How to chair a trustee board meeting
Some tips and advice
Although the role of a non-profit chair may vary across different charities, one thing is pretty certain – as chair you will be running meetings of your board of trustees. Whether that’s online or in person, here are some top tips.
Board packs and agendas
Board packs and agendas are a vital thing to get right but there is a delicate balance between too long or too short, too much detail, or not enough. There may also be a mixture of items, some for noting, some for information, and others for decisions. It can be a challenge for trustees to know what is expected for each item.
Some suggestions:
- Don’t leave it too long to send them out – at the minimum a week before the meeting but ideally longer, so trustees have some time to read and digest them.
- Separate papers into different types – for information, for decision, for noting – so trustees know which are the most important. You could also indicate which ones are high priority or have more urgent deadlines.
Agenda tips
As chair, it’s your role to make sure the meeting runs to time and includes effective discussion of the issues that need to be raised.
Having a clear and thorough agenda is crucial. Here are some tips:
- Push minutiae to the end of the meeting – matters arising, minutes, etc in order to discuss important things as early as possible.
- Make sure every meeting has a decent amount of time (30+ minutes) for a real discussion.
- Frame agenda items as questions, eg ‘How are we doing on improving member engagement?’
- Include who will be talking or leading on a particular topic in the agenda so there are no surprises.
- Include paper reference numbers for each agenda item so trustees can find the information for each part of the meeting.
- Include clear and realistic timings on the agenda.
If you’re a member you can access our exclusive guide to board meetings and resources on board packs and agendas. Log in to the member area to browse your resources.
Be the best chair you can be
As a member of the Association of Chairs, you’ll be able to access our entire library of member guides, which cover all aspects of the chairing role, including board meetings, recruiting trustees, appraising your CEO, finances, and risk. Find out more about becoming a member.
Accessibility and inclusion for board meetings
When planning your meetings, it’s really vital to take into account different accessibility considerations. These can make a huge difference to a trustee being able to participate effectively, or for trustees with a wider diversity of backgrounds and experience to consider applying to be part of your board.
Questions to ask:
- Can trustees have a phone call or a conversation before the meeting if they don’t understand anything in the board papers and want to talk it through first?
- If meetings are in person, is the venue accessible? Is there adequate parking?
- If online, do any trustees need to be supported to obtain or access the right equipment to log in, or do they need any support or training to familiarise themselves with the right tech?
- Does the timing of your meeting clash with any religious observances?
- Are meetings always during working hours?
- Some people may need or prefer information in other formats or may need some support to make sure they can participate fully. Can board papers and packs be provided in different formats e.g. text-only, large font?
Visit our page on equity, diversity and inclusion to find out more
Tips for online board meetings
Online meetings – some people love them, while others yearn for a face to face conversation, in real life. But whether you like them or not, online meetings can make trusteeship more accessible for those who find it harder to travel to in-person events.
However, running an online meeting is different, and as chair you should give consideration to how best to run them.
Timings
- Check the agenda and run it through with someone else. Some things take longer online than they do in person.
- Build in extra time for any technical issues or lost connections!
- Just because people are accessing the meeting remotely doesn’t mean they won’t want to step away from the screen – particularly if it’s a long meeting. Make sure you put breaks in the agenda.
Tech issues
Always be prepared for technical problems on the day.
- Don’t assume everyone is familiar with the platform you are using.
- Prepare trustees in advance, check in with them to make sure they can access everything they need.
- If someone is having connection issues, who might be able to help them if they are struggling to get into the meeting? Is there a plan B – can they phone in and listen instead?
Useful ground rules
- If you are going to record the meeting tell everyone in advance.
- Keep microphone muted when not speaking.
- Use a raised hand option if you want to speak.
- Will you use the chat function? If so, make it clear how, when, and what that will be used for.
Minuting board meetings
The taking and keeping of minutes is recommended practice by the Charity Commission and provides a record of important discussions and decisions. The chair has an important role in overseeing their preparation and ensuring that they are stored properly.
It’s also important to think about how and when actions will be circulated, and how progress against these will be checked. Will it be at the next board meeting?
You can use AI to minute your meetings, or generate transcripts from recordings. If you don’t have someone to take minutes, look into what various apps and platforms can offer, as this may save you a lot of time!
Recommended reading: Check the Charity Commission guidance CC48 for more information on minuting meetings.
Be the best chair you can be
As a member of the Association of Chairs, you’ll be able to access our entire library of member guides, which cover all aspects of the chairing role, including board meetings, recruiting trustees, appraising your CEO, finances, and risk. Find out more about becoming a member.