Humanities Out Loud | FAQ's

How many Speakers Bureau programs can my organization host?
Each organization is limited to two Speakers Bureau programs per fiscal year (11/1 - 10/31), but exceptions are made based on availability of funding and whether or not a county may be considered "underserved."

Do you make arrangements with the speaker (time, place, etc.)?
We leave all coordination to the sponsoring organization. Before filling out the application, please get in touch with us for the speaker's contact info. You should then contact the speaker to arrange a time and date, then fill out the application with the appropriate information and send it in.

Do you cover travel costs for your speakers or supplies (copies, etc.)?
No. The sponsoring organization is responsible for any travel costs, meals, materials for the program, etc. You should ask the speaker about these costs before applying.

How much do speakers cost and how does payment work?
The Humanities Council^SC contributes $150 toward speaker honorariums, which covers full speaker payment for the majority of programs. There are several speakers who may ask for a higher honorarium or other costs such as travel. These additional costs must be negotiated between the speaker and the sponsoring organization. Our speakers are responsible for requesting the $150 honorarium payment from us for a completed program, and we pay them directly. Any other speaker costs are handled by the sponsoring organization. To find out which speakers request more than $150 for a program, please contact us.

What is the "cost share" section of the application all about?
The Humanities Council^SC is federally-funded, so we are required to show that grant applicants invest as much into a program as we do. However, your cost share does not have to be in cash; most of it can be in-kind and should be calculated based on both actual and theoretical costs. For example, you should estimate the value of time spent putting together the program, the rental value of the space where the program will be held (even if this number is theoretical), cost of telephone calls and making copies, etc. All this should easily equal or exceed our $150 contribution.