Schlomach cites that his philosophy has been influenced by the work of Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, Thomas Sowell and Steve Pejovich.
FURI attracted contributors from across the political spectrum, including F.A. Hayek, J. B. Priestley,
While the Institute does not provide instruction in philosophical conservatism, it does encourage its graduates to read classic conservative authors like Edmund Burke and "classical liberal" authors like Frederic Bastiat, as well as more modern conservative thinkers including William F. Buckley Jr., Russell Kirk, Barry Goldwater, and libertarian thinkers such as economists Milton Friedman and F. A. Hayek.