If your non-profit’s board meetings often feel unproductive — or worse, lead to disengaged or departing members — it may be time for a reset. Long, unfocused meetings or ones dominated by a single voice can frustrate board members and stall meaningful progress. Over time, that kind of dysfunction can impact your organization’s momentum. To get your board back on track and make the best use of everyone’s time, your board president should consider the following six strategies.
Six Strategies for Productive Non-Profit Board Meetings
1. Plan an Actionable Agenda
Contact each committee chair to learn about needs for the upcoming meeting. For each item placed on the agenda, include an anticipated action. For example: “Finance committee, anticipated action: approve or reject organizational investment policy.”
2. Provide Adequate Resources
Supply the board with the information it needs to make informed decisions. You may want to include the minutes of the last board meeting, active committee reports related to agenda items, current financial reports, the executive director’s statistical “state of the organization” report, and relevant memoranda.
Financial information should be in a format that doesn’t overwhelm board members. For example, include a simple list of income categories, expense categories, balances, investment performance, and issues of concern. The finance committee can request more information if it needs it.
3. Prioritize Certain Items
Don’t try to cover every issue your nonprofit faces in each meeting. A two-hour meeting, for example, may be only enough time to discuss one key issue and plan a related action. Make sure your non-profit’s most pressing and significant matters are handled.
4. Encourage Staff/Board Communication
Communications from your non-profit’s staff to the board shouldn’t be dictatorial. For example, if the executive director presents a monthly report, solicit board opinion and allot time for member response. If a response isn’t needed, simply put a copy of the report in the board packets.
5. Be Inclusive & Unified
Some issues might prompt a strong difference of opinion, so try not to begin or end meetings with a controversial one. Good boards can weather heated discussions, but you must foster unity.
Also, board members need to feel safe asking relevant questions to get the information they need for intelligent decision-making. Be sure every board member talks at least once during a meeting. If necessary, solicit the opinions of newer or more reticent members and limit the comments made by members who tend to dominate board discussions.
6. Follow Up
Send a post-mortem summary of matters discussed and decisions reached. Include individual assignments and note the next scheduled meeting date.
Contact us for more tips and questions.