Board meeting minutes template (Word, free)
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This board meeting minutes template follows the order most boards use: call to order, quorum, approval of the previous minutes, reports, old and new business, and adjournment. Each motion gets its mover, seconder and the outcome of the vote, because that is what the minutes exist to prove.
Download it as a Word file, copy the plain-text version into your own document, or read the filled-in example first to see what good board minutes look like.
Word file (.docx), free and without signing up. Opens in Google Docs and Pages too.
What’s in the template
The minutes open with these details:
- Organisation
- Type of meeting (regular / special / annual)
- Date
- Time called to order
- Location (or video platform)
- Chair (presiding officer)
- Minutes taken by (secretary)
- Directors present
- Directors absent
- Also present (staff, guests, counsel)
- Quorum present (yes / no)
Then the body follows the meeting in this order:
- 1. Call to order — Who called the meeting to order and at what time.
- 2. Roll call and quorum — Confirm a quorum under the bylaws before any business is done.
- 3. Approval of the agenda — Note any items added or removed.Motion: · Moved by: · Seconded by: · Vote:
- 4. Approval of previous minutes — Date of the minutes approved, and any corrections.Motion: · Moved by: · Seconded by: · Vote:
- 5. Reports — Chair, executive director or CEO, treasurer, committees. Record that a report was received and any decision arising from it, not the full report.Chair's report: · Executive report: · Treasurer's / financial report: · Committee reports:
- 6. Old business — Items carried over from the previous meeting, with the decision reached.
- 7. New business — One block per item: a short summary of the discussion, then the motion exactly as worded.Item: · Summary of discussion: · Motion: · Moved by: · Seconded by: · Vote (for / against / abstain): · Outcome: carried / failed
- 8. Executive session (if held) — Record only that the board entered and left executive session and the time. Keep any separate record as the bylaws require.
- 9. Next meeting — Date, time and location.
- 10. Adjournment — Time, and who moved to adjourn.Moved by: · Time adjourned:
- ApprovalMinutes submitted by: · Minutes approved on: · Secretary's signature:
At the end: motions and resolutions and action items, as tables you can keep across meetings.
The template
Download it as a Word file, or copy the text version into your own document.
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Organisation: Type of meeting (regular / special / annual): Date: Time called to order: Location (or video platform): Chair (presiding officer): Minutes taken by (secretary): Directors present: Directors absent: Also present (staff, guests, counsel): Quorum present (yes / no): 1. Call to order [Who called the meeting to order and at what time.] 2. Roll call and quorum [Confirm a quorum under the bylaws before any business is done.] 3. Approval of the agenda [Note any items added or removed.] Motion: Moved by: Seconded by: Vote: 4. Approval of previous minutes [Date of the minutes approved, and any corrections.] Motion: Moved by: Seconded by: Vote: 5. Reports [Chair, executive director or CEO, treasurer, committees. Record that a report was received and any decision arising from it, not the full report.] Chair's report: Executive report: Treasurer's / financial report: Committee reports: 6. Old business [Items carried over from the previous meeting, with the decision reached.] 7. New business [One block per item: a short summary of the discussion, then the motion exactly as worded.] Item: Summary of discussion: Motion: Moved by: Seconded by: Vote (for / against / abstain): Outcome: carried / failed 8. Executive session (if held) [Record only that the board entered and left executive session and the time. Keep any separate record as the bylaws require.] 9. Next meeting [Date, time and location.] 10. Adjournment [Time, and who moved to adjourn.] Moved by: Time adjourned: Approval Minutes submitted by: Minutes approved on: Secretary's signature: Motions and resolutions No. | Motion | Moved / seconded | Vote | Outcome Action items No. | Action | Owner | Due | Status
What board minutes are for
Board minutes are the legal record of what the board decided and that it decided it properly. They show a quorum was present, who voted, and which resolutions passed. Regulators, auditors, lenders and courts may ask for them years later. That is why they are shorter and more formal than ordinary meeting notes: they record outcomes, not conversation.
The usual rule is to minute what was done, not what was said. A good test: if a director who missed the meeting reads the minutes, they should know every decision and action, but not who argued for what.
What to record for every motion
- The exact wording of the motion, as voted on, including any amendment.
- Who moved and who seconded it. Some boards omit the seconder; follow your bylaws.
- The vote: unanimous, or the count for, against and abstaining. Record by name only if your bylaws or a director asks for it.
- Any director who abstained or recused because of a conflict of interest, and that they left the room if they did.
- The outcome: carried or failed.
What to leave out
- Verbatim discussion, individual opinions and who said what.
- Draft figures that were later corrected in the meeting.
- Anything from executive session beyond the fact that it happened, unless your bylaws say otherwise.
- Characterisations such as "a heated debate". Write "the board discussed" and move to the decision.
Regular, special and annual meetings
The same template works for all three. For a special meeting, add how notice was given and what the meeting was called to decide; most bylaws limit a special meeting to the business in the notice. For an annual meeting, add the election of directors and officers and the appointment of the auditor, if your organisation has one.
Approval and storage
Minutes are a draft until the board approves them, normally at the next meeting. Circulate the draft within a few days while memories are fresh, correct it in the meeting if needed, and have the secretary sign the approved version. Keep approved minutes with the organisation's permanent records; many organisations keep them indefinitely.
Example: filled-in board meeting minutes
What the template looks like once it’s been used. The organisation and people are made up.
Minutes of the regular meeting of the board of directors of Riverside Food Bank
Date: Tuesday 14 October 2026
Called to order: 6:02 pm
Location: Riverside Food Bank warehouse office, and by video
Chair: Marisol Ortega
Minutes taken by: Priya Natarajan, Secretary
Directors present: Marisol Ortega, Priya Natarajan, Tom Baxter, Lena Fischer, Daniel Okafor, Grace Whitfield (by video)
Directors absent: Samuel Reyes (apologies)
Also present: Hannah Lee, Executive Director
Quorum: Present (6 of 7 directors)
1. Call to order
The chair called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm.
2. Roll call and quorum
The secretary confirmed that six of seven directors were present and that a quorum existed under section 4.3 of the bylaws.
3. Approval of the agenda
Motion to approve the agenda as circulated. Moved by Tom Baxter, seconded by Lena Fischer. Carried unanimously.
4. Approval of previous minutes
Motion to approve the minutes of 9 September 2026, with one correction: the treasurer's report was received, not approved. Moved by Daniel Okafor, seconded by Grace Whitfield. Carried unanimously.
5. Reports
Executive Director's report: Hannah Lee reported that September distributions were 14% above the same month last year and that the second refrigerated van is in service. The report was received.
Treasurer's report: Tom Baxter presented the financial statements to 30 September. Expenses are tracking to budget; the reserve stands at 4.1 months of operating costs. The report was received.
Fundraising committee: Lena Fischer reported that the winter appeal mails on 3 November. No decision was required.
6. Old business
Warehouse lease renewal: the chair confirmed the three-year renewal approved in September was signed on 1 October. Item closed.
7. New business
7.1 Weekend distribution pilot. Hannah Lee proposed a six-month Saturday distribution pilot at an estimated cost of $18,000, funded from the operating budget. The board discussed staffing and volunteer coverage.
Motion: that the board approve a Saturday distribution pilot from 1 December 2026 to 31 May 2027 with a budget not exceeding $18,000, with a review at the March 2027 meeting. Moved by Lena Fischer, seconded by Daniel Okafor. Vote: 5 for, 0 against, 1 abstention (Grace Whitfield). Carried.
7.2 Conflict of interest policy. Priya Natarajan presented the revised policy circulated with the agenda. Motion: that the board adopt the revised conflict of interest policy effective immediately. Moved by Priya Natarajan, seconded by Tom Baxter. Carried unanimously.
8. Executive session
None.
9. Next meeting
Tuesday 11 November 2026 at 6:00 pm.
10. Adjournment
There being no further business, the chair adjourned the meeting at 7:25 pm on a motion by Daniel Okafor.
Motions and resolutions
| No. | Decision | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minutes of 9 September 2026 approved as corrected | Carried unanimously |
| 2 | Saturday distribution pilot, budget up to $18,000 | Carried, 5 for, 1 abstention |
| 3 | Revised conflict of interest policy adopted | Carried unanimously |
Action items
| No. | Action | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Draft volunteer rota for the Saturday pilot | Hannah Lee | 11 November 2026 |
| 2 | Circulate signed conflict of interest declarations to all directors | Priya Natarajan | 31 October 2026 |
| 3 | Add pilot review to the March 2027 agenda | Marisol Ortega | 1 March 2027 |
Tips for board meeting minutes
- Write the motion down before the vote and read it back. If the wording is wrong, fix it in the room, not afterwards.
- Record that a report was received. Attach the report itself rather than summarising it.
- Use the names in the attendance list consistently, including for directors joining by video.
- Note the time the meeting started and ended; auditors look for it.
- Send the draft to the chair within two or three days, and to the whole board within a week.
- Keep one numbered motions register across the year so a resolution can be cited later as, for example, 2026-14.
Related templates
- Nonprofit board meeting minutes template — For 501(c)(3) and other charity boards: the record funders, auditors and the IRS may ask to see, including recusals and executive session.
- Corporate meeting minutes template — For the board or shareholders of a corporation: numbered resolutions, officer elections and the record that keeps the company separate from its owners.
- Annual meeting minutes template — For the annual general meeting of shareholders or members: proxies, quorum counted in shares or votes, elections, the auditor and the annual report.
- Robert's Rules minutes template — Formal minutes in the form Robert's Rules recommends: a record of what was done, each main motion with its mover and disposition, points of order and appeals.
- All meeting minutes templates
Or let the notes write themselves
A template helps when you’re the one typing. If you’d rather not be, an AI note taker can draft the summary and action items for you. Most send a bot into the call; QuietNote captures from your own computer instead, so nothing joins the meeting and you decide when capture starts. It’s in private beta. Whatever you use, read the draft before you send it, and tell attendees you’re recording where the rules require it.
Questions
What must board meeting minutes include?
At minimum: the organisation's name, the type of meeting, date, time and place, who attended, that a quorum was present, each motion with its outcome, and the time of adjournment. Most boards also record who moved and seconded each motion and the vote count.
Should board minutes be detailed or brief?
Brief. Minutes are a record of decisions, not a transcript. Record what was decided, how it was decided and any action assigned. Long narrative minutes are harder to approve and can expose the organisation to more scrutiny later.
Who signs board meeting minutes?
Usually the secretary, after the board approves them at the next meeting. Some organisations have the chair sign as well. Check your bylaws; they often say who signs and where minutes are kept.
Do we record who voted against a motion?
Record the count for, against and abstaining. Name individual directors only if your bylaws require it, or if a director asks that their vote be recorded by name, which is common when a director votes against a resolution they may later be asked about.
Can board minutes be taken with an AI note taker?
An AI tool can produce a useful first draft of the discussion and action items, but board minutes still need a person to confirm the motion wording and vote counts, and the board still has to approve them. If you record a board meeting, say so at the start and check whether your bylaws or executive-session rules allow it.