In-person board meetings provide more opportunities for natural conversations and non-verbal cues that aren’t easily replicated in a virtual setting. With a little planning and effort, nonprofits can still maintain effective meeting dynamics when switching to a virtual format.

The adoption of best practices proven to work makes it possible for virtual board meetings to be just as effective as in-person sessions. Consider the following tips to ensure that your meetings are productive and engaging:

Comprehensive structure of nonprofit organization Preparation

Virtual meetings require more thorough and detailed preparation than in-person sessions. A detailed agenda, including clearly defined discussion topics and time limits for each topic, should be shared ahead of the meeting to ensure that directors can research any information they require and prepare questions or suggestions before the meeting gets underway.

Make sure you have meeting materials available early

It’s easy for people to lose their focus during a virtual meeting, especially when you are able to easily check your social media or your email. Make it a point to send out all the required meeting materials, documents and documents at a minimum of one week before the session. This will ensure that participants don’t wasting time during meetings and allow them more time to participate in discussions and take decisions.

Utilize a virtual management software platform, such as OnBoard, to give your board members access to all the necessary materials and resources prior to the start of the meeting. You can stay clear of the distractions associated with technical issues and connectivity issues that could make meetings unproductive or stalled. To avoid issues like this make sure that your board management software provider test all links and equipment for each participant prior to the start of the meeting.