Board meetings in person provide more opportunities for conversation and non-verbal signals that can’t be replicated in a virtual space. 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 can allow virtual board meetings to be just as effective as in-person meetings. Follow these suggestions to ensure that your meetings will be successful and entertaining:

Comprehensive Preparation

Virtual meetings require greater preparation than meetings in person. A detailed agenda, with clearly defined discussion topics Virtual Data Room Features and time limits for each topic should be made available prior to the meeting to ensure directors can look up any information they require and prepare questions or suggestions prior to the meeting begins.

Make sure you have meeting materials available early

It’s easy to lose track of time in a virtual conference when you’re able to check your social media or your email. Make it a priority to provide all essential meeting materials, information and documents at least one week before the session. This will prevent participants from wasting time during meetings and allow them more time to take part in discussions and make decisions.

Utilize a virtual board management software platform like OnBoard to provide your board members access to all essential materials and resources prior the meeting. By doing this you will avoid the frequent distractions of technical issues and connectivity problems which can cause delays or derail meetings. To avoid problems like these make sure you ask your board management software provider to test all equipment and links for every participant before the meeting.