Questions About Free Guest Speakers in Washington D.C.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. is a pro bono speakers bureau that matches groups with free guest speakers across the Washington D.C. area, on business, health, finance, self-improvement and many other topics. Part of the Free Speakers network that began in Chicago in 1996, it has served more than 350 groups.

A guest speaker from Free Speakers Washington D.C. costs your group nothing: no fee, no honorarium and no mileage. Neither the speaker nor the bureau will ever charge you.

Find a presentation on Free Speakers Washington D.C. and click Request This Free Speech. Fill out the short form, and the speaker contacts you within three business days to confirm the date and details. A request does not commit your group, and either side can decline after you talk.

Groups never pay a dime for a Free Speakers Washington D.C. presentation. Speakers pay a small annual membership to be listed, which covers the cost of running the bureau. The fees are low, and Free Speakers has run as a community service since it began in Chicago in 1996.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. speakers are professionals who give free talks to give back, share what they know and become better known in their community. Many simply enjoy teaching and speaking in public.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. has a review team that reads every speaker application before the speaker is listed, and turns away speakers or topics that don’t fit its community service purpose or are too fringe.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. does not allow speakers to sell products at a presentation. Authors may bring books, but any sales pitch must be extremely low key, because the point is to educate, not to sell.

Most Free Speakers Washington D.C. speakers travel to groups in the surrounding suburbs, though how far each one goes depends on the speaker. You’ll settle it when you talk, and many speakers also present online if the distance is too far.

Most Free Speakers Washington D.C. speakers also give free presentations online, on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or whichever platform your group uses.

Groups can request as many Free Speakers Washington D.C. speakers as they like. Many program chairs request several topics at once to fill months of programs. The request form remembers your contact details, so each request after the first is quicker.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. does not recommend specific speakers or topics. Each speaker’s profile has a detailed bio so you can judge the fit, and you can search every presentation by topic, keyword or name.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. does not promote any political or religious views, and it does not exclude speakers who hold them. Any religious content is stated in the presentation title or speaker profile, so groups know before they request.

Join Free Speakers Washington D.C. by applying on the Become a Speaker page, for a small annual membership. Once you’re listed, groups across the Washington D.C. area request your presentations directly. You don’t need to be a professional speaker.

Free Speakers Washington D.C. sends your request only to the speaker you choose and never shares your information with anyone else. See the Privacy Policy for details.