Anyone who has been the board secretary or executive director the evening before a meeting knows the routine: chase the treasurer for the financials, find last month’s minutes, merge everything into one document, and email it with fingers crossed. Then a director replies that they cannot open it, or that they have a different version. Board packet software exists to take that work off a volunteer’s plate.
What belongs in a board packet
A packet is simply the materials a director needs to make informed decisions. For most nonprofit boards that means a short list: the agenda, the minutes of the previous meeting for approval, the financial report, committee reports, and any documents tied to decisions on the agenda, such as a proposed budget, a contract, or a draft policy.
Agenda first
Start from a reusable agenda template so the order of business is consistent from month to month.
Attachments where they belong
Attach reports and supporting documents to the agenda item they support instead of burying them in one long file.
Prior minutes for approval
Bring the draft minutes from the last meeting into the packet so approval is the first order of business.
One current version
Everyone opens the same materials in the same place, which ends version confusion.
History you can find
Past packets stay with their meetings, so you can see what the board had in front of it when it decided.
Ask Volo about the documents
Directors can ask the built-in assistant questions grounded in your uploaded bylaws and policies.
Why timing matters more than formatting
The most common packet problem is not the format but the lead time. A forty-page budget delivered the night before is functionally unread, and a board that routinely arrives unprepared tends to spend meeting time on information that should have been absorbed beforehand. Having materials collected as they are produced, rather than assembled in a rush, makes sending them earlier realistic.
How far in advance materials must be sent can also be a matter of your bylaws, and in some organizations specific notice is required for particular kinds of decisions. Check your governing documents and applicable state law for the requirements that apply to you.
Consent agendas for routine items
Routine approvals, such as prior minutes, standing reports, and uncontroversial renewals, can be grouped into a consent agenda and adopted with a single motion. Any director can ask for an item to be pulled for separate discussion. Packet software makes this easy because the supporting documents for each consent item are already attached.
Confidentiality
Some packet material is sensitive: personnel matters, legal advice, or donor information. Keeping it in a controlled workspace rather than in forwardable email attachments makes it easier for the board to manage who has it.
Get started without a procurement process
Try Voloboard free for 30 days with no credit card. After the trial it is a flat $99/month for the whole board, so adding the committee chairs who contribute to the packet does not change the price.
Frequently asked questions
What is a board packet?
A board packet is the set of materials distributed to directors before a meeting so they can prepare. It typically includes the agenda, prior minutes, financial and committee reports, and documents related to decisions on the agenda.
What should be in a nonprofit board packet?
At minimum, the agenda, the draft minutes of the last meeting, the current financial report, committee reports, and any documents the board will vote on. Keep it focused on what directors need to decide.
How early should the board packet go out?
Your bylaws and applicable state law may set a minimum, so check them first. Beyond that requirement, many boards find that sending materials about a week ahead gives directors a realistic chance to read them.
Can directors access packets from their phones?
Voloboard is a web application, so directors can open meeting materials from a browser on any device. Check the current product pages for the latest details on supported features.
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