) — Vice President of Finance
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $818K, to Tal TSFANY (President & CEO, Board Mem). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism
How much does The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism give each year?
The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism reported $379K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it reported $459K in grants paid. The 2024 filing year covers 15 months because its fiscal year-end changed.
How large is The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism?
The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism reported $94.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $28.8M.
What does The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to foster awareness, understanding, and acceptance of Objectivism and to promote a culture guided by reason, rational self-interest, individualism, and laissez-faire capitalism. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism?
The 2014 Atlas Venture Fund announcement invited online grant proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism make grants?
The 2025 filing describes outreach expansion in Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, as well as speakers addressing audiences around the world. It also lists conferences held in Europe, the United States, Latin America, Australia, and Israel.
What is The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism's EIN?
The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2570926. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 3, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 25, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 10, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The AYN Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism funds
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