When it is about board meetings for nonprofits engaging in effective virtual meetings is crucial to advancing the objectives of the organization. Bringing nonprofit board members together in person isn’t always possible and therefore savvy facilitation and detailed documentation are crucial to ensuring that online meetings are effective.
To keep the discussion focused on the action items make sure that each person is limited in their speaking time to a single time. It is also helpful to share an invitation prior to the meeting so that the presenters can deliver slides to attendees. This will save time and eliminates distractions.
Another challenge with remote meetings is determining if members have something they can contribute to. Video calls make it difficult to recognize social signals but the success of a charity depends on the openness of discussion.
It is crucial to have sufficient information in order to make informed decisions. This is why it’s essential to provide a complete summary of the meeting in the form of minutes. Minutes document the decision-making process, which can be useful in the absence of board members as well as in the event of legal challenges down the road. Your minutes must be accurate and clear. The person who takes the minutes must not include any information that could be considered to be private such as voting, opinions or off-the-record discussions. This article provides seven tips to host efficient virtual board meetings that yield successful decisions for your organization.