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Minutes are the organization's official legal record of what the board decided — not a transcript of what everyone said. They should capture decisions, who made them, and that proper process was followed. Use the template below and keep it consistent meeting to meeting.
Minutes should show what was decided and that it was decided properly: the motion's exact wording, who moved and seconded it, and the result. You generally do not record who said what during debate, and you should avoid characterizing the discussion ("a heated exchange") — minutes are discoverable, and editorializing creates risk. Note that a quorum was present, and record abstentions and recusals, especially where a conflict of interest was declared.
The secretary drafts the minutes; the board adopts them at the next meeting. That approval is what makes them the official record, so the draft should circulate early enough to be read. Corrections are made by motion at approval and noted. Once approved, minutes are permanent corporate records — keep them indefinitely, and store them somewhere that survives a change of secretary.
Confidential matters discussed in executive session are minuted separately, in a restricted record, capturing any decisions without the sensitive detail. Whether AI or a person drafts the first pass, a human reviews and the board approves — the standard is the same.
BOARD MEETING MINUTES [Organization name] [Date] · [Start time]–[End time] · [Location / video link] PRESENT: [names of directors present] ABSENT: [names, with/without notice] ALSO PRESENT: [CEO, staff, guests] QUORUM: A quorum was [present / not present]. 1. CALL TO ORDER [Chair] called the meeting to order at [time]. 2. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES MOTION: To approve the minutes of [date]. Moved: [name] Seconded: [name] Result: [Carried / Failed] 3. [AGENDA ITEM / DECISION] Summary: [one or two neutral sentences of context]. MOTION: [exact wording of the motion]. Moved: [name] Seconded: [name] Result: [Carried / Failed] [For: # Against: # Abstain: #] [Note any recusal for conflict of interest.] 4. [REPORTS / INFORMATION ITEMS] [Brief note of what was received — e.g. "The financial report for [period] was received." No discussion recorded.] 5. OTHER BUSINESS [Any additional decisions, in the motion format above.] 6. NEXT MEETING [Date, time, location.] 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at [time]. Minutes recorded by: [secretary name] Approved by the board on: [date]
Nonprofit Liaison builds the agenda, assembles the packet, and drafts the minutes for you — so the template becomes the workflow.