How to Take Minutes for a Board Meeting: A Comprehensive Guide  

Whether you’re the board secretary or just a meeting enthusiast who loves keeping things organized, you know that taking minutes for a board meeting can sometimes feel like a challenging and underappreciated task. However, learning how to take minutes at a board meeting effectively is worth the effort. It pays off and makes things smoother down the road.

Our specialists have put together this guide to help you improve your corporate governance minutes and save time on organizing and maintaining critical notes. Keep reading for tips for taking minutes at board meetings that ensure compliance and accuracy. Additionally, we suggest you download the free board meeting minutes template by clicking the button on the right. You can use it to create board meeting minutes for your company.

What are board meeting minutes?

First, let’s clarify the purpose of the board compliance documents before we dig deeper into the details. Board meeting minutes are an essential tool used to record the proceedings and key decisions made during corporate board meetings, serving as an official and legal record of the actions taken.

The Survey on the Practice of Minutes by the Governance Institute of Australia highlights that meeting minutes serve as an official record of the board’s discussions and decisions, offering valuable insights into the organization’s decision-making process.

The majority (68%) prefer meeting minutes to be written in reported speech, while 20% disagree. Using “will” and “shall” is essential for outlining policies or actions. Bullet points are acceptable as long as they accurately capture the meeting, and while reported speech is a popular choice, other factors should also be considered.

Hence, by utilizing a board meeting template, organizations streamline their documentation processes.

Guidelines for taking board meeting minutes

To ensure accuracy, maintain a neutral tone and capture decisions, motions, votes, and action items. Avoid personal comments, and check spelling and grammar for clarity. Reviewing the minutes before finalizing them ensures consistency. A board meeting minutes template can streamline the process and help meet legal and organizational standards.

How to take minutes for a board meeting sample

A how to take minutes for a board meeting sample is a useful tool to structure your notes. It should include sections for the date, attendees, agenda, decisions, votes, and action items. Using a sample ensures clarity and helps you capture everything needed without missing key details.

Who takes minutes at a board meeting

Typically, the board secretary takes the minutes, but in smaller organizations, it might be the CEO or another executive. Whoever is designated should be organized, understand the meeting structure, and ensure all crucial points are documented accurately.

Why bother with meeting minutes?

This question might arise when reading the first two paragraphs of the article, and we appreciate your concerns. It’s important to understand why you’re spending so much time documenting all actions and conversations. Otherwise, you may question why you are wasting time exercising your note-taking skills.

What you need to understand is that effective board meeting minutes are not just a record for personal use. They come with a plethora of advantages and are considered a best practice in corporate governance for several reasons:

Meeting minutes are a legal record

The content of approved meeting minutes is an official and legal record that is legally actionable and serves as legal protection in case of a lawsuit. Therefore, it’s best to adhere to the board meeting minutes legal requirements and treat this document as a valid record from the beginning.

They can attract investors

Board meeting minutes can be proof of progress for prospective sponsors and anyone else looking to invest in your venture. If recorded effectively, they reflect the efficiency and competence of the board.

They are the blueprint for future decisions

Thinking of your board meeting minutes as a blueprint is useful since that’s exactly what they are for future projects. Board meeting minutes can be treated as a reference source that consolidates all the important topics for upcoming projects and future meetings, including the date and time of the next meeting.

Meeting minutes help to save time

Predefined sections in the template for taking minutes at a board meeting prompt the minute-taker to focus on critical aspects of the meeting. When using specialized features offered by some of the best board portals, a minute taker can save an additional effort of creating minutes from scratch.

A well-designed template ensures that no essential information is overlooked, as it includes sections for recording key discussion points, decisions, action items, and responsibilities.

Meeting notes highlight the organization’s transparency

Transparent governance is crucial for building trust among stakeholders. A board meeting minutes facilitate clear and transparent communication by documenting discussions, decisions, and the rationale behind them.

They facilitate review and follow-up

Members and stakeholders can review meeting’s minutes during and after a board meeting to stay informed about the organization’s progress and commitments. A structured template allows for easy identification of action items and follow-up tasks.

Using board meeting minutes is a practical and efficient way to capture and document essential information from board meetings.

Who should take minutes at a board meeting?

Generally, any board member, including the board secretary, can take meeting minutes provided they’re assigned to this role by the board.

However, the written record of a board meeting is usually the responsibility of corporate board secretaries. This is typical for larger corporations. On the other hand, small companies or nonprofit organizations usually are limited in people. That’s why it’s not uncommon for a CEO or executive director to cover the board meeting agenda by drafting meeting minutes.

Regardless of the person who is responsible for taking minutes at a board meeting, having a minutes of board meeting sample would always be helpful. Download our template and use it as an example of board meeting minutes for your company.

How to take board meeting minutes like a pro

Taking board meeting minutes is an important task for recording the discussions, decisions, and actions taken during a meeting. To maintain transparency, accountability, and legal compliance, it is crucial to create board meeting minutes. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to take board meeting minutes effectively based on the three main stages of working with them.

Preparation before the meeting

Thorough preparation sets the foundation for effective note-taking:

• Review the agenda: Familiarize yourself with the topics to be discussed. This will help you organize your notes and stay focused.
• Identify participants: Know who will be attending, including board members, executives, and guests.
• Set up your tools: Choose reliable tools such as Evernote, Notion, or board-specific portals to simplify the process.
• Draft an outline: Use the agenda to create a note-taking framework with headings and bullet points to ensure nothing important is overlooked.

How to take minutes during the meeting

Follow these steps to capture accurate and concise meeting minutes:

• Document key details: Start by recording the meeting’s date, time, attendees, and any absences or proxies.
• Summarize discussions: Focus on the main points and avoid transcribing word-for-word dialogue.
• Identify action items: Clearly note responsibilities, deadlines, and assigned individuals.
• Record decisions and votes: Capture resolutions made and voting outcomes, including the number of votes in favor, against, and abstentions.

After the meeting: Finalizing the minutes

Ensure the minutes are polished and ready for distribution:

• Review thoroughly: Check for errors or omissions and refine for clarity and completeness. Compare with the previous meeting’s minutes to ensure consistency and continuity.
• Seek approval: Share the draft with the board chair or meeting leader for review and approval.
• Distribute and store: Send the finalized minutes promptly to all stakeholders and securely archive them for future reference and compliance purposes.

Pro Tip: Keep your writing style consistent and concise. Focus on decisions and actions rather than opinions or lengthy details to ensure the minutes are clear and professional.

Helpful tips for taking board meeting minutes

Below is the list of the board meeting minutes best practices that will help you to draft minutes like a pro:

• Use templates. It’s the easiest way to ensure accurate and correct meeting minutes taking. Use ready-to-use board meeting minutes templates like we suggest, or create your own that will reflect your board’s objectives.
• Mark attendees on their arrival. Check off meeting participants’ presence the moment they arrive at the meeting. 
• Make notes timely. Ensure you record all the motions, actions, and decisions the moment they occur so as not to miss anything. 
• Ask for clarification. If you’re not sure whether you understand certain points clearly, it’s better to ask for clarification when the issue arises. Otherwise, you might just miss out on that point and fail to reflect it in meeting minutes accordingly.
• Opt for brief notes rather than full sentences. It will help you to stay focused on the board discussions rather than distracted to clearly express yourself in a full sentence. Later, you can polish the writing when reviewing the notes after the meeting. 
• Write in one verb tense. As simple as it is, it will help to avoid any confusion.

4 common mistakes in taking board meeting minutes

Now, let’s briefly review the most common mistakes that may occur on your way when working on meeting minutes: 

1. Failure to document a quorum. Without a quorum present at the meeting, all the decisions made during it won’t be legally binding. That’s why it’s important to get acquainted with meeting participants before the meeting and check them off upon their arrival. 
2. Dubious statements. Being unclear in statements might lead to misinterpretation of certain points, and thus, impact the results of board meetings. To avoid this, use clear language and ask for clarification when necessary.
3. Failure to establish consistency. Just like the previous mistake, this can lead to being unclear and misinterpreted. What’s more, it even can lead to legal scrutiny if being done regularly. 
4. Lack of quality review post-meeting. Without taking time to properly review the notes taken during a meeting, you risk presenting meeting participants with false information. 

Board of directors meeting minutes template

Use this structured template to streamline the process of documenting your board meetings effectively and professionally. Each section ensures that key details are captured and that your minutes meet organizational and compliance standards.

1. Date, time, and location

Here, indicate the date, time, and location where the meeting takes place.

2. Attendees

A list of all attendees, including board directors, executive directors, guests, finance department, and any individuals present, is noted.

3. Approval of previous minutes

If applicable, approval of meeting minutes from previous meetings is recommended.

4. Meeting agenda items

The agenda items for the current meeting are listed, providing a clear outline of the topics discussed. This simple step ensures attendees are on the same page.

5. Discussion and decisions

For each meeting agenda item, a summary of the discussions and any decisions reached is provided. This includes the rationale behind the decisions and any significant viewpoints expressed by stakeholders.

6. Action Items

Any action items assigned during the meeting are recorded, along with the responsible individuals and due dates.

7. Voting record

In the case of formal votes on specific matters, the voting results and how each board member voted (for, against, abstained) are documented.

8. Reports and presentations

Key points from reports and presentations made during the meeting are summarized.

9. Financial statements

If financial matters were discussed, relevant financial statements, budget updates, or financial projections may be included.

10. Announcements and disclosures

Important announcements or disclosures made during the meeting are recorded.

11. Signature and date

The minutes of the board of directors meeting template should include signatures from the minute-taker and the board chair or secretary to certify accuracy.

Need a PDF or printable template to share with colleagues?

Simplify the process with our Board Meeting Minutes Template — designed to save time and ensure consistency. This template includes all the essential sections you need to create accurate and professional meeting records.

Perfect for sharing with colleagues or keeping on file for compliance, this template helps you focus on discussions and decisions without worrying about structure.

Special considerations for nonprofit board meeting minutes

Nonprofit organizations often have unique requirements when it comes to documenting board meeting minutes. These considerations ensure transparency, compliance, and alignment with the organization’s mission.

Unique requirements for nonprofit organizations

1. Detailed financial oversight
   Nonprofit board minutes should include comprehensive records of financial discussions, such as budgets, fundraising strategies, or grant allocations. This is essential for demonstrating fiscal responsibility to stakeholders and regulatory bodies.
2. Mission alignment
   Document how decisions made during the meeting align with the nonprofit’s mission. This helps illustrate the organization’s commitment to its goals and values.
3. IRS and legal compliance
   Nonprofit minutes must meet the legal and regulatory requirements specific to tax-exempt organizations. Include records of discussions around governance, compliance, and any actions that affect the nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status.
4. Stakeholder reporting
   Since nonprofits rely on transparency to maintain trust, the minutes should provide a clear record of discussions and decisions for stakeholders, donors, and members.

Taking accurate and detailed board meeting minutes isn’t just a formality — it’s a vital practice that underpins a nonprofit’s credibility and operational integrity.

Key takeaways

• Board meeting minutes serve as essential tools for documenting and recording the proceedings and decisions made during corporate board meetings.
• Using a for-profit or nonprofit board meeting minutes template ensures consistency, completeness, and professionalism in recording meeting details.
• The minutes should include crucial information such as the meeting date, attendees, decisions made, action items, voting records, key reports, and presentations.
• Board meeting minutes should not include personal opinions, off-topic discussions, excessive details, sensitive information, unattributed statements, conflicts, humor, or unofficial comments.

Meeting minutes made easy with our template

FAQ

What is the best way to record board meeting minutes?

Traditionally, the person taking minutes would write or type them manually, distribute the copies after the meeting, and then store the record in an archive. However, with the rise of board meeting software, the administrative aspect of board reporting evolved into a new era. Board portals now significantly simplify the minute taking process.

Can I use a board meeting minutes template?

Yes, using a board meeting minutes template is highly recommended. Sample board meeting minutes provide a consistent and organized format for board meeting minutes, making the process more efficient and ensuring that critical information is not overlooked.

Who is responsible for taking the board meeting minutes?

Generally, any board member can take board meeting minutes. However, it’s typically a corporate secretary who’s responsible for that. In smaller organizations, especially nonprofit ones, that are limited in people, meeting minutes can be taken even by the CEO or executive director.