The written consent agenda is a useful tool for governance that lets nonprofit boards simplify meeting procedures by combining non-controversial and routine items into a grouping that can be approved by a vote and approved before being recorded in the board’s minutes. This can result in shorter meetings and more time to discuss higher-priority issues.
Typically these routine items include financial reports (with accompanying budgets), committee updates, approval of the most recent draft of the board’s meeting minutes, and other non-controversial items. These items are added to the agenda prior to the meeting. They are then considered by the board before being taken up by the group at the start of the meeting.
Before voting before the vote, the chairperson of board can inquire if a board member wants to move a specific item from the consent agenda to the regular discussion section of the meeting. This allows each board member to clarify or ask questions prior to the grouping is voted on and ensures that no unintentional issue was overlooked during the process of gathering information that the board can then approve.
A well-executed agenda of consent can be a powerful tool for nonprofit boards in improving efficiency at meetings, increasing the involvement of directors and increasing productivity. However it is crucial to keep in mind that the consent agenda is not to be used for any item that requires in-depth discussion or careful consideration or in the event that a discussion might alter the outcome of the issue or its impact. It is only used when a decision can be made without debate. The results of all votes have to be recorded in the minutes of the board meeting.
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