Checklist for well prepared board meetings

Annual preparation
• Have we consulted with our board members about dates and time of the day/week, before setting our meeting schedule for the year?
• Once decided, have we informed all board members of the annual schedule?
• Do we have a system for ensuring annually recurring items are brought forward at the right time?

The meeting agenda
• Have we prepared the agenda at least two weeks in advance of the meeting to allow time to prepare the board package?
• Is there purpose for every item on our agenda? Do we know what we want to accomplish? (see sample agenda resource).
• Is the agenda designed to provoke involvement?
• Have we put the important items up front on the agenda?
• Have "information only" or "update" reports been included in the board package.
• Have we set realistic time limits for each item?

Board information packages
• Have we organized the information so that it links to agenda items at the front of the board package? (Some people use a binder with dividers).
• Do we routinely send the board package at least five working days in advance of the meeting?
• Have we done a 'reality check' in terms of what we are expecting board members to read? (ie have we overloaded them unrealistically?)

© CharityVillage Ltd. & Judith Angel www.charityvillagecampus.com

Source: http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/learn/board_meetings.pdf