This is not true at all, at least in the ARIN service region.
* Aside from a very minimal amount of space allocated for v6 transition technologies[1] and from the waitlist[2], organizations do have to pay market rates for IP addresses.
* Organizations do need to pay a yearly fee to keep them, which scales with the amount of address space held.[3]
* You are not too insignificant to be allowed to own your own IPs - anyone can establish at least 2 peering relationships, ask ARIN for an ASN, and acquire some IPs.