board portal tools for effective governance

Online board meetings are a convenient and efficient method for nonprofits to conduct business. As with any gathering, a range of factors can affect the productivity of an online board meeting. This article will help you make virtual board meetings more efficient and the most common pitfalls to avoid.

Unengagement

Many nonprofit boards struggle to keep their remote attendees engaged during meetings. This is especially true if you’ve moved from face-to-face meetings to remote sessions. Meetings may be affected by low participation when members of the board aren’t comfortable communicating via video or if they aren’t comfortable with the technology.

Committee reports are usually the least engaging items on the agenda, which is why it’s difficult to convince attendees to engage in discussion about them in a virtual meeting. To combat this, get your committee chairpersons to include a question or request for feedback from the board in their reports.

Inadequate meeting minutes

Your board’s designated minute-takers are responsible for ensuring that every critical discussion and decision in your virtual meetings are recorded in a clear, concise manner. They should not discuss informal discussions or personal opinions and should aim for a balance between thoroughness and conciseness. It is also crucial that your minutes are recorded exactly as they were and that you have a system in place to ensure safe storage of all documents including governing documents, financial reports, and more. This will prevent confusion and improve accountability between meetings.