Tool E
Board Packet Standard
A packet is not a pile of attachments. It is the argument for how the board should spend its two hours.
Standard structure
- 1
Agenda with decisions named
One line per item stating whether it is for information, discussion, or a vote.
- 2
Consent agenda
Minutes, routine reports, standard approvals. Passed in one motion unless a member pulls an item.
- 3
Executive narrative
Two pages. What happened, what worries you, what you need from the board.
- 4
Financial statements plus narrative
Statements alone are not communication. The narrative is the communication.
- 5
Program dashboard
The same handful of measures every time, so trend is visible.
- 6
Committee recommendations
Each committee submits a short recommendation, not a meeting recap.
- 7
Fundraising activity report
Who did what since last meeting, by name.
- 8
Decision memos
One page each for anything requiring a vote: background, options, recommendation, risk.
Consent agenda
A consent agenda moves routine items in one vote so the meeting spends its time on things that need judgment. Any member may pull any item for discussion, no reason required.
- Prior meeting minutes
- Routine committee reports with no decision attached
- Standard contract renewals within approved budget
- Policy reaffirmations with no substantive change
- Acceptance of routine grant awards
Plain language financial narrative
- Lead with the answer: are we ahead, behind, or on plan, and by how much.
- Explain variance in sentences, not percentages alone. Name the cause.
- State the cash position and how many months of operating it represents.
- Flag anything that will look different next quarter before it does.
- End with the decision or the reassurance you want the board to take away.
AI prompts, where your policy allows
Review every draft before it goes in the book. Never paste personnel records, donor personal information, or anything confidential into a tool your organization has not approved.
Financial narrative draft
You are helping a nonprofit executive write a plain language financial narrative for a board packet. Using the attached statements, write 400 words covering: performance against budget, the cause of any variance over 10 percent, current cash and months of operating reserve, and one thing the board should watch next quarter. Avoid jargon. Do not include donor names or personnel details.
Committee pre read
Summarize the attached materials into a one page pre read for the finance committee. Structure it as: what we are deciding, what changed since last meeting, the two questions the committee should discuss, and the recommendation staff proposes.
Meeting notes to action list
Turn these board meeting notes into an action list. For each item give the action, the owner, and the due date. Flag any item where the owner was not clearly assigned in the notes.
Your packet notes
Draft for your judgment. If an item is not a decision, information, or a real discussion, it does not need to be in the meeting. Put it in the packet and move on.