Written consent agendas are a governing tool that allows nonprofit boards to streamline meeting procedures. They incorporate routine and non-controversial matters into a grouping, which can then be put to a vote and included in the board minutes. This can result in shorter meetings and more time for discussion of high-priority subjects.
Typically, these routine issues include financial reports (with accompanying budgets), committee updates, the approval of the most recent draft of the meeting minutes and other items that are not controversial. These items are added to the agenda prior to a meeting. They are then scrutinized by the board and decided upon by the board in a vote at the start of the meeting.
Before voting before the vote, the chairperson of board can ask if any board member wants to move a particular item from the consent agenda to the regular discussion section of the meeting. This allows for every board member to answer any concerns or questions prior to when the groupings vote. It also ensures no unintentional issues were overlooked during the process to gather data to be voted on by the board.
A well-planned consent agenda could be a powerful tool for nonprofit boards to use in meeting efficiency, creating board director engagement and enhancing efficiency. It is important to note however that the consent agenda shouldn’t be used to address issues that require a lengthy discussion, careful examination, or where a discussion could alter the outcome or impact of the issue. It should only be used in situations where the issue can be resolved without debate, and the outcome of all votes must be recorded in the board meeting minutes.