Meetings of the board are crucial for the success of any nonprofit organization, but it can be difficult to begin productive discussions. There are a variety of ways to increase efficiency and make your organization run smoother.

Start with a Success Story

Board members want to know the organization is progressing so start your meeting with a positive update. This can be as simple as highlighting an achievement by staff or an individual board member. It can be as important as a new source of funding or the launch of a novel program.

Make use of a digital solution

Using a board portal with document management makes preparing and disseminating board documents simpler. Searchable references also aid attendees to locate relevant information during discussions. It’s also more affordable to store and distribute board documents digitally rather than printing and mailing them by mail.

Manage Time

It can take a long time to discuss issues on the board which is why it is essential to keep the meeting on track. It is important to include estimated time for discussion next to each item on the agenda, so that you can reach every issue on the list.

Also, keep in mind that the governing documents will dictate how many members are required www.boardroomhelp.org/notice-of-board-meeting-crafting-effective-notifications-for-successful-meetings to be the quorum for a meeting. This knowledge will prevent you from having to debate trivial questions when you know that there’s not sufficient number of people present to move the discussion along.