The structure of your board is what allows it to make the best decisions. Meetings on the board typically begin with a call to order where the chairperson welcomes everyone and introduces new members and states the company’s vision and mission statement. The next step in the board meeting is to go over and approve previous meeting minutes. This provides the board with an overview of where the organization is at.
After the board has reviewed the past performance, it’s time to look towards the future and develop strategies that can help increase awareness of nonprofits, increase membership and donor numbers, create fundraising opportunities, and turn ideas into actionable actions for each department. Senior management should present their ideas for growth during this section of the meeting. They should also seek input from the the executive team. The board should then agree on a plan that can be implemented in the timeframe given.
It is also an opportunity to tackle any obstacles that might hinder the implementation of your chosen plan, including budgetary concerns or time constraints. The board needs to come up with solutions that will aid the company in overcoming these obstacles and move forward.
This part of the board meeting usually includes any special announcements, congratulations or condolences from attendees, as well as important items to be added to the agenda for the following session. Then, the chairperson of the board usually ends the meeting by declaring the end time so that the secretary can record it in the minutes.