Speakers entertain, educate and challenge. They can be a powerful catalyst to changing the way students think, feel and act. Many schools across America tap into funding to help pay for a speaker. Your objectives for hiring a speaker will make a difference in how you fund an assembly. With a particular objective in mind, students and staff will be more motivated to find funding. Here are some ideas to help your school find available funding:

1. Check with your school administration for funding from the Associated Student Body fund. For teacher in-service programs, ask about Staff Development -- Title VI funding.

2. Plan to integrate and highlight the speaker into a major theme such as cultural awareness week, health day, Red Ribbon Week, or disability awareness. Depending on your theme, federal grant money might be available. For example, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) might approve a funding request for a speaker who addresses alcohol and drug prevention, sexual abstinence, tobacco use, teen pregnancy, gangs, crime and violence prevention. Check with your school district or federal government office to find out who is dispensing these funds in your state. Request an application form.

3. Apply for other grant monies from your state by contacting your State Department of Human Services and State Department of Education. They can direct you to the correct office -- for example, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division. Contact other local agencies in your county that already have grant monies from state agencies. For example, the Criminal Justice Department or Department of Public Safety might have distributed funds into mental health agencies or programs for mentoring youth, etc.

4. Visit the resource desk at your local library. Ask about directories which include grant information. An example is "The Action Guide to Government Grants, Loans and Giveaways," by George Chelekis, The Putnam Publishing Group. Apply far in advance because it takes several months for a grant to come through.

5. Contact your school's PTO/PTA. Share your plans with them. They are more likely to contribute funds if your plan is well thought out.

6. Contact your local police department and share your plan with the Chief and Community Services Officer. You may receive funding support especially if the speaker is addressing drunk driving issues, crime and violence prevention, drug abuse, etc.

7. Have student leaders contact local business organizations: Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Elks, Chamber of Commerce. Present your plan and request their sponsorship.

8. Create a win-win situation. Contact several of your larger local businesses, especially those related to services for teens and their families. Ask for the owner, CEO or Community Services Department. If they are willing to help sponsor the speaker, you can exchange the favor by announcing their support to your students and parents.

9. Invite multiple clubs on campus to participate and help in a fund raising project. A cooperative effort helps students collaborate and learn about the realities of time and effort in acquiring funding in the real world.

10. If at all possible, share the speaker with another school on the same day. The fee and travel can then be split. Or, if two schools use consecutive days, at least the airfare can be divided equally. Also, working with Jostens Speakers Bureau, a district can create a tour for a speaker. When a speaker stays for several days and goes from school to school, this sometimes opens the door for negotiating a discounted fee.