The Whetstone Freedom Fund is a grant-giving initiative of the Institute of Economic Affairs and it empowers classical liberal organisations to spread the core principles of a free society across the world. By giving micro-grants, we support our partners to amplify these vital ideas across borders and language barriers.
The WFF was founded in 2024 as a tribute to the vision and legacy of Linda Whetstone, a tireless advocate for freedom, who passed away in 2021.Linda’s passing left a void for the countless partners who had relied on her dedication, guidance, and support. In the wake of this loss, we — the team at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the Network for a Free Society (NFS) Board Members — pledged to continue her vital work. Over the last three years, we focused on ensuring that Linda’s network of partners continued to receive the support they needed without interruption.
This period of transition involved learning and adaptation as we refined new strategies and modernised the operational model Linda and NFS had developed. Through trial and error, we honed an approach that would sustain Linda’s vision and establish a foundation to secure her legacy. These efforts culminated in the creation of the Whetstone Freedom Fund — a modern organisation, based at the free market think tank and educational charity, the Institute of Economic Affairs, dedicated to spreading the principles of liberty worldwide.
With the launch of WFF, NFS has now closed. But Linda’s enduring legacy lives on through WFF’s mission, vision, and commitment.
Visit the Whetstone Freedom Fund’s website to find out more.
About Linda Whetstone
Linda Whetstone dedicated her life to expanding freedom, particularly in the most challenging of places. Her insatiable passion for the global liberty movement was born at the Fisher family kitchen table, where she learned so much from her father, Sir Antony, founder of the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Atlas Network.Linda left a permanent imprint on the global liberty movement, serving on the boards of the Atlas Network, the Institute of Economic Affairs, and the Initiative for African Trade & Prosperity. She also served as president of the Mont Pelerin Society from 2020-2021.
While serving in the leadership of these organisations, Linda was always directly involved in their work. She built countless relationships with fledgling organisations across the world, particularly in areas where the ideas of freedom were toughest to sell, all while helping to build their capacity with advice, literature, and fundraising. Her unique combination of forthrightness, firmness, and kindness engendered loyalty, gratitude, and admiration from all of her partners.
Where she encountered obstacles to spreading ideas, Linda sought innovation. One prominent example was the creation of Ideas for a Free Society, a CD containing 100 core texts, which has been translated into eight languages and seen more than 200,000 copies distributed across Africa and Asia.
She also cultivated the concept of short primers, which concisely summarise the core ideas of liberal thought for new audiences. Primarily written by the Adam Smith Institute’s Eamonn Butler, there are now 15 primers, translated over 60 times. Linda co-authored one such book, Islamic Foundations of a Free Society, which has been translated into six languages.
Linda is irreplaceable, but here at the WFF, we are dedicated to honouring her legacy and continuing her vital work to spread the ideas of a free society to every corner of the world.