Board Agenda
An agenda is a list of topics or activities to be taken up in an upcoming meeting. Agendas are essential to be able to conduct an organized meeting. The task of meeting agenda writing often falls to the secretary, who is also tasked to record the minutes of the meeting.
Agendas and calendars are two of the many tools used to maintain an organized schedule and routine. Agendas serve as a schedule of things to be acted upon. Calendars, on the other hand, is a systematized list of days, weeks, and months which serves to keep track of future activities and plans.
School Board Agenda
Project Board Agenda
Board Meeting Agenda
Advisory Board Agenda
Town Hall Meeting Agenda
What Is a Board Agenda?
A board agenda or board meeting agenda is a detailed list of important matters that needs to be addressed by the board of directors. Prior to the meeting, the agenda is usually distributed to the participants allowing them to review the schedule of issues to be tackled and enabling them to make the necessary preparations for the meeting proper. Having a board agenda allows the board to follow a time frame to discuss everything, giving priority to the most important and urgent matters. Refer to some agenda examples in PDF format for your convenience.
Benefits of a Board Agenda
Effective meeting agenda, or even agendas in general, are fundamental components of a board meeting. Agendas are basically there for things to be done as organized as it could possibly be. Aside from that, agendas make it easier for the members of the board, who undeniably have very tight schedules, to discuss matters in an orderly manner. Having an agenda also allows them to identify the most important matters from the least important ones. This way, the meeting will proceed smoothly and will be more productive.
Academic Board Agenda
Annual Board Meeting Agenda
Board Retreat Agenda
Board Training Program Agenda
Nonprofit Board Meeting Agenda
How to Structure a Board Agenda
The typical structure of an agenda is written in an outline, as can be seen in a few free agenda examples. A board agenda may be structured as follows:
- Agenda title including the name of the organization, location, date, and time of the meeting.
- Call to order, officially starting the meeting.
- A list of changes to the agenda, if any.
- Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
- List of reports usually done by certain members.
- Old business, usually unresolved ones, which needs further discussion.
- New business plans and items.
- Other matters, comments, and further announcements.
- Formal closing or adjournment to be done by the chair of the board.
How to Write a Board Agenda
Writing a board staff meeting agenda requires critical thinking on the writer’s part. Important and urgent matters shall be discussed, and there might not be enough time to discuss everything in one sitting. Still, agenda templates and examples are found here for you to refer to, and a few things to consider in writing a board agenda are listed below:
- Determine the objectives of the meeting.
- Prepare a list of matters to be discussed and organize them highlighting the urgent and important ones.
- Create an outline, and allocate the time for each matter to be discussed.
- Always leave extra time for other matters to be discussed.
- As always, proofread. Check for errors before finalizing your agenda.