A community outreach request form is the standardized application a federal agency uses to receive invitations for one of its employees to speak at your event. There is no single government-wide version. Each agency, and often each regional office within an agency, runs its own form through its own portal or inbox, collecting your organization’s details, the event logistics, and enough context about the audience and topic for the agency to decide whether to send someone. These speaker programs are typically free of charge.
Finding the Right Form for Your Agency
Start by identifying the agency and the specific office that covers your area. The FBI hosts separate speaker request forms for each of its field offices through a central portal at forms.fbi.gov.1Federal Bureau of Investigation. Speaker Request Forms If you want an FBI presenter in Mobile, Alabama, you fill out the Mobile Division form; in Los Angeles, you use the Los Angeles form.
The NSA takes speaker invitations through a request form on its website, with separate tracks for executive-level leadership and other personnel.2National Security Agency. Request an NSA Speaker – Executive-Level Leadership U.S. Attorney’s Offices generally handle requests by email; the Eastern District of New York, for example, routes all speaker inquiries to a dedicated speakers bureau inbox.3United States Department of Justice. Community Outreach Federal Reserve Banks publish their own request pages as well.4Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Speaker Request
The quickest way to locate the right form is to search the agency’s website for “speaker request,” “community outreach,” or “speakers bureau.” These pages usually sit under a Community Relations, Public Affairs, or External Engagement section.
What to Gather Before You Open the Form
Pull everything together before you start. Some portals run on timed sessions, and if yours expires you may need to re-enter the whole thing. Have the following ready:
- Your organization’s legal name, website, and type: nonprofit, government entity, academic institution, or private. The NSA form, for example, asks you to classify the sponsor as U.S. Government, Non-Government, Academia, or Foreign Government.2National Security Agency. Request an NSA Speaker – Executive-Level Leadership
- Point-of-contact information: full name, title, phone, and email of the person coordinating the event.
- Event logistics: event name, date, start and end times, venue address with building and room number, or virtual platform details if the event is online. For virtual events, some agencies ask about technical requirements, including firewall rules and whether a plugin is needed.
- Audience profile: who will attend (legal professionals, high school students, industry executives, general public) and an estimated headcount.
- Topic and format: the subject you want covered and whether the slot is a keynote, panel, fireside chat, roundtable, workshop, or presentation. If there is a Q&A, note who moderates.
- Other speakers or notable attendees, with bio links if you have them.
- A current or draft agenda. The NSA requires you to email one alongside your form submission.2National Security Agency. Request an NSA Speaker – Executive-Level Leadership
- Media presence: whether press will attend and whether remarks are on or off the record. If media is expected, some agencies ask for a press list in advance.
Filling Out the Form Well
Each agency’s form looks a little different, but the structure is broadly the same: requester contact information at the top, event details in the middle, and audience and topic specifics at the bottom. Fill in every field. Reviewers handling dozens of requests will skip incomplete ones before they read thorough ones. If something is genuinely unknown, write “N/A” or “To be determined” rather than leaving it blank.
The event description is where the review committee decides whether your event fits the agency’s outreach mission, so make it specific. “We’d like someone from the FBI to talk about cybersecurity” is vague. “We’re hosting 200 small-business owners for a half-day workshop on protecting customer data, and we’d like an FBI Cyber Division agent to present on current ransomware trends” gives the reviewer something to work with.
One question catches hosts off guard. Nearly every federal form asks whether the event is a fundraiser.2National Security Agency. Request an NSA Speaker – Executive-Level Leadership Federal ethics rules place strict limits on employee participation in fundraising activities, and under 5 CFR 2635.808 an employee giving an official speech may not request donations or other support for the hosting organization.5eCFR. 5 CFR Part 2635 Subpart H – Outside Activities If your event has any fundraising component, flag it clearly and explain what the funds support. Omitting this will likely produce a denial rather than a conversation.
How Far in Advance to Submit
Lead time is where requests fail more often than content. The NSA asks for submissions at least 45 days before the event.6National Security Agency. Guidelines and FAQs The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta asks for 60 days.7Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Speakers Bureau The FBI’s Mobile field office requires a minimum of three weeks.8Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mobile FBI Speaker/Presenter Request Form As a working rule, aim for 45 to 60 days. Earlier is better. A request submitted four months out has a much better chance than one sent six weeks before the date.
Submit through the agency’s online portal when one exists. For offices that handle requests by email, send the completed form or invitation details to the designated inbox. Keep a copy of everything you send.
After You Submit
Some portals generate a confirmation receipt or tracking number. Save it. If no receipt arrives, send a short follow-up email confirming your request was received and noting the event date.
Agencies evaluate requests based on the event’s relevance to their mission, the topic, and staff availability.7Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Speakers Bureau Nothing is guaranteed. Speaking is a discretionary commitment, not an entitlement for the requester.
If approved, the agency will usually reach out by email with the assigned speaker’s name, audiovisual needs, access instructions, and whether a bio or headshot is needed for promotional materials. If you do not hear back within the agency’s stated processing window, follow up once by email or phone. If denied, ask whether the request can be reconsidered for a different date or a different speaker. Agencies are more likely to accommodate flexibility than to reverse a flat denial.
Gift and Ethics Limits You Need to Know Before the Event
Federal employees who speak at your event are bound by strict ethics rules, and knowing them in advance saves an awkward moment on the day. Under 5 CFR 2635.204, employees may accept unsolicited gifts worth $20 or less per occasion, with a $50 annual cap from any single source. Cash and investment interests are excluded entirely.9eCFR. 5 CFR 2635.204 – Exceptions to the Prohibition for Acceptance of Certain Gifts Do not offer honoraria, gift cards, or plaques worth more than $20. Light refreshments like coffee and pastries that are not part of a sit-down meal fall outside the gift rules altogether, so providing those is fine.
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco states explicitly that its speakers cannot accept gifts, honoraria, or other compensation.4Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Speaker Request Other agencies follow the same principle even when they do not say so on the request page. The safest approach is to offer nothing of value beyond the event meal and a public thank-you.