The Free Market Foundation is an independent policy research and education organisation founded in 1975 to promote the principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual liberty. FMF is concerned with national policies, and the principles of a free society and a free economy. FMF selects critical issues in the fields of economic freedom and civil liberties and democracry/constitutional issues for study.
The main objectives of FMF are:
- to conduct and promote technical and public policy research in the field of economics
- to promote the interests of members by working for an economic and business environment that will facilitate the achievement of high economic growth in Southern Africa
- to promote, develop and foster economic freedom and a market economy in Southern Africa
- to participate in the promotion, development and fostering of free enterprise and market economies on a national and international basis
- to educate the general public regarding sound economic principles through conducting courses, workshops, seminars and conferences and the dissemination of literature.
Training and entrepreneurship development is provided in co-operation with the Foundation for Economic and Business Development, which provides enterprise skills to individuals, companies and educational institutions. Other activities include a Liberty School and a Law Review Project. Through its program entitled “The Advocacy Project,” the FMF seeks to institutionalize its efforts in its CapeTown office to improve its ability to influence parliamentarians and key decision-makers who design and enact legislative policy. FMF’s methods for institutionalizing its advocacy presence include the development of evidence and testimony to parliamentary committees, workshops, publication of briefing papers and monographs, parliamentary meetings, generation of newspaper articles, networking, and dissemination of information.
FMF’s publications include: Monographs and Briefing Papers (which can be downloaded free of charge), Occasional Papers, Powerpoint presentations, News archives, Policy Bulletins, and a “Laws Affecting Small Business” series.
Funding is received from members (corporate, organisational and individual), sponsorships and the sale of publications. Membership of the Foundation includes Corporate Members and Senior Corporate Members, Organisation Members, and Individual Members. It also welcomes and maintains mutually complementary arrangements with Reciprocal Members – various organisations, individuals and companies, not necessarily of the same persuasion. It also welcomes “trade exchange” arrangements with members who pay their membership fees in kind.