Nonprofits & associationsBoard & committee

Nonprofit board meeting

90 minutes 7 blocks Free template

A 90-minute board meeting that uses a consent agenda for routine items so most of the time goes to discussion and decisions.

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Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe board has handled routine business in one vote and spent most of the meeting on the decisions and strategy in front of it.

90 min · 7 blocks, drawn to scale Fits exactly

Call to order, roll call and quorum, 3 minutes
Consent agenda: minutes and routine reports, 5 minutes
Officer and committee reports, including finance, 20 minutes
Unfinished business, 15 minutes
New business and strategic discussion, 35 minutes
Executive session (no staff), if needed, 10 minutes
Announcements and adjournment, 2 minutes

+0′Call to order, roll call and quorumOne word: what's on your mind coming into this meeting?3 minCheck-in
+3′Consent agenda: minutes and routine reportsApprove the consent agenda?Tip: Ask first whether any member wants an item pulled out for discussion.5 minVote
+8′Officer and committee reports, including financeTip: BoardSource keeps financial statements out of the consent agenda.20 minInfo
+28′Unfinished business15 minDecide
+43′New business and strategic discussion35 minDiscuss
+78′Executive session (no staff), if needed10 minDiscuss
+88′Announcements and adjournment2 minWrap-up

Why it works

Built so the nonprofit board meeting ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes
A 3-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.
A vote the whole room sees
One tap each on a phone, live bars on the screen. A tick shows who has voted, never what they chose.
Updates stay short
20 minutes of updates with a visible clock. In a video call the speaker is spotlighted and the room is muted, so nobody talks over them.
It ends in a decision
Capture the decision and its owner with one click while it's said. It lands in the summary, word for word.
Discussion with a clock
45 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.
Wraps up on time
Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

1Put minutes and routine reports on a consent agenda approved in a single vote, and let any member pull an item out.
2Keep debatable items and financial statements off the consent agenda.
3Send written reports ahead so they don't eat the meeting; save the time for deliberation.
4For virtual meetings, test the technology first, state each voting question clearly, and check your bylaws and state law on virtual voting.
5Hold an executive session without staff only when needed.

Questions about the nonprofit board meeting

How long should a nonprofit board meeting be?: BoardSource says boards that meet monthly should be able to take care of business in an hour or two. Boards that meet only a few times a year may need a full day.
What is a consent agenda?: A group of routine items, such as minutes and routine reports, approved in a single vote. Any member can ask to pull an item out for discussion, and BoardSource keeps financial statements out of it.
What is the order of business for a board meeting?: Call to order and quorum, consent agenda, reports that need discussion, unfinished business, new business and strategic discussion, executive session if needed, then announcements and adjournment.
Can a nonprofit board vote in a virtual meeting?: BoardSource advises checking your bylaws and state law before voting virtually.

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Nonprofit board meeting

90 minutes 7 blocks Free template

A 90-minute board meeting that uses a consent agenda for routine items so most of the time goes to discussion and decisions.

Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe board has handled routine business in one vote and spent most of the meeting on the decisions and strategy in front of it.

Built so the nonprofit board meeting ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes
A 3-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.
A vote the whole room sees
One tap each on a phone, live bars on the screen. A tick shows who has voted, never what they chose.
Updates stay short
20 minutes of updates with a visible clock. In a video call the speaker is spotlighted and the room is muted, so nobody talks over them.
It ends in a decision
Capture the decision and its owner with one click while it's said. It lands in the summary, word for word.
Discussion with a clock
45 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.
Wraps up on time
Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

1Put minutes and routine reports on a consent agenda approved in a single vote, and let any member pull an item out.

2Keep debatable items and financial statements off the consent agenda.

3Send written reports ahead so they don't eat the meeting; save the time for deliberation.

4For virtual meetings, test the technology first, state each voting question clearly, and check your bylaws and state law on virtual voting.

5Hold an executive session without staff only when needed.

Questions about the nonprofit board meeting

How long should a nonprofit board meeting be?

BoardSource says boards that meet monthly should be able to take care of business in an hour or two. Boards that meet only a few times a year may need a full day.

What is a consent agenda?

A group of routine items, such as minutes and routine reports, approved in a single vote. Any member can ask to pull an item out for discussion, and BoardSource keeps financial statements out of it.

What is the order of business for a board meeting?

Call to order and quorum, consent agenda, reports that need discussion, unfinished business, new business and strategic discussion, executive session if needed, then announcements and adjournment.

Can a nonprofit board vote in a virtual meeting?

BoardSource advises checking your bylaws and state law before voting virtually.

Nonprofit board meeting

Built so the nonprofit board meeting ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes

A vote the whole room sees

Updates stay short

It ends in a decision

Discussion with a clock

Wraps up on time

How to run it

Questions about the nonprofit board meeting

Built from

Related templates

Run this agenda in a minute.

Nonprofit board meeting

Built so the nonprofit board meeting ends on time, with everyone in it.

Every voice in the first minutes

A vote the whole room sees

Updates stay short

It ends in a decision

Discussion with a clock

Wraps up on time

How to run it

Questions about the nonprofit board meeting

Built from

Related templates

Run this agenda in a minute.