Start a Free Speech

Ministries Chapter

Plant a hub of courageous conversation, Gospel-centered leadership, and civil discourse training on your campus.

Free Speech Ministries Chapters equip students to model truth, grace, and intellectual honesty in the public square, changing the culture of a university from the inside out.

If you want to bring clarity, courage, and Christ-centered truth to your campus, this is your next step.

What It Takes

Starting a chapter is a serious responsibility, but we walk alongside you to make the process as simple and efficient as possible. Below are the basic requirements for forming an official FSM Chapter:

1. Certified Free Speech Ambassadors (CFSAs)

Only trained and approved Certified Free Speech Ambassadors

may lead official Free Speech Events on campus. This means that every chapter must have at least one CFSA.

The Chapter President is responsible for:

A. Making sure no Free Speech Event is hosted without CFSAs

B. Helping new members who are pursuing FSA certification

C. Maintaining Free Speech Ministries standards of clarity, charity, and courage at all FSM events and spaces

FSM provides all training, curriculum, and resources needed for FSA certification.

2. Secure Club Status at Your University

Every chapter must be registered as an official student club

or organization on its campus.

This provides the chapter with:

Permission to host Free Speech Events

Eligibility to reserve rooms and campus spaces

Ability to promote events through university channels

Stability and long-term presence

FSM provides guidance to help you navigate your school’s club requirements.

What We Provide

Every new chapter receives a complete Free Speech Debate Kit containing all equipment necessary to run high-quality, professional events.

  • Branded Tabling Equipment
    (canopy, tablecloths, etc.)

  • Video equipment

  • Audio equipment

  • Signage

  • Instructions and playbooks

  • Event guidelines

  • Additional resources for outreach

Training & Support

We don’t leave you on your own. Every chapter receives:

  • Training on using and maintaining the debate kit

  • Coaching for leading events effectively

  • Access to online curriculum for your members

  • Ongoing communication with FSM Network Staff

Executive Director Visit

Whenever possible, our Executive Director, Devin Tracy, will personally meet with new chapters to:

  • Offer encouragement

  • Provide hands-on guidance

  • Assist with club launch

  • Mentor the leadership team

Interested In Starting A Chapter?

We are currently test piloting our first chapter at Colorado State University, and are not ready to launch more chapters.

That being said, we are excited that you are interested in joining our movement. Our founder would love to schedule a time to talk with you and see how we can best support each other (and put you on the list for when we are ready to start launching more chapters).

Please send us a message through the form below, and we will be in touch.

What is the step-by-step process and estimated timeline for applying to become an official chapter?

We will send detailed instructions once you express interest. The process includes CFSA training, club registration, and basic onboarding.

What are the ongoing reporting, fundraising, and administrative obligations of a campus chapter?

FSM does not impose heavy administrative burdens. Individual Chapters are not required to pay dues, fundraise for the ministry, or keep track of any heavy logistical and administrative tasks other than those directly related to their chapter. Chapters mainly focus on training their members, holding events at their campuses, and maintaining doctrinal + discourse standards.

How much flexibility does a campus chapter have in planning local events, and what are the branding guidelines?

Chapters have incredible freedom and flexibility to shape their chapter, club meetings, and event calendar, as they deem fit to best support their members and impact their college. There is network oversight and guidance to make sure that chapters maintain our FSM branding guidelines as well as our quality and culture standards for FSM events.

Will Free Speech Ministries expand to high schools or community chapters?

We are open to the possibility of expanding to high schools and community chapters in the future, but such expansions are not currently on our roadmap, as we are entirely focused on reaching the college campuses in the United States.

How Do You Become A Certified Free Speech Ambassador

Our current process for CFSAs includes a self-paced eTraining curriculum, an assessment, and an interview with our network staff. You can learn more about that here

Can Ambassador's Lose Their Certification

Yes. FSM holds our Ambassadors to high ethical standards, as they are representing our brand and our mission with a great deal of autonomy. If they fail to maintain our standards, they can lose their certification. You can learn more about that here

Frequently Asked Questions

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