What if one simple tool could simplify your nonprofit board’s decision-making—while also creating more space for substantive strategy and planning discussions? That’s the magic of consent agendas for board meetings.
Consent agendas offer a practical solution for decision-makers who want to maximize every minute of board meetings. Let’s look at how.
What Is a Consent Agenda for a Board Meeting?
Also known as a “consent calendar” in Robert’s Rule of Order, a consent agenda refers to the practice of bundling multiple items requiring board approval into a single action item on a board agenda.
The advantages of consent agendas include:
- Boards can approve all actions with one single motion instead of filing multiple motions.
- Minimized discussion around routine action items saves valuable time.
- Boards thus have more time to engage in strategic discussions and action planning.
What to Include in a Consent Agenda for Your Board: Limitations and Considerations
For consent agendas to function well, all included topics must be familiar, require no discussion, and involve no conflict.
To integrate consent agendas into regular practice, we recommend that:
- Boards pre-approve a list of items that can be included in the consent agenda of regularly scheduled meetings.
- All decision-makers receive copies of the consent agenda and supporting documents in advance of board meetings. The distribution schedule should allow members enough time to review and clarify content before the meeting.
This way, should a board member feel that an item included in the consent agenda requires further discussion, they can make a motion to move the item from the consent agenda to the regular meeting agenda.
Common Uses for Consent Agendas in Board Meetings
Some of the most common topics wrapped into consent agendas are:
- Approval of minutes from the previous meeting
- Committee or staff reports
- Financial reports
- Presentation of information that requires no action
- Appointment schedules (upcoming meeting dates, etc.)
- Action items that adhere to bylaws
- Updates to organizational information (mailing address, phone, correction of typographical errors, etc.)
- Revision of policies that are routine in nature (updating dates, contact information, etc.)
- Action items that were discussed in detail previously and await a final vote
Looking for More Great Board Tools?
If you’re looking for more proven strategies for cultivating an A-list nonprofit board check out our Leadership Development Webinar Series, which dives into the nuts and bolts of building and maintaining a high-functioning nonprofit board. We also offer a suite of ready-to-use board templates, including board applications, job descriptions, and engagement tracking.
