The agenda for a board meeting is the basis for a productive and successful board meeting. The agenda will outline the topics that will be debated by the board and also the length of time it will take.
Idealistically, the agenda should start with the items that require to be resolved. This helps keep the board from running short of time and allows them to cover the most important issues prior to the meeting’s end. A clear agenda with actions items prior to the agenda helps prevent boards from getting lost in the minutiaes which aren’t vital to the organization.
Once the board has concluded its previous tasks, it can begin to develop new ideas for the organization. This could range from new initiatives to assist in fundraising and outreach to new ways of engaging members and donors. It is important to leave room for discussion and even debate, so ensure there is plenty of time allocated for this portion of the agenda.
This is the time for the board members to make special announcements, shout-outs, to congratulate each other, and perform other fun things not what is a venture capital backed company included in the other parts of their agenda. It’s also a good time to suggest ideas for the next agenda. After everything has been discussed and recorded, the chair of the board formalizes the meeting and ends it by thanking everyone for their participation and informing them when the next meeting will be. The secretary will write the official conclusion of the meeting into the minutes.