What to Include and What to Leave Out of Board Meeting Minutes

When recording the minutes of board meetings, it’s important to be objective. This allows the minutes to serve as an official document that can demonstrate that the meetings were held and that decisions were made. If opinions are recorded in the notes, they might be seen as biased and create doubt between stakeholders and legal entities as well as future board members. It is essential to know which information to include and which to exclude in the minutes.

In general the minutes of board meetings should only document the facts and decisions taken during the meeting. They shouldn’t contain personal or subjective views such as the way https://boardroombox.com/is-membership-management-software-good-for-small-nonprofits/ in which the chair of the board hit on her desk to express her point. It is also recommended to not name individuals in the discussion in the event that the motion is specifically being debated. For items that require voting the board should be able to record who made and supported the motion, along with the number of people voting in favor, against and abstained.

It is also important to note any new guests or attendees. This will allow attendees to keep track of the people who are attending both in person and via remote. It’s also a great idea to announce the beginning and ending times for the meeting, as well as the date and time of the next meeting. Board members are often busy So having a specific date and time for the meeting will help everyone stay on the same page.